About the Museum
The Rijksmuseum is the national museum of the Netherlands, dedicated to Dutch arts and history. Located in Amsterdam's Museum Square, it holds the world's finest collection of Dutch Golden Age painting, including masterworks by Rembrandt and Vermeer.
Founded in The Hague in 1800, the Rijksmuseum moved to Amsterdam in 1808 and into its current building — designed by Pierre Cuypers — in 1885. After a decade-long renovation completed in 2013, the museum now presents 8,000 objects of art and history across 80 galleries, telling the story of 800 years of Dutch art and history. The Gallery of Honour, a grand corridor leading to Rembrandt's Night Watch, is one of the most breathtaking museum experiences in the world.
Notable Collections
The Night Watch
Rembrandt van Rijn, 1642
Rembrandt's largest and most famous painting depicts the militia company of Captain Frans Banning Cocq. Its dramatic use of light and shadow and sense of motion set it apart from other group portraits of the period.
The Milkmaid
Johannes Vermeer, c. 1658
This intimate domestic scene shows a maid pouring milk with extraordinary attention to light and texture. Vermeer's masterful handling of light makes this one of the most admired paintings in the world.
The Jewish Bride
Rembrandt van Rijn, c. 1665
A tender portrait of a couple, remarkable for its warmth of color and the gentle gesture of the man's hand resting on the woman's chest. Van Gogh once said he would give ten years of his life to sit before this painting for two weeks.
