Amsterdam tickets: Van Gogh Museum or the Rijksmuseum?

This guide is for travellers trying to choose between the Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum, or to book both on the same day. The two museums sit a short walk apart on Museumplein, but the tickets don't work the same way. For a canal cruise and the Anne Frank House, see our Amsterdam sightseeing tickets guide.

Which museum should I book first?

Book the Van Gogh Museum first. Tickets are sold online only, there's no sales desk at the door, and there's no waiting list if your date and start time are sold out. You also can't enter before your slot.

The Rijksmuseum also requires a start time, but its official page says a limited number of tickets may still be available at the entrance, while stocks last. That's not something to rely on, especially in peak season, but it does mean the Van Gogh Museum is the tighter booking.

If you only have time for one, choose by the art you most want to see. The Van Gogh Museum holds the largest collection of Vincent van Gogh's work. The Rijksmuseum is the national museum, with Rembrandt's The Night Watch, Vermeer, and a much broader collection of Dutch art and history. The Van Gogh Museum's FAQ notes that The Starry Night is not in Amsterdam.

When are they open?

The Rijksmuseum's official hours are the same all year: 09:00 to 17:00 every day, including public holidays. The official FAQ says it's usually quieter before 11:00 and after 15:30, and that Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the relatively quiet days.

The Van Gogh Museum is also open every day, but the hours change. Its official hours page lists 09:00 to 17:00 from 2 November 2026, with Fridays open until 21:00 except 27 November. Later in the year the museum often stays open until 18:00, with most Fridays until 21:00. Check the official page for your week, especially Friday evenings.

A Friday evening slot at the Van Gogh Museum is the simplest way to see both without rushing: spend the day at the Rijksmuseum, which closes at 17:00, then walk over for a later Van Gogh start time.

Do I need a start time at both?

Yes. Both museums require a booked start time for almost every visitor, including children who go free and Museumkaart holders. Bring the card if you booked on it.

At the Van Gogh Museum, members of Vincent's Circles can enter during opening hours without a timed ticket. At the Rijksmuseum, Friends of the museum can visit without booking a start time. If you hold an ICOM pass, check the Rijksmuseum's official pages before you go: the hours page and the FAQ don't say the same thing about whether you need a start time.

The grace period is also different:

• Van Gogh Museum: You can't enter earlier than your start time. You have 30 minutes after that time to go in, according to the official FAQ.
• Rijksmuseum: The official pages don't describe a late-arrival window. Arrive for the start time you booked. Once you're inside, you can stay until closing.

At both museums, you can't leave and come back in on the same ticket (the Rijksmuseum FAQ mentions limited exceptions). A visit to the Van Gogh Museum typically takes two to three hours. The Rijksmuseum lets you stay as long as you like until 17:00.

What about the I amsterdam City Card and the Museumkaart?

This is the main practical difference for many visitors.

The official I amsterdam City Card FAQ says the Van Gogh Museum is not included, on either the Explorer or the Total Experience card. The museum itself says it has not been affiliated with the card since 1 June 2022. The Rijksmuseum is listed as free with the City Card on the official City Card page, but you still need to book a Rijksmuseum start time. Some City Card options include GVB public transport; check the official page for the option you buy.

You can book the official City Card if it fits a Rijksmuseum-and-transport plan. Don't buy it expecting Van Gogh Museum entry.

A Museumkaart gives free entry to both museums, but you still have to book a start time at each one and bring the card. Check the official Museumkaart terms if you don't already have one; this guide doesn't assume you should buy one for a short trip.

What are the bag and ticket rules?

The cloakroom rules are not identical:

• Rijksmuseum: Only handbags no larger than A4 are allowed into the galleries. There's a free cloakroom for bags and umbrellas, but not for large luggage, according to the official cloakroom page.
• Van Gogh Museum: 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.

Leave suitcases at your hotel either way.

Cancellation terms also differ. Official Van Gogh Museum tickets can't be refunded, though the FAQ says the museum may help you change the time up to 48 hours beforehand if another slot is free. Official Rijksmuseum paid tickets are non-refundable; the museum may rebook you if you contact it at least two to five working days ahead.

How do I book the tickets?

The Van Gogh Museum is at Museumplein 6. From Amsterdam Central Station, the official directions are tram 2, 5 or 24 to the Museumplein stop. 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 Van Gogh Museum 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.

The Rijksmuseum is at Museumstraat 1, a short walk across Museumplein. 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.

A simple way to pair them

Common questions

Can I walk from one museum to the other? Yes. They stand on the same square. Still leave a buffer: the Van Gogh Museum doesn't let you in early, and a visit there often takes two to three hours.

Are children free? Yes, at both museums, visitors aged 18 and under go free, but they still need a booked start time. Check the official pages for current adult prices.

What if the Van Gogh Museum is sold out? There's no waiting list and no tickets at the door. Look at another date, or a Friday evening slot if one is still available.

Before you go

• Book the Van Gogh Museum first, then fit the Rijksmuseum around that slot.
• If you hold a City Card, remember it covers the Rijksmuseum, not the Van Gogh Museum, and you still need a Rijksmuseum start time.
• Leave large bags at your hotel. The allowed bag sizes are not the same at the two museums.
• Read each ticket's cancellation terms before you pay: they differ.
• Check the official hours the day before, especially for Van Gogh Friday evenings.

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