The Van Gogh Museum

The Van Gogh Museum holds the largest collection of the work of Vincent van Gogh in the world, tracing the short, turbulent life of the Dutch master from his dark early peasants to the blazing colour of his final years. Sunflowers, self-portraits, the almond blossom and the wheatfields hang alongside his letters, telling the story of a troubled genius who sold almost nothing in his lifetime.

History

After Vincent's death in 1890 his unsold work passed to his brother Theo and, six months later, to Theo's widow Johanna van Gogh-Bonger, whose exhibitions did much for his fame; in 1962 the collection went to the state-initiated Vincent van Gogh Foundation. The government asked Gerrit Rietveld to design the museum in 1963, and it opened on 2 June 1973, with an exhibition wing by Kisho Kurokawa added in 1998-1999 (Wikipedia, Van Gogh Museum).

What's there

• The Sunflowers - one of the famous versions of the iconic painting.
• The self-portraits - the series charting the artist himself.
• The late landscapes - the blazing wheatfields and blossom of his final years.
• The letters - the correspondence telling his story.

When to go

Year-round; a fully indoor museum. Tickets are timed and sold online, so book ahead and choose an early or late slot to avoid the busiest hours; walk-up is not possible.

What to expect

Tickets are timed and online-only, so book ahead; there is no walk-up. It is extremely popular, so even with timed entry the galleries are busy. It is focused on one artist, so appeal depends on your love of Van Gogh, though his story is gripping.

Nearby

The Rijksmuseum is next door on Museum Square; the canals and the Vondelpark are close.

Key facts