Exceptional, exciting, just wonderful. We are spoilt for choice to describe the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. As with all world-class attractions, take your time to get information prior to the visit - museum hours, which Van Gogh artworks to see - and take into account any possible setback, such as the long queue at the entrance. Luckily, this is something you can easily avoid simply you by booking a skip the line ticket. Here's our practical guide to a complete Van Gogh Museum tour with all the pros and cons and useful tips to plan one of Amsterdam's best experiences. You will also find a our explanation on how to get the Van Gogh museum tickets online.
Learning more about Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam and timetables
The Van Gogh Museum ticket can be purchased ONLY online with "priority admission" option. What does this mean? It means that when you buy the museum online tickets, you can book the day and time of the visit, too. The ticket includes access to both permanent and temporary collections of Van Gogh artworks. The admission is valid only for the date and time slot you have selected at the moment of purchasing the Van Gogh museum tickets online.
- You are allowed a maximum delay of 30 minutes after the scheduled time, so keep your eye on the clock: if you are not on time, there is a risk of not being admitted into the Van Gogh museum.
What do I do after buying the Van Gogh museum ticket online?
On the day of your Van Gogh Museum tour, show up a bit earlier than the time you booked and, once you arrive, go to the blue lane (priority access) and show your tickets (you can print them out or simply show them from your smartphone).
You will probably find a short line as other people will also have chosen the same time slot with priority admission as you. In any case, waiting times should take no more than 15/20 minutes.
Finally, we give you 3 TIPS to plan your Van Gogh Museum tour in a smart way:
Our tip is to carefully plan your travel itinerary in Amsterdam prior to the purchase of the online tickets, so to choose the best date and time slot when you actually want to visit the museum.
We advice to book the Van Gogh Museum Amsterdam visit for weekdays, NOT for the weekend.
Choose the early morning as time slot, even better opening hours (the museum is particularly crowded from 11:00 to 13:00).
I Amsterdam City Card: how useful is it?
Purchasing the I Amsterdam City Card is a good option if you plan to get around in the city mainly by public transport and see as many attractions as possible. The card allows to save money compared to how much you would spend for the total cost of each individual visit and of the transport tickets. It must be noted that even if you have a City Card you can book your Van Gogh Museum ticket exclusively ONLINE and will be asked to provide the date of the visit.
How to book Van Gogh Museum tickets with I Amsterdam Card
As soon as you have purchased your I Amsterdam City Card, visit this page to book date and time of your Van Gogh Museum tour. You will need to enter the ID code situated on the back of the card, fill in a form with your personal information and select the day and time you intend to visit the museum. Once the reservation has been made, you will get a confirmation email containing the voucher to show directly at the Van Gogh museum entrance together with the I Amsterdam city card. The reservation does not include any additional costs.
How long does the Van Gogh Museum tour last
At a regular pace, the average duration of the visit is about 75 minutes.
Instead, if you want to deepen the contemplation of Van Gogh artworks with the help of an audio guide or maybe a good art book, you may want to spend about 2 and a half or 3 hours across the three floors of the Van Gogh museum.
Remember that the entrance is allowed up to 30 minutes before closing time.
Learn at Van Gogh: Audioguide or self-guided tour?
The museum is structured in a path across three floors and the audioguide helps to better understand the emotional background of the Dutch genius. It is possible to follow different museum itineraries, including the synthetic one that focuses on Van Gogh's main works and the personalized one, to be chosen according to personal tastes and the time available.
If you prefer a self-guided tour of the Van Gogh Museum of Amsterdam without audioguide, consider that each artwork carries an in-depth analysis (in English and Dutch) written next to them. That guarantees a satisfactory experience without the need to purchase additional multimedia tours.
The audio guide is not included in the online ticket booking. Available in 10 languages, you can buy it directly at the museum, at a cost of 5€.
Arts and Disability: how accessible is the Van Gogh Museum?
The Van Gogh Museum is accessible for disabled visitors but, as well as for seniors and students, there are no discounts on the ticket price: entrance to the museum is free ONLY for accompanying persons and under 18 years.
Apart from this, the Van Gogh Museum is very attentive to disability issue. Thus, it offers many dedicated services, including the priority entrance to shorten waiting times.
Show up at the beginning of the queue and you will be kindly accompanied to skip the line. Once inside the museum, you can take advantage of the elevator located at the entrance. The Van Gogh Museum has designed a permanent area dedicated to the "Feeling Van Gogh" program, tailored for blind and visually impaired visitors.
For wheelchair users or those with walking problems, we recommend to avoid a visit of the museum at weekends and choose a quiet time slot to avoid crowds: on some days the museum is so crowded that it wouldn't be an enjoyable experience.
Rules and services of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam: Cloakroom, shop and cafe
The artworks are visible from very close and almost all without the case. It is strictly forbidden to touch paintings, neither you can film or take pictures of the paintings. The staff is very careful and scrupulous about that and if you do not abide to the rules you will be asked to delete the photos from your smartphone.
At the entrance of the museum it is mandatory to leave backpacks, bags and coats in the lockers inside the storage area. There may be a short queue for the deposit but the staff is fast and efficient: it won't take longer than 5 minutes.
The temperature inside the Van Gogh museum is pleasant and the deposit is completely free.
If you have not planned anything for lunch, at the end of the visit you may want to stop for a refreshing break at the Van Gogh Museum Cafe, located inside the building.
You can enjoy the buffet or, if you have already eaten before your visit, simply stop for a coffee or tea accompanied by delicious sweets. Prices are not too high and you can enjoy fantastic views of the park.
Before placing your order, make sure there are free tables and consider that waiting times may be a bit long.
Van Gogh Museum of Amsterdam with children: a great experience!
It starts with a journey in tram with places reserved for those traveling with a stroller. It brings the family to the waiting in line at the entrance, a dramatic moment for young children.
Then, museum assistants check if among the people waiting in line there are small children. They will accompany them with their parents to the entrance reserved to families: no queue no stress for children and their accompanying people.
A nice experience for the little ones: inside the museum, go to the information desk and pick up the brochures aimed to organize a treasure hunt: it is free of charge for children from 6 to 12 years old. At the end of the guided route, children who have recognized the Van Gogh artworks will receive a small gift as a prize.
Disadvantages of the Van Gogh Museum of Amsterdam
According to many, one of the few in the Van Gogh Museum is the lighting system, in some cases unfortunately not excellent. According to the reviews of some visitors, the first room is for very dark in some areas and has points with poor light which do not highlight the works.
Many, however, expect to find all Van Gogh artworks at the museum and are disappointed to not find their favorite masterpiece - on exhibition elsewhere in the world. For example "The Starry Night", one of Vincent Van Gogh's most beautiful artworks, can be found at MoMa of New York as well as the other versions of "Vincent's Room in Arles", kept respectively at the Art Institute of Chicago and the Orsay Museum in Paris.
How to get to the Van Gogh Museum Amsterdam
The Van Gogh Museum is located in Museumplein, the Museum District of Amsterdam at the address is Paulus Potterstraat 7. It is situated between the Rijksmuseum and the old site of the Stedelijk Museum.
The Van Gogh Museum can be easily reached by public transport: tram 2 (to Nieuw Sloten) or tram 5 (to Amstelveen Binnenhof) from Amsterdam Central Station.
How to buy Van Gogh Museum Amsterdam online tickets
Buying the Van Gogh Museum tickets online is very simple. You can choose from a wide range of tickets, such as the single ticket or the combined ticket. The latter includes canal cruises or entrance to other museums in Amsterdam. Take a look at all the Van Gogh Museum ticket offers and choose the most convenient option for you!