Amsterdam has an amazing collection of museums. The most popular ones can get very crowded in the summer peak season, so it's worth exploring advance tickets or getting there off-peak (e.g. very early in the morning). Avoid the museums in the Binnenstad as these are mostly tourist traps. The quality museums can be found in Zuid, the Canal District and Plantage.The museums in Zuid are located at the Museumplein, a square surrounded by quality museums. The country's national museum is the Rijksmuseum, a must-visit with a large collection of paintings from the Dutch Golden Age. Some artists that can't be overlooked are Rembrandt, Johannes Vermeer, Frans Hals and Jan Steen. The most widely regarded paintings are Rembrandt's Night Watch and Vermeer's Milkmaid. The museum also boasts a substantial collection of Asian art. Reopened after a reconstruction of about ten years, its renewed set-up is absolutely worthwhile, leading the visitor through the ages from the late Middle Ages to the early 20th century.
Even someone with little knowledge of art must have heard about Vincent van Gogh, the Dutch Post-Impressionist painter whose work had a far-reaching influence on 20th century art for its vivid colours and emotional impact. The Van Gogh Museum has the largest collection of Van Gogh's paintings and drawings in the world. The Stedelijk Museum is all about modern art, contemporary art and design. A newer addition to Amsterdam's already stellar set of art museums is the H'ART Museum in Plantage which has affiliations with Centre Pompidou, British Museum and Smithsonian American Art Museum.
A major museum is the Anne Frank House, dedicated to Anne Frank, a Jewish girl who kept a diary while hiding from Nazi persecution in hidden rooms at the rear of a building in the Canal District (known as the Achterhuis). It's an exhibition on the life of Anne Frank, but also highlights other forms of persecution and discrimination. Amsterdam has hundreds of museums about pretty much every topic one could think of. They are described in the city's district articles.
The Museumkaart costs €75.00 for adults and €39.00 for those under 18 years old (2025). It covers the cost of admission to over 500 museums across the Netherlands and you can buy it at most major museums. You can opt for a digital or a physical card. Note that if you choose for the latter one and do not buy it in advance, you will be issued a temporary card that is only valid for 5 museum visits over a period of 31 days until you receive the permanent card, which can be mailed to a EU address after being registered. It is valid for an entire year. If you are going to the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum, those are €25.00 and €24.00 (2025) respectively, so this card can quickly pay for itself. The tickets to the major museums, including the audio guide, can be bought early from the tourist information desk at no extra cost. Alternatively, for short stays, you can consider buying the I amsterdam City Card, starting at €65 (2025) per day, which includes "free" access to Amsterdam museums, public transport and discounts on many tourist attractions.
