The Museumkaart (Netherlands Museum Pass) is an annual membership card which gives unlimited free entry into around 500 museums in the Netherlands – including 40 museums in Amsterdam.
Whilst the card offers excellent value, unfortunately we cannot fully recommend this card to many international visitors due to the relatively difficult process of buying one.
The Museumkaart has always been aimed at the local Dutch market and never really been promoted for use by foreign tourists.
Visitors are generally directed to buy the I amsterdam City Card which is valid 1-5 days and includes museum admission, public transport and some other bonuses and discounts. You can buy the I amsterdam City Card online here
Museumkaart Statistics
- The Museumkaart card program (also known as the Museumjaarkaart or MJK) has been running since 1981
- There are around 1.5 million Museumkaart holders
- In 2024 there were 9.6 million museum visits made with the Museumkaart (up slightly from the 9.5 million visits in 2023)
Museumkaart types
The card comes either as a plastic physical card or as a digital card used via an app.
There is also the possibility to buy a temporary Museumkaart over-the-counter at selected museums. However the temporary card is only valid for 31 days and 5 museum visits.
Note that the museum will activate your temporary card there and then. This will count as one visit so the card will only be valid for 4 further visits over the 31 day period.
Buying a Museumkaart
The full Museumkaart can be purchased online at the museum.nl portal – however payment is only possible by Dutch internet banking (no debit/credit card payments allowed). The physical card can only be delivered to a Dutch address!
The only way for non-Netherlands EU residents to get a full Museumkaart is as follows:
- firstly purchase a temporary Museumkaart (tijdelijk kaart) over-the-counter whilst in the Netherlands
- follow the instructions to upgrade the card online – you need to provide a passport-style photo, pay a small fee and give an EU address
- The full card will be sent out to your address
So if you live in UK, US, Australia or anywhere outside the EU you cannot purchase a Museumkaart by the normal channels. The Museumkaart app cannot be downloaded outside of the EU (unless you use a VPN).
The only way around for non-residents is to have a friend or relative in the Netherlands purchase directly and receive the card on their behalf.
How much does the Museumkaart cost?
Here are the Museumkaart costs for the following card options:
Adult Museumkaart: €75
Youth (13-18) Museumkaart: €39
Kids (0-12) Museumkaart: €39
Some people could theoretically find value in just buying and using the temporary card. At a price of €75 this would mean the the 5 visits would cost €15 per visit.
Considering admission in the major museums now costs €20-25, the temporary card could still save you a little bit of money.
How does the Museumkaart work when visiting a museum?
When visiting a museum you simply present your physical or digital card at the admission counter and they will scan it. Some museums will give you a printed ticket, others will just let you in.
Many museums now require that you make an online reservation for a specific date and timeslot. There should be an option for Museumkaart holders to select during the booking process. Bring your booking confirmation and Museumkaart with you to the museum.
Do I have to pay any extra fees when using a Museumkaart?
With the majority of participating museums, you normally do not have to pay anything. You simply get standard admission for free.
There are some exceptions. The Anne Frank House charges a €1 booking fee for all tickets including Museumkaart holders. You will have to pay this during online booking when choosing a visit date and time.
The following museums in Amsterdam occasionally charge a small supplement for Museumkaart holders to enter special exhibitions – De Hollandsche Manege, Nieuwe Kerk, H’ART Museum, Rembrandt House and Stedelijk.
This will generally be €2 to €5 although the Rijksmuseum Vermeer (2023) and Stedelijk Abramović (2024) exhibitions required a hefty €10 supplement.
Can I use someone else’s Museumkaart?
No, the Museumkaart is strictly personal and not transferable. Security was tightened some years back with the introduction of the holder’s photo onto the card. Before then it was common that people ‘borrowed’ cards to use.
Which museums in Amsterdam offer free entry with the Museumkaart?
There are 42 museums in Amsterdam which offer free entrance to Museumkaart holders:
Allard Pierson
Amsterdam in Motion
Amsterdam Pipe Museum
Anne Frank House
ARTIS Groote Museum
ARTIS Micropia
De Appel
De Hollandsche Manege
Diamond Museum
Embassy Of The Free Mind
EYE Filmmuseum
FOAM Photography Museum
H’ART Museum
Huis Bartolotti
Huis Marseille
Jewish Museum
Luther Museum
Multatuli Museum
Museum of the Canals (Grachtenmuseum Amsterdam)
Museum Het Schip
Museum Tot Zover (Dutch Funeral Museum)
Museum van de Geest – Outsider Art
National Holocaust Museum
National Maritime Museum (Scheepvaartmuseum)
NEMO Science Museum
Nieuwe Kerk (New Church)
Ons’ Lieve Heer Op Solder Museum (Our Lord in the Attic)
Oude Kerk (Old Church)
Portuguese Synagoge
Rembrandt House Museum
Rijksmuseum
Rozenstraat
Royal Palace Amsterdam
Stadsarchief Amsterdam (City Archives)
Stedelijk Museum
Van Eesteren Museum
Van Goch Museum
Van Loon Museum
Verzets Resistance Museum
Wereldmuseum Amsterdam
W139
Willet-Holthuysen House
Bolded museums sell the Museumkaart over-the-counter.
Which Amsterdam museums offer a discount with the Museumkaart?
STRAAT Museum, MOCO Museum, Houseboat Museum.
In which Amsterdam museums is the Museumkaart NOT valid?
AMAZE, Body Worlds, Cat Cabinet, Electric Ladyland, Hash Marihuana & Hemp Museum, MOCO Museum, Nxt Museum, Ripley’s Believe It or Not, Torture Museum, Upside Down Museum and Vrolik Museum.
It is not valid at attractions such as A’DAM Lookout, Amsterdam Dungeon, Art of Play Wondr, Artis Zoo, Fabrique des Lumieres, Heineken Brewery, Madame Tussauds and This Is Holland.
How can I monitor my museum visits?
Museumkaart holders can register with the ‘Mijn Museumkaart’ portal where you can see your membership and museum visit details.
Can I visit a museum more than once?
Yes, the full card gives unlimited entry to all participating museums. The temporary card only allows 5 visits.
Which major museums of note in the Netherlands offer free entry to Museumkaart holders?
Paleis Het Loo (Apeldoorn)
Aviodrome (Lelystad)
Nederlands Openluchtmuseum (Open Air Museum, Arnhem)
Airborne Museum ‘Hartenstein’ (Oosterbeek)
MOTI, Museum of the Image (Breda)
Mauritshuis (Den Haag) – includes Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring
Panorama Mesdag (Den Haag)
Zuiderzeemuseum (Enkhuizen)
Groninger Museum (Groningen)
Frans Halsmuseum (Haarlem)
Teylers Museum (Haarlem)
Rijksmuseum van Oudheden (Leiden)
Bonnefantenmuseum (Maastricht)
Zeeuws Museum (Middelburg)
Kröller-Müller Museum (Hoge Veluwe National Park, Otterlo)
Maritiem Museum (Maritime Museum, Rotterdam)
Feyenoord Museum (Rotterdam)
De Pont (Tilburg)
Rijksmuseum Muiderslot (Muiden)
Pampus Fort Island (Muiden)
Kasteel de Haar (De Haar Castle, Haarzuilens)
Centraal Museum (Utrecht)
Museum Park Archeon (Alphen aan den Rijn)
Zaans Museum (Zaanse Schans)
Museumstoomtram (Hoorn-Medemblik)
Spoorwegmuseum (Dutch Railway Museum, Utrecht)
You get access to around 500 museums in total in the Netherlands – each major town and city should have a museum where the card is valid.
Is it worth buying a children’s Museumkaart?
Many museums already allow free entry for children although the age range for free entry varies considerably. See our guide Museums in Amsterdam with Free Entry for Children
For example, NEMO Science Museum, the National Maritime Museum and Wereldmuseum Amsterdam only allow free entry to those aged 0-3. So it may be worth buying the card if you plan to visit those.
Will the price of the Museumkaart go up in the future?
The last price rise was in late 2023 when the new adult card went from €64.90 to €75; the children/youth cards increased from €32.45 to €39. These were the first prices rise since 2018.
What are the prices for Museumkaart renewal?
At the end of the membership year Museumkaart sends a renewal payment request. Renewal fees are slightly lower at €69 for adults and €36 for children/youths.
Once the payment is made a new card is sent out to your address.
If you decide not to renew your card automatically expires.
Museumkaart – Our take
We absolutely recommend the Museumkaart to any Dutch residents and expats. It can offer fantastic value over the whole year. The card is great for the ability to just pop into a museum for 30 minutes and visit a new exhibition – and you won’t feel the pressure to see everything.
It can also be very useful to frequent visitors to the Netherlands or those coming for an extended visit – as long as they are able to get their hands on a full card.
Those on a short visit may be able to get some limited value out of the temporary card. Otherwise consider buying the I amsterdam City Card or the Go City Pass.
Amsterdam City Passes
| Most museums + city transport | Includes Keukenhof + other tours |
| I amsterdam City Card | GO City Amsterdam All-Inclusive Pass |
 |  |
| 1/2/3/4/5 days | 1/2/3/5 days |
| 24 hours basis | calendar day basis |
| €67/€94/€115/€130/€140 | €79/€129/€159/€209 |
| 70 museums + transport + canal cruise + bike rental | Over 25 attractions/tours + canal cruise + bike rental |
| excludes Anne Frank House / Van Gogh Museum / tours | excludes Anne Frank House / Van Gogh Museum / transport |
| Book here | Book here |
| I amsterdam City Card info | GO City Amsterdam Pass info |
Last update 24 April 2026. This article was originally published in 2008 and has been regularly updated.
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