Don't Miss
Rijksmuseum
Jan Luykenstraat 1
Open daily 9am-6pm
One of the world’s great art museums, the Rijksmuseum first opened in 1800 in the Hague and moved to Amsterdam in 1809. The current Renaissance-Gothic structure opened in 1885. Its collection includes a large number of magnificent Dutch paintings from the Golden Age (the most famous being Rembrandt’s Night Watch) as well as many 19th-century works and a substantial collection of Asian art. The museum is currently undergoing a major 10-year restoration, and will fully reopen on April 13, 2013 with a completely new layout and facilities and a brand-new Asian pavilion. In the meantime, 400 masterworks of the Golden Age will be on view in the Philips Wing until Mar 17.
Anne Frank House
Prinsengracht 263-267
Open daily Sep 15-Mar 14 9am-7pm (Sat 9am-9pm); Mar 15-Sep 14, 9am-9pm (Sat from 9am-10pm). Jul & Aug, open daily until 10pm.
Jewish teenager Anne Frank and her family hid from the Nazis within this house for two years during World War II. Her famous diary chronicles those years and shows her fear and frustration at having to stay in hiding. Eventually the family was betrayed to the Gestapo and sent to Auschwitz. Visiting the Secret Annexe where they lived is a profoundly moving experience – those rooms have been left largely intact, while the lower levels provide history and background through interactive displays.
Van Gogh Museum
Until Apr 25, 2013: Hermitage Amsterdam
Amstel 51
Tel: +31 (20) 570 52 00
Open daily, 9 am - 5 pm
This museum houses the world’s largest collection of works by Van Gogh – over 200 paintings as well as drawings and letters. The exhibit chronicles his short and turbulent life, from his beginnings in Holland to his years in France. Major works include The Potato Eaters, The Bedroom, Sunflowers, and Irises. For kids, the museum offers workshops and an engaging treasure hunt. The museum is currently closed for renovation until April 25, 2013, but 75 works are on display at the Hermitage in the meantime.
Stedelijk Museum
Museumplein 10
Tel: +31 (20) 573 29 11
Open daily 10am-6pm (Thu until 10pm)
Amsterdam’s main venue for contemporary and modern art recently underwent a major renovation, including a daring and controversial new wing known as the “bathtub.” The permanent collection features a number of works by Piet Mondriaan, Kasimir Malevich and Marc Chagall.
EYE Film Institute
IJpromenade 1
Tel: +31 (20) 589 14 00
Open Sun-Thu 10am-10pm, Fri-Sat 10am-11pm (closing time varies depending on time of last screening)
EYE Film Institute Netherlands is the Dutch center for film culture and heritage. Opened to huge buzz in 2012 in a stunning building on Amsterdam’s waterfront, it has quickly become one of the city’s must-see attractions. Along with cinema memorabilia and a world-class film archive, the center offers film series and retrospectives, and film and media education for children and adults. The popular bar-restaurant provides great views over the IJ river.