Rijksmuseum or Van Gogh Museum: Which to Visit, With Hours and Booking

The short answer. Go to the Rijksmuseum if you want the Night Watch, Vermeer and a wide look at Dutch art and history. Go to the Van Gogh Museum if you want one artist’s life told in order, with Sunflowers and The Potato Eaters. If you have a day, do both. They sit next to each other on Museumplein, about a five-minute walk apart.

Roam Amsterdam read 8 guides on this, in English. Five frame the choice the same way, as breadth against depth. All 8 name the Night Watch and Vermeer, and 6 name Sunflowers. They differ on which to pick if you must choose. Two lean to the Rijksmuseum for a first visit, and three say the Van Gogh Museum if you’re a fan or short on time. Hours, prices and booking rules for the Rijksmuseum below come from its own visit page. The Van Gogh Museum’s visit pages didn’t load their text for Roam Amsterdam, so that museum’s hours and price aren’t printed here. Check its visit page before you go. The things to do in Amsterdam guide puts both in a first-visit list.

What the guides agree on

The Rijksmuseum for Dutch art and history. Named by 8 of 8 guides read. The Night Watch and Vermeer come up in every guide, and several add Delftware, the Gallery of Honour and ship models. Four guides give it between two and four hours.

The Van Gogh Museum for one artist. Named by 8 of 8 guides read. It follows one painter from early Dutch work to the late wheat fields, and six guides name Sunflowers. Five give it about two hours, or 1.5 to 2.

Breadth against depth. Framed that way by 5 of 8 guides read. The Rijksmuseum covers centuries and the Van Gogh Museum goes deep on one life, so the choice comes down to which you’d rather have.

Booking ahead. Named by 6 of 8 guides read. Both museums use timed entry. Four guides say the Van Gogh Museum sells out first, so book it first if your dates are fixed.

Doing both. Suggested by 5 of 8 guides read. Three suggest the Van Gogh Museum in the morning and the Rijksmuseum after lunch. One suggests the reverse and calls the pair a marathon. Another warns against three big museums in one day.

The Rijksmuseum has a little Van Gogh. Named by 2 of 8 guides read. It holds a few works, including a self-portrait, and one guide says it’s no substitute for the museum devoted to him.

Rijksmuseum or Van Gogh Museum side by side

The Rijksmuseum’s figures are from its visit page. It says everyone needs a booked start time, Museumkaart holders included, and recommends buying online ahead. Visitors aged 18 and under enter free, and the Rijksmuseum Gardens are free to walk through. The tourism site lists the museum as free with the Amsterdam City Card. One guide says the Van Gogh Museum isn’t on that card, so look at what the card covers before you buy it.

Verdicts by type of visitor

First visit, one museum. The Rijksmuseum, as the two guides that pick one for a first visit say. If you’re worried about crowds, one guide says it’s the roomier of the two.

You love Van Gogh. The Van Gogh Museum. One guide says the Rijksmuseum’s few works don’t replace it.

A short visit or a tired group. The Van Gogh Museum, since three guides put it at about two hours or less and one says it suits visitors who tire in big museums.

Dutch history and architecture. The Rijksmuseum. Pick a focus such as the Gallery of Honour, as one guide suggests.

A full day. Both. Book the Van Gogh slot first, then fit the Rijksmuseum around it and leave a couple of hours between them for lunch on Museumplein.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should you visit the Rijksmuseum or the Van Gogh Museum?

The Rijksmuseum for Dutch art and history, the Van Gogh Museum for one artist’s life. Five of the 8 guides read frame it as breadth against depth, and most say to do both if you can.

How long do you need at each museum?

Between two and four hours at the Rijksmuseum, with about three the common answer, and about two at the Van Gogh Museum, according to the guides.

What are the Rijksmuseum’s opening hours?

Every day from 9:00 to 17:00, including public holidays, according to its visit page.

How much is the Rijksmuseum?

25 euros for adults, rising to 26.50 euros in 2027, and free for visitors aged 18 and under, according to its visit page.

Do you have to book?

The Rijksmuseum’s page says everyone needs a booked start time. Six of the 8 guides tell you to book both museums ahead, and four say the Van Gogh Museum sells out first.

Can you do both in one day?

Yes. Five guides say it works, and they’re about five minutes apart.

Rest of the trip: where to stay in Amsterdam and Amsterdam travel tips.