Rijksmuseum Frans Hals – Strokes of Genius Exhibition
Location
Essentials
- See around 50 key works by Frans Hals
- Exhibition on display from 16 February – 9 June 2024
- See works normally on display at other institutions
- Includes access to the entire museum
Practical info
Children
Child ticket for 0-18 year olds
Languages
The audio tour is available English and Dutch
Guided tours are available for the hearing-impaired (Dutch and English sign), sight-impaired, and sensory friendly
Ticket information
Ticket directly available on smartphone
Tickets cannot be rescheduled or cancelled
More information
With this ticket you will first visit the Frans Hals Exhibition, after which you can visit the rest of the museum
The Rijksmuseum has her own privacy policy, terms and conditions, and guidelines for a safe visit. Please review them before visiting the Rijksmuseum.
For questions about the product, please contact [email protected]
Accessibility
Getting there
Public Transport
The nearest stops are Vijzelgracht (metro 52 and tram 24) and Museumplein (tram 2 & 12).
About
An unprecedented collection of Frans Hals’ oeuvre
The Frans Hals – Strokes of Genius exhibition brings together around fifty key works from Frans Hals’ extensive oeuvre. This means that around a quarter of the surviving paintings by Frans Hals will be on display at the Rijksmuseum. The exhibition includes several works that normally never leave their permanent homes.
The Laughing Cavalier will travel to Amsterdam from the Wallace Collection in London. The Banquet of the Officers of the St. George Civic Guard will make its first trip outside of the city of Haarlem, where it is usually on display at the dedicated Frans Hals Museum. Catharina Hooft with her Nurse and Malle Babbe are on special loan from the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin, the Fruit and Vegetable Seller from a private collection in Bridgenorth, and the Family Group in a Landscape from the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid.
Explore Frans Hals’ influential style
Frans Hals’ painting style set the standard for many others who followed, so much so that it can be easy to forget that he was the founder. His distinctive, freewheeling painting style takes centre stage at the Strokes of Genius exhibition at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The exhibition takes you through his career to see how he developed his style, while also painting you a picture of live in the 17th-century.
One-by-one, each painting shows you how he broke with convention and gained confidence as he paved his own way in the art world. His style gained Frans Hals praise and prestige, and a reputation as a forerunner of impressionism. This exhibition on the Dutch master Frans Hals is a must-visit when you are in Amsterdam in the spring of 2024.
See more Dutch masters at the Rijksmuseum
The Rijksmuseum is the national museum of the Netherlands, with a collection spanning over 800 years of history. After visiting the Frans Hals exhibition you can visit the rest of the museum, which is included in your ticket. Other Dutch masters on display include Vincent van Gogh, Rembrandt van Rijn, and Johannes Vermeer.
Reviews
507 reviews
Worth a stop during your visit!
Caught the train from city center to visit a local market. We were close enough to walk to Rijks to check it out as well. I strongly suggest buying tickets online in advance to make entry easier. Buying tickets on site is just from people standing outside no true ticket booths or anything. The interior layout is not what I expect from a museum. Most places have a layout that promotes walking in an order to see everything. Here it is easy to miss exhibits if you don't check every nook and cranny of a floor. If your into art this museum will probably be amazing. I am not into art though and just wanted the experience. I would not suggest the attached cafe for food. Service wasn't great, food was very overpriced and sub par.
Highly Recommend
Rembrandt and Van Gogh. How could you go wrong? Broad range of art and artifacts very well presented. I have now managed to knock off several of the world’s greatest art museums and the Rijksmuseum is among the best.
Glad we finally visited.
We went early morning to Rijksmuseum, it was so busy with school trips waiting to go in which seem to take priority other others who jumped the queue. Not sure if that is standard practice but we didn't mind waiting as it wasn't for long. Security check bags going in and they were really friendly. Lockers are provided for rucksacks. The toilets are clean and tidy. We tried to take the lift to the top floor and work our way down but it was busy so we gave up waiting and climbed the stairs. The whole museum is so clean and tidy, with places to sit and rest. My favourite of all the exhibitions were Operation Night Watch and the papercuts! I used to do papercutting years ago as a hobby and never realised its hundreds of years old! I'm glad we finally managed to visit after trying twice on previous trips.
Amazing museum
What a fabulous museum. It is huge so wear comfortable shoes. Stairs and lifts are available and good clean toilet facilities which is so important to many. So much art on display, you could spend hours and hours in the museum. We purchased our tickets in advance so we had our entry time booked. I would recommend buying in advance as it can get very busy, you can't really just turn up or you may have a long wait for the next available entry time. There are lovely gardens attached to the museum and a wonderful fountain. There is shade/cover available in the garden for hot or wet days. Places to eat and get a drink are next to the gardens. There is a cafe inside the museum but there were very long queues for it.
Art, History, and a Little Restoration Dust
I went to the Rijksmuseum with friends, and it really impressed us. The building is stunning, and the collection takes you through centuries of Dutch art and history. The Night Watch was a major highlight, though it was partially blocked off due to restoration. You could still see it behind glass, which was interesting, but it took away a bit of the impact. Even so, the museum is full of amazing works, and there's so much to explore. Definitely worth a visit.
Rijksmuseum
I am normally not a fan of art museums. I like something more active. This museum was amazing. We could have spent several days here! We used the app for our tour. It was very frustrating to figure out how to use it and where to go at first. Eventually we figured it out and it was very useful. Especially if you have limited time. We ate lunch in the restaurant. It was very good.
Very Enjoyable
This museum is great. When we walked up to the building we were impressed with the design, the building is really large and special. We did have a bit of a wait, standing in line for a while and then not sure where to go with our pre-paid tickets. When we got inside we found it to be well organized and staff knowledgeable. We saw a variety of things to see. Of course the art but also unique statues, glassware and many interesting items. We saw the cafe, it looked very nice. We didn’t have lunch, but I would not hesitate to try it. It was very busy, so maybe reservations if they take them would be worthwhile. No one wants to have to wait a long time for lunch especially with so much to see in the museum. We enjoyed it. It was April, so not as busy a summer, but a line to get in nonetheless. Getting advance tickets would be a good idea.
A huge collection
In early May, it wasn't necessary to book in advance. But most likely, during the busiest season, booking in advance is necessary. Huge collection, pick what you want to see, it's unlikely you will see everything in there at once. Loads of information available even without guided or audio tour. Staff is friendly and helpful.
Rijksmuseum 🤎
My favourite museum of all time. Consider putting in 3-5 hours to visit the museum (minimum) if you are art lover. It’s a must-see if you would like to get to know the Dutch history, art and culture. Enjoy seeing Rembrandt, Vermeer, Jan Steen etc. The museum also has a restaurant inside of its walls so you can enjoy breakfast and lunch there. Make sure to reserve timeslot as it can be full from the noon onwards.
Great museum but frustrated with the experience
The museum is quite amazing and has plenty to see, however I did think that the staff was a little lacking as well as the information provided before and during our visit. We opted for the audio tour. When we picked up the audio recorders the instructions were very vague and so we struggled to get it to work for too long. Then mid-way through mine stopped working although my husband's continued to work. We were also told that it would take a couple of hours, but we were only a little more than halfway completed when that time was up, so we did not get to see much of the museum because it was closing. When I handed my headset in, I told them that mine did not work properly, and they agreed it stopped however they would not give me my funds back.
Museum visit on a city break
We visited here in June and were greatly impressed. We managed to book online the day before luckily, so would recommend you get tickets before hand. The museum was well run, lots of lockers which were free to use to drop off coats and bags. Toilets extremely clean, no queues but we visited early in the morning. So many interesting pieces of history. Ancient china sets, weapons, early boat designs, carving, paintings, furniture. They had good descriptions of everything. Three was no need to rush, you could take your time and go back to re visit rooms again if you wished. Massive building with parts having wonderful architecture . We saw a few Van Gough, Cézanne and Rembrandt paintings which were brilliant. The whole visit took about 3 hours but we could have easily gone back around as there was so much to see. There was a cafe, with lots of seating too. It was busy here when we left, as it was lunchtime, so we didn’t eat here. It was well worth the visit and would like to go back one day.
Dutch Golden Age in Art
Visited the museum with as part of a tour group. The building is historic and it was fascinating to hear the history... the bicyles that drove through the historic gates just added a touch of Amsterdam to its appearance. The art work and the stories thereof takes one to the Dutch Golden Age. Fascinating to see how the Night Watch painting is being repaired. Highly recommend a visit.
Came for the Rembrandt, not dissapointed
I came to the Rijksmuseum specifically for Rembrandt, and I left completely satisfied. Seeing The Night Watch and The Jewish Bride in person was just brilliant! The Rembrandt Experience: The Night Watch is absolutely massive and breathtaking - no reproduction does it justice. How the shadows are depicted are just incredible. During the time of visit, the museum was performing a huge restoration of the piece, no worries you'll still be able to see it ! Practical Tips: I booked a guided tour through GetYourGuide and visited during the 11am time slot in June. This was perfect timing - the museum was much less crowded than I expected, making it easy to spend quality time with each painting without feeling rushed. I spent about 2.5 hours total, which gave me plenty of time to really absorb the Dutch masters collection. Overall: The museum is beautifully laid out and the collection goes far beyond just Rembrandt (though that's what drew me there). The building itself is gorgeous, and the way the artworks are displayed really lets you connect with the pieces. If you're an art lover, especially interested in Dutch Golden Age painting, this is an absolute must-visit. Book your tickets in advance and give yourself at least 2-3 hours if you want to truly appreciate what's there.
Good couple of hours worth
very enjoyable and informative couple of hours, not only paintings but interesting history too, learned lots I didn't know about the colonial past of the Netherlands
Excellent!
We booked tickets on a rainy day and are glad we went to this museum. It was fabulous to see so many beautiful pieces of art work and the restoration process going on with the Night Watch painting. Seeing the beautiful library was incredible. Remember to be quiet as you enter the area. The doll house collection is incredible with the details in each room. Highly recommend this museum if you get the chance. They have a nice gift shop in the museum area too.
Family tour was so much fun!
We booked the private family tour, and Hugo was absolutely amazing with my kids (ages 10 and 8). It was fun and interactive. We all learned so much, and he kept my kids engaged for a solid 1.5 hours in the museum, which is no easy feat. If you have kids, I highly recommend booking the family tour through the museum (far far in advance). And of course, it is a lovely museum with fabulous art and history to learn!
Must see in Amsterdam: Rijksmuseum
It was incredible to see so many paintings by world's best painters. Nearly too much for one visit, have to go again! An experience that nobody should miss.
A beautiful museum with many works.
A very richly endowed museum with extraordinary collections spanning several centuries of the history of Amsterdam, the Netherlands and the former colonies. The building itself is superb. You will need at least half a day to appreciate the works on the museum's four levels. Visit at opening time to fully appreciate the paintings, sculptures and objects.
Artists amsterdam
Great location and large number of famous paintings. Great way to spend an afternoon. Very busy but easy to get to by bus..
Great time at the museum - Rijksmuseum
My mother & I love to travel but we are not keen on visiting museums. Netherlands has a lot of museums, so we decided to pick the ones we wanted to really see. Rijksmuseum was one that we got interested in after going through their website. We reached out to check if we could rent wheelchair & their response was no because wheelchairs are free to borrow! We thought we would spend about an hour or little over but we spent over three hours! There is so much to see. My mother loved the different tea/teapot collection, the ceramics, the locks & keys collection & I just loved how spacious it was. The staff are friendly & more than happy to guide you so you have the best time ever in a museum.
Stunning building and works of art
Fabulous building full of treasures. It was great to be able to see the Surhc master work up close and a particular highlight to see the restoration work in Rembrandts Night Watch. Also fascinating were the miniature doll houses and the replica sailing ship. Well worth a visit!
A very large museum with lovely architecture.
The architecture is impressive and building is huge. Lots of exhibits and a very large area to cover. We selected the 9 am 1st lot and arrived early and was first in queue. Signage was not very clear where the entrances are. It is at a passageway that runs through the building. There is more than 1 entrance there. It was good to appreciate the paintings and exhibits in the first hour but the place began to fill up with visitors quite fast. Honestly, the museum is extremely big and one can take hours to slowly cover all the exhibits, depending on one’s interest. Allocate more time if you enjoy checking out all the exhibits. Tickets can be booked from the museum’s own website or from third parties. Download the app for free commentary about every exhibit. Need to use ear phones.
Majestic exhibition, even too big
This museum is so big and its collections are so diverse that they would probably benefit from being split. People who are interested in Rembrandt's painting do not necessarily want to know about eastern art and/or american photography (and vice versa). That said, all the works are so well classified that one doesn't need an audio guide (thus saving 6,50€). The biggest flaw of the main exhibition is how Rembrandt's masterpiece "The Night Watch" is exposed (i.e. behind a thick reflecting glass which prevents taking good pictures). Still a very good museum, mind you.
Put it on your Museum list.
Yep back after 20 years. Utilised Amsterdam card. Long queues outside. The wait was worth it. The redevelopment of the museum "wow". Only critism is poor signposting to lifts. After traveling early from Liverpool ability to do stairs was limited. The restaurant especially the new cake celebrating 750th anniversary of Amsterdam beautiful. The gift shop very expensive is only real negative.
Well woth visiting!
Wow...I wish I had more time. Allow a minimum of 2 hours...we stayed for 3 hours and saw about 70%. Staff were all very friendly and helpful. Get the app and bring earbuds for a free 'tour.' Select paintings will have a number that you key into your app to get a deeper dive into the art you are viewing. By no means am I an art connoisseur, but this was a great museum.
A must for art lovers
An absolute myriad of paintings dating back to the 17th century. We got in for free on the Go City pass. Surprised by the fact that it was possible to go right up to each painting and take pictures. It’s possible to spend hours there. There’s a nice cafe so you can take a break at any time. Also a nice garden outside and a fun fountain you can get into the middle of.
Lovely Museum!
We loved our afternoon in this museum. I was not prepared for the sheer beauty of its paintings, Delft, doll houses and models! We certainly appreciate art but to think I could have missed this bothers me! There was a King’s Day crowd as we were there Friday before its official Saturday celebration and Amsterdam was crazy. Make sure this is on your list of must-do’s in Amsterdam. Lots of good help finding what we needed and kind people to help you!
Great Museum
Very impressive museum. Only drawback was a lack of signs indicating elevators and stairs. Large display of many great Dutch artists as well as ceramics, military guns, swords, ship models, etc.
Impressive and extensive museum
The Rijksmuseum is an impressive and extensive museum with a lot to see. From Dutch Masters like Rembrandt and Vermeer to an array of historical artifacts and beautifully curated exhibitions, the collection is both rich and varied. It's very well organized and presented, making the visit enjoyable and informative. You should definitely plan ahead and reserve enough time to explore everything — there's so much to take in that a quick visit wouldn't do it justice. Overall, a fantastic experience and a must-see if you're in Amsterdam.
Amazing museum!
We spent 4 hours visiting the museum from the bottom to the top floor and had a breakfast break in the museum's coffee shop, which serves plenty of delicious options. The museum itself is quite impressive, and the artwork is mesmerizing. The best part is the mobile app, created by the museum, which gives you free audio and visual tour, helps you navigate this massive museum with ease and learn more about selected paintings through the audio stories narrated in the app. Mandatory to book tickets in advance, online, the entrance gets sold out easily if you don't reserve your slot. Fabulous experience, highly recommended!
Great art museum
Great art museum. Very large. Plan a lot of time to get through everything. Expect crowds. Lots of great painting from artists like Van Gough and Goya. Well worth seeing. Make reservations ahead of time.
Ok
Nice but way too much to see and when the tour groups turn up…..good luck. The app tour guide is good but not many options to hear
A wealth of information
The museum came recommended to us and it was not hard to see why. We were not prepared for the size of it and the number of paintings by Dutch masters. Not being heavily into art, we chose to pay for the audio guides to add some flesh at what we were looking at, which was a good choice. The museum was very busy and given that the visit was in the week leading up to Kings day, we may well have to return so as to avoid the numbers of people but also allow much more time, as a few hours is just not enough to give the paintings the attention they deserve.
Lovely museum, rude guests
Lovely museum with variety of works by primarily Dutch artists. Can be tricky to navigate your way around. I do not understand why museums allow pictures to be taken of the art work. I am further perplexed that guests take selfies of art works. I was actually asked to move away from a painting I was studying so a person could take a selfie with it, and I lost it.
Enjoyed our visit
Rijksmuseum is located in a lovely building with easy access to the tram. It's a massive building with so many works of art including the Masters and Dutch history. We spent 6 hours there and couldn't possibly see everything. Save the cost of the audio guide and download the app - it's wonderful! Bring headphones/earbuds. From the app you are able to choose which works of art you want to see or simply follow the app for the 'highlights' tour... and that took us several hours. Get familiar with the app before going to the museum. Seating in galleries is available, but not always when you want it. Rembrandt's Night Watch painting is currently under restoration, but you are able to see it. The reproduction on the wall in the next room is easier to see. We did not take advantage of the cafe, but it was available. Entrance is via security checking bags. Book your tickets before you go to avoid disappointment. A few visitors were quite obnoxious literally walking right in front of us to get close up while we were viewing a painting from only a few steps away. We found some of the museum tour guides had little regard for visitors not in their tour group. They would go right up to paintings pointing out things to their group but being in the way of others just wanting to see a painting. Yes, it's a museum worth visiting - but expect crowds.
Worth
The collections in the museum were extremely impressive and extensive. Works of arts were from different eras. The Dolls houses and library were amazing. The delftware, William rex and Etienne-Maurice Falconet were some highlights in the museum also. Staffs were friendly and helpful. Definitely worth visiting at least 2 hours.
I can't get over my fantastic visit to the Rijksmuseum!
I can't get over my fantastic visit to the Rijksmuseum! I haven't been to the museum in over ten years, as I was living in the United States at the time. However, I have recently visited many museums in the US, France, the UK, Greece, Turkey, and Italy. The new redesign is so well thought out and visitor-friendly. If I can compare it to, say, the Louvre and the Palace of Versailles, which I visited the month before. Though their art is exceptional (for example, Leonardo Da Vinci's 'Mona Lisa'), the user experience is often poor. You feel crammed, overwhelmed, claustrophobic and simply unloved. But the Rijksmuseum is the exact opposite - you feel like they care about you. I never felt hemmed in; I could spend as much time as I wanted looking at even the great masterpieces (like Rembrandt's 'Night Watch' or Vermeer's 'Milkmaid'), and there were plenty of seats for when I felt tired. It's testament to how great the museum is that my usually heavily distracted ADHD son was able to enjoy this museum for almost three hours. I can't say how impressed I am with the Rijksmuseum, which I will definitely visit again the next time I'm in Amsterdam.
Effortless Entry to a World of Art
Visiting the Rijksmuseum was a fantastic experience. The ticket purchase process was smooth and hassle-free, making it easy to focus on the incredible art and history inside. Highly recommend!
Dutch Art at Its Finest
The Rijksmuseum is an absolute gem in the heart of Amsterdam equal parts art gallery, time machine, and national treasure. From Rembrandt’s breathtaking Night Watch to Vermeer’s delicate Milkmaid, every room is packed with masterpieces that tell the story of the Netherlands’ rich artistic and cultural history. The building itself is a work of art. Towering arches, intricate ceilings, and wide-open galleries give each exhibit the space to shine. Walking through the museum feels like being swept through centuries from medieval armor to 20th-century modern design. The layout is intuitive, and the app helps guide you to key highlights if you’re short on time. One of the best surprises? The detailed exhibits beyond paintings furniture, fashion, Delftware, ship models, and more each beautifully displayed and offering insight into everyday Dutch life across time. The library room alone is worth a stop it’s a quiet, cathedral-like space for book lovers and historians. This museum is massive, so wear comfortable shoes and take your time. A café and gift shop near the exit round off the visit nicely, giving you a chance to unwind and pick up a little art-inspired souvenir.
A must-visit in Amsterdam — incredible art collection
The Rijksmuseum is definitely worth visiting. It has an impressive and extensive collection of art, and we truly enjoyed exploring it. Highly recommended for anyone interested in history, culture, or classic art. The entry process was super fast — we were inside within a minute, which made the experience even smoother. The only downside was the restaurant, which is extremely overpriced. Unless you’re prepared to pay a lot for a simple meal, it might be better to eat elsewhere. Overall, a fantastic cultural experience and a must-see if you’re traveling to Amsterdam.
Amazing and well organized collection
Great organization of the museum makes for a great day exploring the exhibits. We took a snack break in the cafe so we could have time to see everything. Go early in the day to make sure you get a (free) locker
Don’t miss this one!
Very beautiful and well organized National Gallery. This is a must visit when in Amsterdam. Here you will see classics from the masters as well as a stunning collection of art and historical pieces.
Great Museum; Lovely Guided Tour
We signed up for the hour guided tour in English. Our tour guide, Harpert, was great. He kept the tour moving and gave us background information on the museum, it's renovations, and selected art pieces, including The Night Watch. Harpert was a gem; we would sign up for any tour that he was giving. In addition to the pieces highlighted during the tour, we enjoyed exploring the entire collection on our own.
Allow enough time
A great museum full of many different things to see an appreciate. The pictures are of course beautifully presented and well known, but dont miss looking for the Dolls house for example which is amazing.
A lovely museum
A well presented museum. A little confusing at times when trying to find certain numbers on walls for exhibits though. Well ventilated and bright and interesting artifacts in English and Dutch. Lovely way to spend a couple of hours in the city. There are huge bathrooms and lockers etc so you can walk around with ease without all your bags and jackets etc.
Go for a Wander
A worthwhile experience as something to tick off the list when visiting Amsterdam. We aren’t particularly cultured when it comes to art, but we enjoyed a wander around and the building and grounds are beautiful.
Enjoyable Visit!
We really enjoyed our visit, although it is vast, it is sectioned into chronological periods. We did have trouble finding some pieces of art including the Van Gogh (maybe go to the Van Gogh Museum if we’re in Amsterdam again?!). We booked tickets on-line with timed entrance. We arrived early and enjoyed a lovely lunch at the Cafe Cobra behind the Rijkmuseum in Museumplein.
Stunning and huge!
Stunning artwork. VERY well displayed and grouped. While Rembrandt's Night Watch was under renovations, the information about the reno was facinating. We did the self-guided tour and the devices worked perfectly. It is best to pick the artists or periods you wish to visit and focus on those. This museum is HUGE and would take a couple days to really see it all. So incredible to see some of the greatest works in history.
Lots to See.
The museum is huge and can be overwhelming. As I get older and weaker, I find it harder to get through an entire museum comfortably. I've held true to the belief that it's okay to whizz by a gallery or rooms that don't hold your interest, but with added pain, it makes sticking around even tougher. That being said, there are a lot of elevators that, in my experience, were only used by those that actually needed it, and not the lazy entitled tourist. There are many benches throughout the galleries as well. People using said benches to watch reels at full volume. We've failed as a species. Violent fantasies increase. By coincidence, the special exhibit was on "American Photography" and there's nothing wrong with a little Robert Frank when you're museum hopping. The special exhibit might be a little hard to find, and it's a bit like a mouse in a maze trying to find its cheese to get there. Staff is friendly and helpful. You have to buy tickets before entering. There's a nondescript dude standing somewhere random you can buy a ticket from. There's a huge fascist style banner with a QR code you can do it on your phone. You can do it online ahead of time, but then you're restricted to the entry time you chose, though they may not be strict about it, depending on crowd volume. Spent about two hours there and barely saw what they have. Must visit, when in Ams.
Great visit with guide
Best to pay the extra for a guided tour. Enjoyed the art work so much more with background information. Would like to visit again.
