Although the Netherlands is a small country, there is no shortage of museums that you can visit. The Netherlands has the world’s highest density of museum and galleries when comparing the number of museums to the size of the country.
Whether we are talking about culture, technology, renaissance or modern arts, The Netherlands has its fair share of museums that will satisfy what you are looking for. Many of these museums are world famous and attract tourists and visitors from all over the world.
In this article we will site the 10 best museums in the country according to us. The museums are set according to popularity and reviews.
1. The Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
The Rijksmuseum is the principal national museum of the Netherlands. It has the most impressive collection of art in the country spanning over 800 years which includes paintings, sculptures, furniture and more amounting to 8000 objects in total distributed over 30,000-square-meters.
In this museum you will find world famous paintings like: The Night Watch by Rembrandt, The Milkmaid by Johannes Vermeer, Van Gogh’s self-portrait, The Battle of Waterloo by Jan Willem Pieneman and many more.
2. Anne Frank House, Amsterdam
Anne Frank house is popular for a reason. It is the same place where Anne and her family took refuge from the Nazis. The tiny museum is located in the heart of Amsterdam and attracts more than one million visitors per year despite its tiny size.
While visiting the museum you will be able to see the inside of the tiny house, movable closets and hiding spots where Anne-Frank and her family managed to elude Nazis for years.
3. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
The largest collection amounting to 500 out of the 900 of Vincent Van Gogh’s Art can be found in this museum. This collection includes many of his earliest self-portraits as well as his masterpieces Sunflowers, Almond Blossom, The Potato Eaters, and others. Works from other artists like Paul Gauguin, Jean Claude Monet can also be found in this museum.
4. The Mauritshuis Royal Picture Gallery, The Hague
The Mauritshuis is one of the best museums in the Netherlands. The reason for this is the rich collection of Dutch and Flemish paintings and masterpieces of the 17th century.
Some world famous paintings like The girl with the pearl earring by Vermeer, The anatomy lesson by Rembrandt and many more can be found in this museum. Beside its rich collection of art, the architecture and interior alone would be enough to attract visitors from all over the world.
5. NEMO Science Museum, Amsterdam
If you are looking more for museums of science, then the NEMO museum is surely something for you. This museum is great for both adults and children alike, making it a top attraction for families.
This museum has 5 floors, each contains different exhibitions and science workshops.
6. Groninger Museum, Groningen
The Groninger museum has a unique architecture which itself is enough to peak the interest of visitors. Inside the museum you will find a large collection of modern and contemporary art which reflects the exterior of the building. Exhibitions dedicated to David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, Nordic art and more can be found in the museum.
7. Zaanse Schans Museum, Zaanse Schans
If open air museums are something for you, then the Zaanse Schans museum is a must. This culture-rich museum offers beautiful sceneries of old Dutch houses and windmills that will satisfy your interest in the old Dutch architecture. Inside the museum you will also be able to take a peek inside the windmills and craftsmen’s workshops.
8. Nederlands Openluchtmuseum, Arnhem
The Arnhem open air museum is another museum in which you will be able to see Dutch historical buildings like mills and farms. By visiting this museum, you will be able to explore the everyday life of average citizens in the past and take a closer look on how living in the Netherlands used to be like.
9. Frans Hals Museum, Haarlem
As the name states it, the artwork of 17th century portrait painter Frans Hals and his contemporaries is the main focus of the Frans Hals Museum in Haarlem. In addition to this, the museum also has a collection of cutting-edge artists’ contemporary works from the 20th and 21st centuries.
10. Royal Delft Museum
The museum is home to the world’s largest collection of Delftware, which dates back to the 17th century. Here you can explore the history of the famous Dutch pottery, from its origins to its present day production. Through interactive displays and audio-visual presentations, you can learn about the history and production of Delftware, as well as the various techniques and materials used to create the iconic pieces.
The museum also offers a range of workshops and courses, such as pottery-making, painting, and glazing. These courses offer a great opportunity to learn new skills and create your own unique pieces of Delftware.
Dutch museum card
If you are a museum enthusiast and you would like to visit multiple museums, it would be much more beneficial if you get a museum card. This card will allow to visit more than 450 Dutch museum without paying entry fees for a fixed yearly price. This card costs 64.9 euros only per year, giving you unlimited entrance to the all the participating museums.
In contrast, only one entry to Rijksmuseum costs 22.50 euros, which means with only 3 visits to this museum and you will almost get your money’s worth back from this card. You can order this card via the official website museumkaart.nl. You can also get information about participating museums and their location in this website.
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