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Rijksmuseum

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The Rijksmuseum is the national museum of the Netherlands. It is located in Amsterdam on the Museum Square. This museum is a very important place for Dutch art and history. It is the largest art museum in the entire country. People visit to see amazing things from the years 1200 to 2000.

RIJKSMUSEUM, Cruz y Ortiz, foto- Duccio Malagamba (14264273823)
RIJKSMUSEUM, Cruz y Ortiz, foto- Duccio Malagamba (14264273823)

You can see famous paintings by artists like Rembrandt and Vermeer. The museum also has a small Asian collection in a special pavilion.

RIJKSMUSEUM, Cruz y Ortiz, foto- Duccio Malagamba (14220948766)
RIJKSMUSEUM, Cruz y Ortiz, foto- Duccio Malagamba (14220948766)

There are many ways to see the museum's treasures. The museum holds a total collection of one million objects. However, only about 8,000 objects are on display at one time. You can walk through the Gallery of Honour to see masterpieces.

RIJKSMUSEUM, Cruz y Ortiz, foto- Duccio Malagamba (14264273823)
RIJKSMUSEUM, Cruz y Ortiz, foto- Duccio Malagamba (14264273823)

Some items are quite unusual to find in an art museum. You might see a royal crest from a ship or even a small biplane. The museum also has a library for people to use.

Rijks Museum Library
Rijks Museum Library

Some people even use the Rijksstudio online to see high-resolution images.

The history of the museum began a long time ago. It was first founded in The Hague on 19 November 1798. At first, the collection was quite small and fit into five rooms. The museum moved to Amsterdam in 1808 under King Louis Bonaparte.

Isaac Gogel
Isaac Gogel

It stayed in the Royal Palace for a short time. Later, it moved to a building called the Trippenhuis. In 1885, the museum finally opened in its famous main building.

RIJKSMUSEUM, Cruz y Ortiz, foto- Duccio Malagamba (14264273823)
RIJKSMUSEUM, Cruz y Ortiz, foto- Duccio Malagamba (14264273823)

Many people helped build the museum we see today. Pierre Cuypers won a contest to design the main building. He used a mix of gothic and renaissance styles for the design.

RIJKSMUSEUM, Cruz y Ortiz, foto- Duccio Malagamba (14264273823)
RIJKSMUSEUM, Cruz y Ortiz, foto- Duccio Malagamba (14264273823)

The building was richly decorated with art and sculptures. In 2003, the museum closed for a very large renovation. This project lasted almost ten years and cost 375 million euros.

RIJKSMUSEUM, Cruz y Ortiz, foto- Duccio Malagamba (14220948766)
RIJKSMUSEUM, Cruz y Ortiz, foto- Duccio Malagamba (14220948766)

Queen Beatrix reopened the main building on 13 April 2013.

The Rijksmuseum is a place where the past meets the present. It is located near other famous spots like the Van Gogh Museum.

Amsterdam tramlijn 2
Amsterdam tramlijn 2

In 2013 and 2014, it was the most visited museum in the Netherlands. Millions of people came to see the art during those years. The museum is even planning new things for the future. They want to build a new branch in Eindhoven.

Queen Beatrix and Wim Pijbes
Queen Beatrix and Wim Pijbes

They also hope to open a new sculpture garden in 2026. This garden will feature works by famous artists like Henry Moore.

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🖼️ Images & Media (13)
File:Amsterdam tramlijn 2.svg
Amsterdam tramlijn 2.svg
File:Amsterdam tramlijn 5.svg
Amsterdam tramlijn 5.svg
File:Amsterdam tramlijn 7.svg
Amsterdam tramlijn 7.svg
File:Amsterdam tramlijn 10.svg
Amsterdam tramlijn 10.svg
File:Amsterdam tramlijn 12.svg
Amsterdam tramlijn 12.svg
File:Isaac Gogel.jpg
Isaac Gogel.jpg
Afscheid van Neerlands...
File:RIJKSMUSEUM, Cruz y Ortiz, foto- Duccio Malagamba (14220948766).jpg
RIJKSMUSEUM, Cruz y Ortiz, foto- Duccio...
File:Incoming state visit France - 52826077562.jpg
Incoming state visit France - 52826077562.jpg
File:Queen Beatrix and Wim Pijbes.jpg
Queen Beatrix and Wim Pijbes.jpg
File:RIJKSMUSEUM, Cruz y Ortiz, foto- Duccio Malagamba (14264273823).jpg
RIJKSMUSEUM, Cruz y Ortiz, foto- Duccio...
File:Royal Charles.jpg
Royal Charles.jpg

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