Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Golden Age great. He painted with broad brushstrokes and a unique fluidity.
The Merry
Drinker
(1628-30) shows his style in action.
Delftware & Dollhouses
Delftware was the Dutch attempt to reproduce Chinese porcelain in the late 1600s. The
museum displays scads of the delicate blue-and-white pottery, often painted with images
of royalty. And while it may sound odd, seek out the dollhouses. Merchant's wife Petron-
ella Oortman employed carpenters, glassblowers and silversmiths to make the 700 items
inside, using the same materials as they would for full-scale versions.
Facade & Gardens
Pierre Cuypers designed the Rijksmuseum, which was completed in 1885. He planned
Centraal Station four years later. Both buildings mix neo-Gothic and Dutch Renaissance
styles. Don't forget to stroll the free gardens around the exterior, where sculptures and ar-
chitectural fragments pop up amid the hedges.
Top Tips
›
Entrance queues can be long. Try waiting until after 3pm.
›
Prebook tickets online or at any tourist information office, and you'll get fast-track entry. At press time there
was no surcharge for advance tickets, though this might change.
›
The museum has a free mini-outpost at Schiphol Airport. It's located after passport control between E and F Pi-
ers, and is open from 7am to 8pm.
Take a Break
The arty
Cobra Café
( 470 01 11;
www.cobracafe.nl;
Hobbemastraat 18; mains €7-13; lunch & dinner;
2/5 Hobbemastraat) on the Museumplein is touristy, but the 'Karel Appel Taart' sure hits the spot. Snack
vendors line the sidewalk between the Rijks and Van Gogh museums, serving sandwiches, pancakes, ice cream
and drinks you can take to their outdoor tables.
