For
a relatively small city, Amsterdam is home to a delightful
abundance of world-class museums. Amsterdam's
museums contain an astonishing number of the worlds' greatest works of art, attracting over 4 million of visitors every year. Some countries in Europe don't get that many visitors, and our museums can be credited for drawing many of them to our city.
For children there is the fascinating museum NEMO, A hands-on, science and technology museum housed in an Avant-garde, boat-shaped building (appropriately located at the harbor).
For many museum and arts lovers, ..for tourists wishing to stay in Amsterdam longer, or even those planning on visiting museums in other Dutch cities The Museum Cardis an ideal solution. In addition to all the well known and not so well known museums, there are a large number of art galleries in Amsterdam to start or add to your own great collection.
Rijksmuseum Amsterdam (The Netherlands National Museum)
Amsterdam's
largest museum by far, and one of the word's greatest,
containing paintings by all of the Netherlands'
treasured 17th century painters of the Golden Age, such as Rembrandt, Vermeer, Jan
Steen and Van Hals. The Nightwatch by Rembrandt
is their prize piece. Contains many artifacts
as well as paintings.
July 7,2009: - This afternoon, Minister Plasterk of Education, Culture and Science (OCW) and Rijksmuseum Director in Chief Wim Pijbes officially ‘laid the first stone’ for the rebuilding, renovation and restoration of the Rijksmuseum. This symbolic act marked the definitive start of the renovation of the main building of the Rijksmuseum. Once the work has been completed, the Rijksmuseum will open its doors to the public again in the first half of 2013.
While the restoration of the main building is underway, the Rijksmuseum is displaying the crème de la crème of its permanent collection in the newly furnished Philips Wing. 'Rijksmuseum, The Masterpieces' offers the unique opportunity to view all the highlights of the Golden Age in one place.
A few
of our favorite paintings and artists in the Rijksmuseum
Leyster
Rembrandt
Vermeer
Of
the seventeenth-century painter Johannes Vermeer
only 35 works are known. They are spread around
the entire world in museums and private collections.
The paintings of Vermeer are small and realistic.
In contrast to Rembrandt and Frans Hals, he
did not make large group portraits but, instead,
painted one or at the most two people, indoors,
quietly going about their business. Such as
the lady and gentleman at the spinet, or the
woman with the watering can and the writing
woman with her servant. Experts feel that daylight
brings out the best in Vermeer's paintings.
The Mauritshuis in The Hague has such works
as 'A View of Delft' in its collection. This
painting was beautifully restored in 1994. The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, with four of
his works, has the most extensive collection
of Vermeer paintings.
Torrentius
Saenredam
Jan
Steen
(1626-1679)
A well-known Dutch expression says: "it's
a household of Jan Steen" - which means
something like "it's a perfect shambles".
This is to say that order, diligence and
neatness are absolutely lacking in a house.Jan
Steen himself was always in hot water. He
painted mostly just to pay off his extensive
debts. Jan Steen is one of that small group
of painters from the Dutch Golden Age renowned
world-wide for his works.The very mention
of his name will evoke a smile from many
of those who remember the great sense of
humor that often shines through in Steen'
works. However, Steen was more than just
a jester. His masterful technique and ingenious
compositions reveal him to be an artist of
great stature. Jan
Steen succeeded in recording, strikingly
and with humor, al kinds of scenes of daily
life in the seventeenth century: cheerful
households, festive tavern scenes, revelling
children and barking dogs.
The Galleries are often used for special events, many being catered affairs. Contact the Museum for more information on planning your event
Open: Daily from 10am to 5pm. Free
entry under 19 yr.
Entrance is from Stadhouderskade 42.
Anne Frank House in the center of Amsterdam is the hiding place where Anne Frank wrote her famous diary during World War II. The original of the diary is on display as part of the Anne Frank House's permanent exhibition.
For more than two years Anne Frank and her family lived in the annex of the building at Prinsengracht 263 where Anne’s father, Otto Frank, also had his business. The Van Pels family and Fritz Pfeffer hid there with them.
The doorway to the annex was concealed behind a moveable bookcase constructed especially for this purpose. The office personnel knew of the hiding place and helped the eight people by supplying them with food and news of the outside world. On August 4, 1944, the hiding place was betrayed. The people in hiding were deported to various concentration camps. Only Otto Frank survived the war.
Nowadays, the rooms at the Anne Frank House, though empty, still breathe the atmosphere of that period of time. Quotations from the diary, historical documents, photographs, film images, and original objects that belonged to those in hiding and the helpers illustrate the events that took place here. Anne’s original diary and other notebooks are on display in the museum. In the multimedia space, visitors can go on a “virtual journey” through the Anne Frank House, accessing background information about the people in hiding and World War Two. A contemporary exhibition is presented in the exhibition hall.
During the summer-season many people from all over the world visit the Anne Frank House. This can mean people have to line up before entering the museum. Many visitors seem to be unaware of the fact that from April through August the museum is opened every day from 9 am till 9 p.m. The museum tends to be more quiet during the evening. We would like to suggest visiting the museum late in the afternoon/early in the evening to have a better more relaxed experience..
Open:
On January 1, open from 12:00 AM - 7:00 PM.
January 2, through March 14 open daily from 9:00 AM -7:00 PM .
Saturdays from 9:00 AM -10:00 PM.
March 15, through June 30 open daily from 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM .
Saturdays from 9:00 AM - 10:00 PM.
In July and August open daily till 10:00 PM.
September 15, through December 30 open daily from 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM.
Last Admittance Time:
Thirty minutes prior to closing.
Exceptions to Open Hours:
May 4: 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM.
June 8: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM.
July 2: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM.
August 21: 9:00 AM - 8:30 PM.
December 25, 12 noon - 5:00 PM.
Closed on Yom Kippur: In 2009, on September 28.
Admission Prices 2009:
Adults: € 8,50
Age 10-17: € 4,-
Age 0-9: free
Euro 26-Card: € 4,-
The 'I amsterdam Card' and 'Museumkaart' are not valid. There is no special rate for groups or students. Payment cash or with Maestro or through Visa- or Mastercard, at the entrance.
Facilities:
Museum Café and Museum Bookstore are on the premises. No cloakroom present. Big rucksacks not allowed. The Anne Frank House is not easily accessible for the physically disabled and only partly accessible for wheelchairs. Free leaflets in 8 languages are available at the entrance of the museum. A visit takes approximately 1 hour. Visitors are not allowed to take photographs or to film in the Anne Frank House.
Public Transport:The Anne Frank House is located in the center of Amsterdam. It takes around 20 minutes to walk from Central Station to the museum. There are also trams and buses that stop nearby, at the 'Westermarkt' bus stop.You can take tram 13 or 17 or bus 170, 171 or 172 to get close to the Anne Frank House from Central Station in Amsterdam. You get off at bus stop 'Westermarkt', and walk to your right onto the Prinsengracht.
From Schiphol Airport it takes 20 minutes by train to Central Station.
By Car: If you are travelling by car, take exit 'Centrum' (S105) from the Ring road (A10). There is very little parking space for cars in the vicinity of the museum. And you also have to pay a parking fee.
Nearby, on the same canal, is located Amsterdam Tulip Museum, a pleasant flower break to brighten your day.
Location:
Jordaan quarter next to Westerkerk.
Entrance: 267 Prinsengracht
Open: Hours Info Tape: +31(0)205567105
Fax +31 (0)20-6207999
Phone - Office:
Tel: +31 (0)205567100
Postal address:
Anne Frank House
P.O. Box 730
1000 AS Amsterdam
The Netherlands
.."The doorway to the annex was concealed behind a moveable bookcase"...
About the Van Gogh Museum
The Van Gogh Museum is a young museum. It opened its doors in 1973 and has since grown into one of the world’s most prominent and popular museums. Its reputation stems from its unique collection, the quality of its exhibitions, its outstanding research, pristine publications, and its two internationally renowned buildings on one of Europe’s leading cultural locations. The museum collects and preserves Western paintings, sculptures, drawings and prints from the period 1840 to 1920. At the heart of the museum is the estate of Vincent van Gogh, the largest collection of Van Gogh’s work anywhere in the world. Around this the museum presents a broad range of nineteenth-century art.
The museum houses some 200 paintings and 550 sketches showing Van Gogh in all his moods. These combined with hundreds of letters by Van Gogh to Theo, and selected works by his friends and contemporaries, form the core of the museum's collection.
Recently
renovated and expanded the van Gogh Museum
in Amsterdam houses a huge collection of paintings
and drawings by Vincent
van Gogh, including most of the works which
he gave to his brother Theo. This museum also
contains paintings by his contemporaries: Toulouse-Lautrec,
Pisarro, Gauguin and Manet. 10:00-17:00.
Mission:
The Van Gogh Museum makes the life and work of Vincent van Gogh and the art of his time accessible to as many people as possible in order to enrich and inspire them.
The Van Gogh Museum fulfils this mission by:
Acquiring, managing and conserving collections of work by Van Gogh and western artists from the period circa 1830 to 1914
An active programme of research and publication, based on these collections
A programme of exhibitions held in the museum and elsewhere that extends and enhances the reach and appeal of its permanent displays
A programme of education that satisfies the needs of a broad public.
Vincent
van Gogh an obscure unknown in life... famous
beyond imignable hights after death. Check
out Vincent's
web site he needs the hits ......and would love
to have you drop by and see his portfolio.
It
is said that in 1902 a merchant in the Dutch
city of Breda sold works by Vincent van Gogh
for only10 cents each. Today, millions of dollars
are offered for his paintings. Vincent van Gogh,
born in 1853 in Groot-Zundert in Brabant, spent
a great part of his artistic life in France.
In Arles in the Provence, where he moved in 1888,
he was particularly productive. He painted mainly
to relieve himself of inner conflicts, and to
avenge himself as an artist against all the setbacks
he had suffered in his life. Van Gogh was praised
for his use of light and color. He often spread
his paint thickly onto the canvas with heavy
brush strokes or a pallet knife. He died penniless
in 1890, at only 37 years old. Vincent also had
a passion for the alcoholic drink ABSINTH.
Rijksmuseum
Kröller-Müller, at the Hoge Veluwe, also
has an extensive van Gogh collection.
Directions Parking and Address:
Accessibility: The museum is easily accessible for the disabled. Lifts stop at every floor, and wheelchairs and buggies are available free of charge.
Travelling by Public Transport:
From Central Station in Amsterdam, take tram 2 (towards Nieuw Sloten) or 5 (towards Amstelveen Binnenhof) to the Van Baerlestraat stop.
From Station Amsterdam Zuid/WTC, take tram 5 (towards Central Station) to the Van Baerlestraat stop.
You can also take tram 3 or 12 to the Van Baerlestraat stop, and trams 16 and 24 or bus 145, 170 or 172 to the Museumplein stop.
Online information for Public Transport: For information about travelling by train, please visit www.ns.nl.
Amsterdam bus and tram schedules are available at www.gvb.nl.
For information about public transport in the Netherlands and journey planner visit www.9292ov.nl.
Travelling by car:
From the A10 motorway, take exit S108, and then turn right onto Amstelveenweg. At Stadionplein, bear right, and turn left at the traffic lights. At the roundabout next to Haarlemmermeerstation, take the second right, into Cornelis Krusemanstraat. Continue down this street, which becomes the Lairessestraat, until you reach Museumplein, where the Van Gogh Museum is located.
See also www.bereikbaar.amsterdam.nl for an overview of road works, traffic diversions and car parks in Amsterdam.
Parking:
Parking space for the disabled In front of the main entrance there is a parking space reserved for holders of the blue European parking permit. The parking space is marked with a wheelchair symbol. Be sure to display the blue European parking permit on the dashboard by the windscreen. Please consult the brochure The Amsterdam Parking Permit for disabled people (pdf) for more infomation about parking in Amsterdam.
Parking Garage: The closest parking places are in the Q-Park garage underneath Museumplein. The entrance to this parking garage is across from the Concertgebouw. (If you have followed the above directions and are driving down Lairessestraat, turn left at Museumplein and then take an immediate right into the parking garage). For parking rates, please visit www.q-park.nl.
Please note: There is a separate entrance for buses on Paulus Potterstraat.
On-street Parking: Of course, you can also search for an on-street parking place near the Museumplein. Please note that all parking in the centre of Amsterdam is metered from Monday through Saturday, 9.00 to 24.00. For rates, please see www.bereikbaaramsterdam.nl. Parking meters take coins and Chipknip smart cards.
Address:
The Van Gogh Museum is on Museumplein in Amsterdam, between the Rijksmuseum and the Stedelijk Museum.
There were museums for practically everything except sex. Despite sex intriguing (nearly) everybody and being the subject of so much heated discussion, it was not until the "Venustempel" was opened that the historical and artistic aspects of sex were fully highlighted. "The most natural thing in the world" is probably also "the most historically well-documented thing in the world". Looking back with hindsight, this success was to be expected. The art of loving has been translated into a thousand and one different shapes and forms in the course of the centuries and this is what the museum is all about.
So with that said......Welcome to the world's first and oldest sex museum, the "Venustempel" in Amsterdam. A leading museum on the theme of sensual love with an extensive collection of erotic pictures, paintings, objects, recordings, photographs and even attractions. All of the exhibits have been gathered together personally by the owners and can be viewed in their classic 17th century house on the Damrak just a short walk from Amsterdam Central Station.
The "Venustemple" houses an impressively diverse collection of erotic paintings, pictures, sex related objects and recordings. An historical and insightful look back to sex in all its aspects from past ages and cultures, includes information and artifacts from all over the world.
Take a virtual look http://www.sexmuseumamsterdam.nl/files/virtualtour_uk/virtualtour_frameset.html
Address:
Damrak 18
1012 LH Amsterdam
Phone:
Tel: +31 (0) 20 622 8376
Find them on their MAP http://www.sexmuseumamsterdam.nl/files/map_uk.html
Of
the seventeenth-century painter Johannes Vermeer
only 35 works are known. They are spread around
the entire world in museums and private collections.
The paintings of Vermeer are small and realistic.
In contrast to Rembrandt and Frans Hals, he
did not make large group portraits but, instead,
painted one or at the most two people, indoors,
quietly going about their business. Such as
the lady and gentleman at the spinet, or the
woman with the watering can and the writing
woman with her servant. Experts feel that daylight
brings out the best in Vermeer's paintings.
The Mauritshuis in The Hague has such works
as 'A View of Delft' in its collection. This
painting was beautifully restored in 1994. The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, with four of
his works, has the most extensive collection
of Vermeer paintings.
(1626-1679)
A well-known Dutch expression says: "it's
a household of Jan Steen" - which means
something like "it's a perfect shambles".
This is to say that order, diligence and
neatness are absolutely lacking in a house.Jan
Steen himself was always in hot water. He
painted mostly just to pay off his extensive
debts. Jan Steen is one of that small group
of painters from the Dutch Golden Age renowned
world-wide for his works.The very mention
of his name will evoke a smile from many
of those who remember the great sense of
humor that often shines through in Steen'
works. However, Steen was more than just
a jester. His masterful technique and ingenious
compositions reveal him to be an artist of
great stature. Jan
Steen succeeded in recording, strikingly
and with humor, al kinds of scenes of daily
life in the seventeenth century: cheerful
households, festive tavern scenes, revelling
children and barking dogs.
In front of the main entrance there is a parking space reserved for holders of the blue European parking permit. The parking space is marked with a wheelchair symbol. Be sure to display the blue European parking permit on the dashboard by the windscreen. Please consult the 
