Van Gogh Museum Amsterdam – Tickets, Info & Tips

The Van Gogh Museum is one of Amsterdam’s best known attractions.

The museum houses the world’s largest collection of paintings by infamous Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh who lived between 1853 and 1890. See iconic works such as the Sunflowers, The Yellow House and The Bedroom.

Attracting over 1.8 million visitors annually, the Van Gogh Museum is a ‘must-see’ for anyone on a visit to Amsterdam.

Van Gogh Museum Tickets

Pre-booking tickets with entry timeslots is mandatory – there are no at-the-door tickets! Book your Van Gogh Museum ticket here

Entry timeslots for a specific date are offered in 15 minute increments with slots between 11:00 and 15:00 the most popular.

All visitors including children and Museumkaart holders must pre-book their timeslot.

Note: The I Amsterdam City Card is NOT valid for free entry – you must buy a separate ticket.

A hand-held audio tour guide provides fresh insight into Van Gogh’s life and works. It costs €3.75 for adults, €2.00 for ages 13-17. It can be added as an option during online booking.

It is available in 12 languages: English, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Russian, Ukrainian, Chinese Mandarin, Japanese and Korean.

Book Van Gogh Museum tickets + audio tour

Van Gogh Museum Opening Hours

Generally open daily 09:00-17:00. Note, on some days it closes at 18:00 and on Fridays it closes at 21:00.

Van Gogh Museum Address/Location

The Van Gogh Museum is located on Museumplein Square in Amsterdam. This is about 2.6km from Amsterdam Central station.

The official street address is: Van Gogh Museum, Museumplein 6, 1071 DJ Amsterdam

It is easily reachable by Amsterdam public transport with a number of ticket options:

• From Amsterdam Central take trams 2/12 to Museumplein; or take metro line 52 to Vijzelgracht station which is about 5-7 mins walk away.
• From Amsterdam Zuid take tram 5 to Museumplein.
• From Amsterdam Sloterdijk take tram 19 to Rijksmusuem-Spiegelgracht.
• From Schiphol airport take bus 397 to Museumplein.

If you are driving then there is an underground Q-Park car parking facility on Museumplein. The entrance is next to the Albert Heijn supermarket.

Address: Q-Park Museumplein, Van Baerlestraat 33B, 1071 AP Amsterdam

Van Gogh Museum Map

Our map of the Museumplein area shows the location of the Van Gogh Museum and highlights the entrance.

The tram stops are marked as well as the walking direction to the nearest metro station.

Museumplein Square is home to some of Amsterdam’s most prominent museums. From the neo-Gothic Rijksmuseum with its 17th century collection to more modern and contemporary art at MOCO and Stedelijk.

Van Gogh Museum Building & History

Following the death of Van Gogh in 1890, his works were managed by brother Theo and wife Johanna. Their son Vincent Willem went on to found the Vincent Van Gogh Foundation in 1962.

Just over a decade later the Van Gogh Museum was built in Amsterdam to house the foundation collection.

The Van Gogh Museum opened in June 1973 having been designed by Dutch architect Gerrit Rietveld, an exponent of the progressive art movement De Stijl.

The modern exhibition wing by Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa was added in 1999. Its elliptical shape starkly contrasts the more box-like Rietveld wing.

A spectacular steel and glass entrance hall atrium was added onto the Kurokawa wing and opened in September 2015. It was initially designed by Kisho Kurokawa Architect & Associates and completed by Hans van Heeswijk Architects.

Van Gogh Museum Collection

Over 4 levels, the Rietveld building contains a permanent collection of Van Gogh’s artworks and letters. The collection includes some 200 Van Gogh paintings, 500 of his drawings and 750 of his letters.

Only a limited number of his drawings can be exhibited at any one time due to their sensitivity to light.

Van Gogh’s work is classed as post-impressionist and he was renowned for his bold brushstrokes and bright colours.

He produced over 2,000 artworks in his short life which includes portraits and self-portraits, still lifes and landscapes.

The collection is supplemented by works from some of Van Gogh’s 19th century contemporaries – such as Claude Monet (1840-1926) and Paul Gauguin (1848-1903).

The ground floor (level 0) has ‘Face to Face with Van Gogh’ – an exhibition gallery on Van Gogh’s self-portraits.

The upper levels are themed as follows:

1. Van Gogh and his Time
2. Van Gogh’s Friends and Family
3. Van Gogh and Beyond

There are illustrated timelines and exhibits charting Van Gogh’s life, his development as an artist and ultimately his demise.

From his darker early work in the Netherlands including The Potato Eaters from 1885 to his move to Paris (1886-88) where he produced many of his iconic self-portraits.

Finally we see the more colourful South of France period including The Yellow House (1888), Sunflowers (1889) and Almond Blossom (1890). You can also see some of the more haunted works made from Saint-Paul Asylum.

Here are some Van Gogh works of note exhibited in Amsterdam:

Vincent actually painted a number Sunflower pictures. A similar version of ’15 cut sunflowers’ can be seen at The National Gallery in London (UK). Another version was destroyed during the American bombing of Japan in World War 2.

Van Gogh’s Starry Night paintings are not part of the Amsterdam collection. The Starry Night (1889) is exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York and The Starry Night Over the Rhône (1888) is at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris.

Van Gogh Museum Temporary Exhibitions

The Kurokawa wing hosts temporary exhibitions which are held around 3 times a year. These are about specific themes or artists and their relationship with Van Gogh.

Van Gogh Museum Facilities & Accessibility

There are a number of café-restaurant facilities within the museum.

For drinks and snacks there are 2 cafés in the museum – a large café next to the shop in the Rietveld building and a smaller one in the entrance hall atrium

Restaurant Bistro Vincent in the Rietveld building offers more substantial fare inspired by Dutch, French and Japanese cuisine. It is open daily from 10:00 and can cater to a broad range of dietary requirements. It is possible to book tables in advance.

The museum has shops located in the atrium and at level 0 in the Rietveld bulding selling Van Gogh-inspired products.

The Van Gogh Museum Bookshop is found on the top floor of the Rietveld building. It has a wide collection of books about Van Gogh and his artistic contemporaries.

At the rear is a yellow window with a fine view of south Museumplein and an activity table for young and old.

Lockers are available at no charge in the atrium – you must store away any large bags and items before entering the galleries.

Follow the instructions on the screen – you need to enter a 6 digit code and choose a symbol – you will be assigned a locker. Don’t forget to take a photo of your locker number.

After your museum visit return to the same bank of lockers (marked A, B, C etc) to input your code. The door will not open if you use a screen at another bank!

The Van Gogh Museum is fully accessible and has special programmes in place for visitors with disabilities. For full details go here

Van Gogh Museum Tips for Visitors

• You should always try to book in advance as entrance can sell out a few days ahead, particularly during the peak summer season.
• For quieter hours try visiting 09:00-10:30 or 15:30-17:00. It’s also nice to visit on Friday evenings when the museum closes at 21:00.
• Vincent on Fridays is an evening event at the Van Gogh Museum which features DJs, live performances and workshops from young talent. In 2026 it runs 27 Feb/27 Mar/29 May/26 Jun/25 Sep/27 Nov.
• Do take the audio tour option which will enhance your visit. The device is picked-up from the special desk in the atrium.

• If you prefer a more personal touch with expert insight then you can always book a private tour
• If visiting with kids ask about the treasure hunt activities for ages 4+ and 6+ or a checklist activity for those 12+. There are also colouring sheets available.
• The Van Gogh Museum is popular and the galleries can sometimes feel busy. However with some patience you can get close to the paintings.
• A visit to the museum can take from around 60 minutes. However, once inside the museum you are free to stay as long you like (until closing time!).

• No flash photography is allowed.
• For a good view over the Museumplein area go to the external staircase (floor 3) in the Rietveld wing which has large glass windows.

Van Gogh’s life and work continues to inspire new generations.

With its magnificent collection of paintings, the Van Gogh Museum is certainly one of the top things to do in Amsterdam and is highly recommended. Book your Van Gogh Museum ticket here

For more Vincent, the Kröller-Müller Museum in the Hoge Veluwe National Park in Otterlo (Netherlands) houses the world’s 2nd largest collection of Van Gogh paintings.

References
Many personal visits to the Van Gogh Museum
Vincent van Gogh (Wikipedia)
The Building (Van Gogh Museum official site)
Where are Van Gogh's Sunflowers (Van Gogh Studio)

Last updated 11 December 2025. This article was first published in 2008 and has been regularly updated.

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