Art and museums

Amsterdam has more than fifty museums, but the centre of gravity for visual art lies in two places: Museumplein in Zuid and the old city centre. On Museumplein the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum and the Stedelijk Museum are a few minutes' walk from each other. In the city centre, museums occupy historic buildings, such as Rembrandt's house on Jodenbreestraat and the Amstelhof on the Amstel.

The art and museums section describes these places with their history and the practical side of a visit: time slots, crowds and which combinations work in a single day. Photography and film have their own section, as do design and media art, because Amsterdam has a tradition of its own in those fields. For looking beyond the museums, the neighbourhood portraits cover the city's architecture and galleries.

Planning

The major museums sell tickets for fixed time slots. Two museums in one day is quite manageable; three is too much for most visitors. At the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum mornings are busiest around opening time, while later in the afternoon it is often quieter. On the first Saturday of November Amsterdam's museums hold their joint Museum Night, with evening programmes in dozens of museums; see the annual calendar.