The Rijksmuseum is worth the wait

The Rijksmuseum has reopened after 10 years and a 375 million euro restoration. We made our first attempt to visit only to discover, on the 29th April 2013, that it was closed for a private function. Queen Beatrix was hosting her last official function before abdicating in favour of her son: a state farewell dinner for royal guests and dignitaries. A very impressive backdrop, even for a royal occasion:

The museum website www.rijksmuseum.nl informs you that peak hours tend to be between 11am - 3pm, especially at weekends. The museum is open from 9am - 5pm. My boys (aged 8 and 10) had another day off school, so a Tuesday morning seemed a good time to avoid the queues and see what all the fuss was about for ourselves.

There are two queues to gain entrance to the building which move in waves so you make steady process. We arrived after 11am and had to wait for about 30 minutes. Once inside, there will probably be queues for any where else you might want to go: ticket desk, cloakroom, toilets, cafe, entrance to the collection, etc. Prams and buggies are tolerated although it is an old building, so bear that in mind when you are visiting with babies and toddlers.

I appreciated the clear layout and simple presentation of the collection which allows you to have an intimate and personal experience. I was impressed by the feeling that there is very little security about and yet you have close access to some very famous pieces. I did rather miss the hushed, respectful, church-like atmosphere of the old Rijksmuseum. There was so much mobile and digital photography going on, it was very disconcerting, especially in the Eregalerij / The Gallery of Honour leading up to the "Night Watch" by Rembrandt. At some point, I even caught myself being tempted to take a picture with these 'celebrities'. It may be brash but it is a very savvy decision. Imagine the amount of free buzz it gets via social media every day. It makes the Rijksmuseum part of popular culture just like it has always been cool to go to the Van Gogh Museum. It transforms its image of being somewhere you ought to go, to being somewhere you want to go.

My husband played a great game with my 10 year old, asking him to choose which pieces he would like to have in his home. My 8 year old's favourite was the model ship on the second level: William Rex (2.15).

Local Tip: Visit the Rijksmuseum after 3pm and you will have to queue less, there will be fewer large tour groups and more space to roam and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.