Van Gogh Museum — Attraction in Amsterdam

If there were a list of people questioning how a museum could be entirely devoted to the work of a single artist, that list would likely include Vincent Van Gogh and his family. As hard as this may be to believe, during his lifetime Van Gogh was not highly regarded for his work. In fact, very little of it was purchased during this period and following his passing his brother Theo and sister-in-law Jo continued the work of creating public awareness for his paintings. 🤯

If you have the chance to visit the Vincent Van Gogh Museum you may find that it offers more than just an opportunity to appreciate his art, but also an intimate personal portrait of the artist himself. The art that you’ll see is expectedly excellent, but the telling of his story is also noteworthy.

I’m not sure if I was more surprised to learn that he had no interest in becoming an artist until the age of 27, or that after crossing that threshold he dedicated the next year of his life to teaching himself to draw by studying the work of others.

Upon entering one room that was dominated by no less than 13 self-portraits, I incorrectly surmised that they were completed simply out of vanity. Rather, I learned that they were actually self-directed exercises to further develop his skills in the application of color, brushwork, and facial expression portrayal.

In spite of suffering mental breakdowns and being hospitalized in an asylum, he envisioned painting as a form of therapy and astonishingly produced more than 70 paintings over a 70 day period as a form of self-treatment.

Some may say, “Yeah, I’ve seen those paintings online or in a high quality book. I don’t need to see them in person.” Well actually maybe you do. I was fascinated by standing so close to the paintings to clearly see not only the brushstrokes, but also the amount of paint that was applied to various sections. Take a look at the closeups I’ve included of “Wheatfield with a Reaper” and “Wheatfield under Thunderclouds.” The amount of paint Van Gogh applied makes these paintings feel like they’re 3 dimensional.

If you’ve ever had the audacity to dream the unthinkable of actually running your fingers across a masterpiece, there’s a replica of “Sunflowers” that you are invited to touch so that you can better appreciate the unique textures. 😱

Making reservations at least a few weeks in advance is highly recommended, photography is permitted (but not videography), and storage lockers are available on a complementary basis (for your jackets, etc.).

And that’s…Henry’s Take.

#vangoghmuseum

Finger Model Credit 👆@danavoros

Located in the area of museumplein, the Van Gogh Museum delivers both a thoughtful and artsy experience. From the moment you enter, you’re greeted with well-designed painted walls and animated displays that not only showcase Van Gogh's work but also people who were instrumental in his life.

What stood out:

The curation is smart: the exhibits go beyond his paintings and explore his life and how different stages of his life impacted his work.

The paintings themselves are impressive, in that you can appreciate his craft and see how it evolved in response to changes in his life.

I particularly loved the temporary exhibition focusing on the life of of the Roulins who were instrumental in Van Gogh's work. I especially loved the displays for children with the puzzles, paintings and other activities for children to also enjoy the art of such an artistic genius. This is an absolutely brilliant addition to the museum. Pity it was a week day and there were no children to enjoy it. However, adults took full advantage, colouring the postcards and completing the puzzles which was healing to see and a good reminder you are never too old to play.

What didn't work for me:

It wasn't the easiest place to navigate especially if you were trying to follow the audio guide in a chronological manner.

Some of the explanatory text for the paintings felt a little technical (which may not be the case for everyone as I am not very good with art). However, I would be quick to add that the “real-life use” stories of Van Gogh made it engaging for non-arty folks like myself.

Would I recommend it? Absolutely!

I think it’s a great choice if you’re interested in arts and history. It’s not overly long (I spent a little over three hours for both the permanent and temporary exhibitions), so perfect for a relaxed afternoon. If you are interested in the activities in the temporary exhibition (available till January 2026 I believe), then best to add an hour or two slack time. I left feeling inspired, as I was encouraged to call my sister and tell her how much I love her after reading the letters between Van Gogh and his brother, and with a new appreciation for arts.

This museum is an absolute must during a visit to Amsterdam and visitors would make the best out of their visit if they buy a ticket ahead of time and select a time slot. This would help prevent unnecessary delays and waiting.

A “Must See!;” The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam! I highly recommend purchasing tickets directly through the Van Gogh Museum weeks in advance as they were sold out a few days before we arrived.

However, I found Babylon Tours on TripAdvisor and feel really grateful we were able to visit the museum through a semi private tour as the bad ones tour include museum tickets! The semi private tour was a lot more money but well worth it.

I found out afterwards the museum also offers their own tours which would have had a lower cost.

Below is my review for Babylon Tours:

Art historian and experienced tour guide Hanneke’s (from Babylon Tours) tour of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam was inspiring, knowledgeable & powerful!

Hanneke presented the inspiring but tragic story of Vincent Van Gogh as we walked through the Van Gogh museum in such a thoughtful, creative, well-balanced and engaging way! Hanneke’s many years of experience clearly shows with her passion for Van Gogh and art in general. I was especially impressed how Hanneke took our tour group of 8 on this journey and had some of us really emotional hearing about Vincent Van Gogh’s tumultuous and tragic life. She also shares exclusive photos and artwork from her own iPad that also adds to the experience.

It was impressive how all of us 6 adults plus my 13 year old son and another young teen were drawn in and revved to every word of the story! A perfect family friendly educational experience!

Hanneke is such an experienced professional making sure we can find each other in a crowded museum while very respectful to other patrons and tour groups.

Hanneke also went above and beyond spending extra time after the tour answering questions, including my in-depth questions regarding the connection between Suriname and Holland.

As mentioned, I found Babylon Tours through TripAdvisor and really appreciated the user-friendly sign-up, clear communication and the text reminders. From sign up to payment to the meet up, the entire process ran perfectly on time and was 100% smooth.

As a touring NYC musician (with artists such as Jon Batiste, Russell Hall, The Hot Sardines, leading The Scooches, Hot Jazz Jumpers, Nick Russo+11) performing all over the world. I give Hanneke, Babylon Tours and The Van Gogh Museum A++++ (5/5 stars)