Amsterdam · Museumplein · Book ahead

Van Gogh Museum: Sunflowers, Almond Blossom and the World's Largest Van Gogh Collection

The museum holds the world's biggest collection of works by Vincent van Gogh — around 200 paintings, 500 drawings and hundreds of his letters — told chronologically from the dark early years to the blazing masterpieces of his final months.

By the AllTrips Editorial Team ·

The round main building of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam under a blue sky
The Van Gogh Museum's main building on Museumplein, designed by Gerrit Rietveld.

Van Gogh Museum at a glance

Area: Museumplein, Amsterdam-Zuid — Museumplein 6, right behind the Rijksmuseum. Allow: about 2 hours. Entry: timed tickets sold online only, no door sales. Nearby: the Rijksmuseum and Stedelijk Museum on the same square, Vondelpark a five-minute walk away.

What to see

The collection is arranged as one walk through Van Gogh's life, floor by floor. The works to look for:

  • Sunflowers — the yellow still life he painted in Arles in 1888–89 to decorate the house he hoped Gauguin would share. It is the museum's signature image.
  • Almond Blossom — the joyful blue-and-white canvas he painted as a gift for his newborn nephew, and one of the most reproduced paintings in the Netherlands.
  • The Bedroom — Van Gogh's painting of his own room in Arles; the museum holds several versions of the composition.
  • The self-portraits — including the one painted after the episode with the razor and his bandaged ear.
  • The final works — Wheatfield with Crows and other canvases from his last weeks in Auvers-sur-Oise in 1890.
  • The letters — extracts from Vincent's correspondence with his brother Theo run through the galleries and give the paintings their context; many visitors find them the most moving part.
Van Gogh's painting Daubigny's Garden in a gilded frame on the wall of the Van Gogh Museum, with its label beside it
Daubigny's Garden (1890) as it hangs in the museum — painted in Van Gogh's last weeks, in the garden of the artist Charles-François Daubigny in Auvers.

The building and its entrance

The round main building opened in 1973 to a design by Gerrit Rietveld, the De Stijl architect behind the Rietveld Schröder House. The curved exhibition wing that grew out of it (1999) was designed by Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa, and the glass entrance hall facing Museumplein was added in 2015. The glass front with the museum's name is now the most photographed angle — and the spot where the queue for time slots forms.

Visitors on the staircases of the Van Gogh Museum's central atrium seen from above
The central atrium — each floor takes you further through Van Gogh's life, from the dark early works to the final months.

Tickets and how to book

The museum uses timed-entry tickets sold online only — you cannot buy a standard ticket at the door. In high season, weekends and school holidays, the best time slots sell out days or even weeks ahead, so book as soon as your dates are fixed. Under-18s enter free but still need a spot. Confirm current prices, hours and temporary exhibitions on the official site before your visit.

Official site

Van Gogh Museum — official website

Current prices, opening hours, time-slot availability and the museum's own online ticketing.

Visit vangoghmuseum.nl

Book ahead · affiliate link

Van Gogh Museum tickets on Tiqets

Reserve your time slot in advance — the museum sells timed tickets online only, and popular slots disappear fast in high season. Handy if you want a mobile ticket without creating a museum account.

Check tickets on Tiqets

The Tiqets link is an affiliate link: AllTrips may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Getting there

The museum is at Museumplein 6, Amsterdam-Zuid, a two-minute walk behind the Rijksmuseum. Trams stop at Museumplein and Van Baerlestraat; from Centraal Station it takes roughly 25–30 minutes by tram or a 40-minute walk through the canal ring. Combine it with the Rijksmuseum next door — book both time slots for the same day, with lunch in between.

The glass entrance building of the Van Gogh Museum with trees in front
The 2015 glass entrance building facing Museumplein — the museum's main access and the best-known exterior view.

What is nearby?

The Rijksmuseum and the Stedelijk Museum are on the same square, the Moco Museum and Vondelpark are a few minutes away, and the Concertgebouw sits behind the square. See how they group together on our Amsterdam attractions map.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Van Gogh Museum worth visiting?

Yes — it holds the world's largest collection of works by Vincent van Gogh, so you can follow his whole story in one visit: the dark early peasant scenes, the bright Paris years, Sunflowers, The Bedroom and the paintings from his final weeks. Even visitors who don't usually like museums rate it highly. Allow about two hours.

Can you buy Van Gogh Museum tickets at the door?

No. The museum sells timed-entry tickets online only — there is no ticket desk sale for walk-ups. Book ahead, especially in high season, weekends and school holidays, when popular time slots sell out days in advance.

How much does the Van Gogh Museum cost?

Entry is ticketed, and visitors under 18 enter free. Prices change, so check the museum's official website or the Tiqets listing for the current adult rate before you book.

How long does the Van Gogh Museum take?

A focused visit of the permanent collection takes about 2 hours; art lovers who add the temporary exhibition can easily spend half a day. The museum is spread over several floors, with the story told roughly chronologically.

What should I see at the Van Gogh Museum?

The essentials are Sunflowers, Almond Blossom, The Bedroom, the self-portraits (including the one with the bandaged ear) and Wheatfield with Crows from his last weeks in Auvers. The letters from Vincent to his brother Theo, shown throughout, add the context that makes the collection so personal.

Sources

Reviewed October 2026. Confirm current prices, hours and exhibition dates on the official site before visiting.