Van Gogh Museum

The collections are comprehensive yet not overwhelmingly vast; once inside, you can experience them in 2–4 hours. Private and group Van Gogh Museum tours led by professional art historians are a great way to learn more about the master’s life and works. Many such tours also include a skip-the-line ticket, which allows you to bypass the crowds and head right inside.

• Van Gogh Museum tickets are available only online.

• Only small backpacks are allowed in the luggage room.

• Strollers are permitted in the museum, which is also wheelchair-accessible.

• Photography of artworks in the museum galleries and exhibition spaces is not allowed.

• Photography (without a flash or tripod) is permitted only in certain designated areas, such as in the entrance hall and areas called the “selfie walls."

• The Amsterdam City Card doesn’t include admission to the museum.

The Van Gogh Museum is on the Museumplein, next to the Stedelijk Museum. It's easily accessible via tram to Van Baerlestraat. Nearby attractions include the Red Light District, the Heineken Experience, the Anne Frank House, and the Rijksmuseum.

The Van Gogh Museum is open daily, with extended hours on Fridays. The museum’s busiest times are late morning to mid-afternoon; try visiting before 11am on a weekday morning for a shorter wait time. The last admission is always 30 minutes before closing time.

The museum collections include world-famous paintings, including canvases such as Sunflowers, Almond Blossom, The Bedroom, The Potato Eaters, and Wheatfield with Crows. Through van Gogh’s paintings, the museum chronicles the artist’s journey from Holland (where his work was dark and somber) to Paris and the South of France; of special note is the second-floor wall, which displays 18 paintings produced during this time. Another wing, set partly underground, showcases temporary exhibits by van Gogh and other artists.

Yes, you need tickets for the Van Gogh Museum, but you can’t buy tickets at the museum on the day—you need to reserve your time slot entrance ticket online in advance, even if you have a Museumkaart or similar museum pass. Entrance to temporary exhibitions is included with your booked ticket.

Plan to spend between 1.5–2.5 hours at the Van Gogh Museum. You can take in the permanent collection in just over an hour, but there are often temporary exhibitions to enjoy (which are included with your admission ticket), as well as a café, shop, and bookstore.

Entry to the Van Gogh Museum is by timed admission ticket only (which you can only book online), but you might still have to queue. Expect wait times of about 15 minutes with prebooked tickets, though this can go up to 30 minutes at busy times such as summer weekends.

No, there’s no specific dress code for the Van Gogh Museum, and face masks are no longer compulsory. However, as with most public buildings throughout Amsterdam, you won’t be allowed to enter shirtless or without footwear. You also won’t be able to bring rucksacks and other luggage into the museum.

On average, it takes 75 minutes to explore the permanent collection at the Van Gogh Museum, which is spread over two floors. You could easily take in the highlights in an hour, but it’s best to allow two hours to cover the temporary exhibitions, gift shop, and café.

At the Van Gogh Museum, you shouldn’t miss iconic paintings such as Sunflowers, The Potato Eaters, Bedroom in Arles, Wheatfield with Crows, and The Yellow House. Alongside these highlights, don’t miss the collection of 35 Van Gogh self-portraits and the series of letters Van Gogh wrote to his brother and friends.