Museum Tour

Having picked up our IAmsterdam cards at the train station yesterday (48€, free access to most museums, free canal tours, discounted meals etc), we decided to spend the afternoon exploring two of the better known museums in Holland: the Rijksmuseum, and the van Gogh Museum. We had originally planned on first walking over to the Neuwmarket, but what with today being “Second Easter” and all (a legitimate holiday here), the thing was closed.

We caught the museum walk – a sign-guided route starting at Central station and ending at the Rijksmuseum – which took about 30minutes and twisted through a number of side streets. It brought us through the tulip market (Tulipomania hit Holland in the 1600s), and past the now greatest place on earth (sorry, Scotland)... although a coffee shop here is not quite the same as stateside...

The museums themselves were pretty impressive. The Rijksmuseum boasted a tremendous collection of Rembrandt, as well as the world’s largest Vermeer collection (6 canvases). The van Gogh museum had a few paintings by van Gogh. And a special exhibit on Millais. And Dubbel FriSSS – which was easily the best tasting of the three. Though I’m still not sure what it was.

Although I have very poor museum stamina, and typically am not moved to any emotion by 80% of the paintings, the Rijksmuseum and the van Gogh museums were incredible. Vermeer and van Gogh are two of my favorite artists – they are my peking duck and pan-fried dumpling of the art world. And that Rembrandt had more than a little talent. If the greatness of a nation is judged, as some would believe, by its contribution to the arts, then Holland keeps counsel with the very best.