Rijksmuseum

The Rijksmuseum is the Netherlands' national museum for arts and history, located on Museumplein in Amsterdam, opposite other major museums. It houses a comprehensive collection spanning from the Middle Ages to the 20th century, with an emphasis on the Dutch Golden Age. The museum plays a central role in the country's cultural heritage and attracts visitors from around the world.

The Rijksmuseum traces its origins to 1800, when the States-General established a national collection in The Hague. In 1808 the collection was moved to Amsterdam, to accommodate a growing national museum. The current building, designed by Pierre Cuypers, opened in 1885. It underwent a major renovation and expansion from 2003 to 2013, during which a modern glass-and-metal entrance and redesigned galleries were added, restoring and updating the historic interiors.

The collection includes thousands of paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, and historical artifacts. It is especially renowned for Dutch Golden Age paintings by Rembrandt, Vermeer, Hals, and Steen. Highlights include Rembrandt's The Night Watch, Vermeer's The Milkmaid, and Hals's Syndics of the Drapers' Guild, among many other works. The museum also preserves a broad range of decorative arts, naval artifacts, and period interiors that document the history of the Netherlands.

The Rijksmuseum is governed as a national museum and receives government support. It engages in education and research programs and hosts temporary exhibitions. It is a major cultural landmark in Amsterdam and one of the most visited museums in the Netherlands, contributing to scholarship and public understanding of Dutch art and history.