Your own expert guide, tickets included and no queue, on a fully private Rijksmuseum guided tour at your pace.
Enjoy a personalised 2-hour journey through Dutch art at the Rijksmuseum with a local expert guide. Discover works by Rembrandt, Vermeer and other Dutch Masters, and gain insight into the history and culture of the Dutch Golden Age.
Travel advisors are welcome to book this tour for their clients. Learn more
Always wanted to see the famous work of the Dutch Masters; Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Frans Hals? In this Private Rijksmuseum Tour, your guide provides a personal experience of the Netherlands most visited art museum. Exploring 800 years of Dutch history through art and artefacts.
Want a Rijksmuseum guided tour built entirely around you? On this private Rijksmuseum tour it is just you and your own expert guide, exploring 800 years of Dutch art at whatever pace suits you. Choose Highlights, In-Depth or Family, and we shape the visit around the works and stories you most want to see, from Rembrandt’s Night Watch to Vermeer’s Milkmaid.
Your guide meets you at the ATM outside Cobra Cafe on Hobbemastraat and takes you straight in, no queuing at the ticket desk. Inside, the tour moves at your pace, with time to linger and focus on what interests you most.
You will move through the Gallery of Honour to Rembrandt’s Night Watch, with stops at Vermeer’s Milkmaid, Dutch Golden Age portraits, the Delftware collection, and Pierre Cuypers’ architecture. The standard tour runs approximately 2 hours, after which you are welcome to explore at your own pace.
With a deep knowledge of the displayed art, the guide explains the stories behind the artists and their work in fluent English. Of course, what would a visit to the Rijksmuseum be without getting eye-to-eye with Rembrandt’s masterpiece, De Nachtwacht? Don’t worry, we will teach you how to pronounce it correctly!
The Gallery of Honour welcomes back Vermeers The Milkmaid, Woman Reading a Letter, The Love Letter and Little Street. This is your chance to see some of the Master of Light’s finest work. Rijksmuseum has the biggest collection of the work of Johannes Vermeer. His works showcase the evolution of Dutch painting styles and subjects, offering a deeper look at daily life and culture in 17th century Netherlands.
More than just a tour of Dutch masterpieces, in this tour you will learn more about how the art fits into the historical context of the Netherlands. Your guide takes you through the museum to provide the stories behind the paintings that go much deeper than the descriptions on the wall.
You’ll hear quirky stories about the artists, fun facts about their work, and how their work contributed to the Dutch cultural heritage. We will see the inside of a typical 17th century house, the beautiful library, famous white and blue pottery pieces, and even what naval battles looked like.
Not only the paintings are discussed during this tour. Your guide also draws attention to the Rijksmuseum building itself, an impressive Renaissance Revival design by Pierre Cuypers. After years of careful renovation, the museum reopened in 2013 and is widely considered a work of art in its own right.
Learn how the building’s layout, galleries and sightlines are designed to frame and enhance the collection. In true Amsterdam style, cyclists pass underneath the central passage, and if you are lucky, you may even hear a free classical concert as you enter the museum.
Pick the version that matches your interests: Highlights, In-Depth exploration, or Family-friendly storytelling. We tailor the pace, content and focus to your group.
Please let us know which version you would prefer to have when booking and we will arrange a tour to suit your request.
We also have a guided tour of the Van Gogh museum and if you are a real art lover we can combine both into a 4-hour tour.
Price Includes
Practical info
At the ATM, outside Cobra Cafe
Hobbemastraat 18, Amsterdam
Find out more about how we plan your private tour.
During the tour, your guide will focus on the highlights of the Rijksmuseum collection, including Rembrandt’s The Night Watch, Vermeer’s The Milkmaid and Woman Reading a Letter, works by Frans Hals, and other key pieces from Dutch art history. The exact selection is tailored to your interests, allowing time for both famous masterpieces and lesser-known works that add context to the Dutch Golden Age.
The standard tour lasts approximately 2 hours and includes a private guide who adapts the content and pace to your preferences. The focus is on quality rather than quantity, ensuring enough time to truly understand the art, the stories behind it, and the museum itself. Entrance tickets are included and after the tour you can stay until max 5pm in the Rijksmuseum.
In addition to the artworks, your guide will explain the history and architecture of the Rijksmuseum. You will learn about the Renaissance Revival building designed by Pierre Cuypers, its major renovation completed in 2013, and how the layout and galleries enhance the way the collection is experienced today.
Absolutely. The tour can be adjusted for families with children by focusing on storytelling, visual details, and age-appropriate explanations. Let us know the ages of the children in advance and we will adapt the tour accordingly.
The Rijksmuseum is wheelchair accessible, with lifts and accessible routes throughout the building. The pace of the tour can be adapted, and we are happy to discuss specific needs in advance to ensure a comfortable visit.
Yes. The tour can be extended for guests who want a deeper dive into the collection or combined with another museum, such as the Van Gogh Museum, or with a private walking tour or canal cruise on the same day. Also see our ‘ The Ultimate Day in Amsterdam tour‘ .
When you book this private Rijksmuseum tour with us, we take care of arranging the timed-entry tickets for you. This ensures a smooth visit without the need to book museum tickets separately.
Photography for personal use is allowed in most areas of the Rijksmuseum, without flash. Your guide will let you know where photography is permitted and where restrictions apply.
A private tour offers personal interaction, flexibility, and expert insight that audio guides and group tours cannot provide. You can ask questions freely, adjust the pace, and focus on the themes and artworks that interest you most, making the visit far more engaging and memorable.
With over 8,000 works on display, the Rijksmuseum can be overwhelming. A private guided tour means you skip the planning and the queue, and your guide takes you straight to the highlights like the Night Watch and Vermeer’s Milkmaid, with the stories behind them. You see more of what matters to you in less time.
Our private Rijksmuseum tour starts from €360 for a 2-hour private tour, including Rijksmuseum tickets and your own expert guide. Get in touch and we will tailor it to you, including combining it with the Van Gogh Museum.
Most visitors spend two to three hours. Our standard private tour runs around two hours covering the highlights, after which you are welcome to stay and explore at your own pace.
