Amsterdam sightseeing tickets: the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum and a canal cruise

This guide is for a first visit to Amsterdam when you need to book timed tickets. It covers the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum on Museumplein, a canal cruise from near the Rijksmuseum, and the Anne Frank House, which you can only book on its official site. For a closer comparison of the two museums, see our Van Gogh Museum and Rijksmuseum tickets guide.

When is the Rijksmuseum open?

The Rijksmuseum's official opening hours are 09:00 to 17:00 every day of the year, including public holidays. The shop and café stay open until 18:00; after 17:00 you can enter them without a museum ticket. The official FAQ says the museum is usually quieter before 11:00 and after 15:30, and that Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the relatively quiet days.

What do I need to know before entering the Rijksmuseum?

The official hours and tickets page and FAQ set these rules:

• Everyone needs a start time, including Museumkaart holders. Friends of the museum can visit without booking one. If you hold an ICOM pass, check the official page: the hours page and the FAQ disagree on whether you need a start time.
• Once you're inside, you can stay until closing. You can't leave and come back in on the same ticket, aside from limited exceptions on the official FAQ.
• Paid official tickets are non-refundable. The museum may rebook you if you contact it at least two to five working days ahead. Visitors aged 18 and under go free, but they still need a start time. Check the official page for current adult prices.
• The cloakroom page allows only handbags no larger than A4 into the galleries. There's a free cloakroom for bags and umbrellas, but not for large luggage.

The museum is at Museumstraat 1. Its directions page recommends metro line 52 to Vijzelgracht, then less than a 10-minute walk, or a tram from Amsterdam Central Station. You can plan the journey.

You can book a timed entry ticket. It includes museum admission, with an audio guide as a checkout option. At the time of checking, the ticket was non-refundable and couldn't be rescheduled. Go by the official hours.

When is the Van Gogh Museum open?

The Van Gogh Museum is open every day, but the hours change through the year. Its official hours page lists 09:00 to 17:00 from 2 November 2026, with Fridays open until 21:00 except 27 November. Those winter hours continue through mid-December, then some holiday dates run until 18:00. Check the official page for later dates, including Friday evenings.

What do I need to know before entering the Van Gogh Museum?

The museum's tickets page and FAQ are strict:

• Tickets are online only. You can't buy them at the door, and there's no waiting list if your slot is sold out.
• Every visitor needs a timed ticket, including children under 18 (who go free) and Museumkaart holders. Bring the card if you booked on it.
• You can't enter earlier than your start time. You have 30 minutes after that time to go in.
• Official museum tickets can't be refunded. If you booked on the museum's own site, the FAQ says the museum may help you change the time up to 48 hours beforehand, if another slot is free.
• A visit typically takes two to three hours. You can't leave and return later. Tickets include the permanent collection and current exhibitions. An audio tour in 12 languages can be added when you book.
• Lockers take bags up to 45 × 25 × 25 cm. Larger bags, wheeled suitcases and trolleys aren't accepted, and you may be refused entry if you bring them.
• The official I amsterdam City Card does not include the Van Gogh Museum.

The museum is at Museumplein 6, a short walk from the Rijksmuseum. From Amsterdam Central Station, take tram 2, 5 or 24 to the Museumplein stop, according to the official directions.

You can book a timed entry ticket. It includes the permanent collection and temporary exhibitions, with an audio guide as a checkout option. The ticket page tells you to go straight to the entrance and enter up to 30 minutes after your slot, which matches the official FAQ. At the time of checking, you could cancel or reschedule for free until 24 hours before your visit.

Mismatch to watch: At the time of checking, the opening hours box on the ticket page showed the museum closed on Mondays, and it didn't show the Friday evening hours. The official page says the museum is open every day, with most Fridays until 21:00. Go by the official hours, and use the start time on your ticket.

How do I book a canal cruise?

You can book a 75-minute canal cruise from Stadhouderskade 520, next to the Rijksmuseum. The ticket includes an audio guide: English plays over the speaker, and other languages are listened to on your phone, so bring earphones. Show your ticket as you board. At the time of checking, you could cancel or reschedule for free until 24 hours before your visit. Check the departure time so it doesn't clash with a museum start time.

How do I visit the Anne Frank House?

The Anne Frank House sells tickets only on its official site. Tickets aren't sold at the door, commercial tours don't give you access, and the museum warns that lookalike websites are used for fraud or invalid tickets.

New tickets are released every Tuesday at 10:00 CET, for visits six weeks later. If a date is sold out, there's no waiting list. You need a start time, including children and people with discount cards. A visit typically takes about an hour, and the audio tour is included. Tickets can't be exchanged, rescheduled or refunded. The official I amsterdam City Card gives no discount. Museumkaart holders still have to book a slot.

The museum is open daily from 09:00 to 22:00, with shorter hours on some holidays, including 27 April, 4 May, 25 December and 31 December. Check the official exceptions for your date. The entrance is at Westermarkt 20, about a 20-minute walk from Amsterdam Central Station. The practical information page says that from 15 February 2025 to February 2027 there is no tram to Westermarkt; trams run as far as Dam Square, a 10-minute walk. (The tickets page still mentions trams 13 and 17 to Westermarkt, so go by the practical page until the works end.)

Photography and filming aren't allowed, including with smart glasses. There are steep stairs, and only bags smaller than an A4 sheet can be carried inside. The practical information page says the museum is not suitable for children under 10, while the tickets page still lists a ticket type for ages 0 to 9: check the official pages if you're visiting with young children.

A simple way to group these sights

Common questions

Can I visit both museums in one day? Yes, if you book start times with enough space between them. They're a short walk apart, and a Friday evening slot at the Van Gogh Museum makes this easier. See our comparison guide for the differences.

Does the I amsterdam City Card cover these sights? The official City Card FAQ says the Van Gogh Museum and the Anne Frank House are not included. The Rijksmuseum is listed as free with the card, but you still need to book a start time.

Before you go

• Book start times for both Museumplein museums before you travel. For the Anne Frank House, be ready when new tickets are released on Tuesday at 10:00 CET, six weeks ahead.
• Leave large bags at your hotel. All three indoor sights limit what you can take into the galleries.
• If you already have a Museumkaart, you still need to book a start time and bring the card.
• Read each ticket's cancellation terms before you pay, and check the official hours the day before.

Need help with the rest of the trip?

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