Van Gogh Museum Tips: Planning Guide for First-Time Visitors
Want to make the most of your Van Gogh Museum visit? These tips come from someone who’s been there regularly for years. The museum can sell out weeks ahead and gets packed during the day, but smart planning makes all the difference. Follow the strategies below to have an incredible time with the world’s largest Van Gogh collection.
I’ve been visiting this museum regularly for years, most recently in 2025. After watching so many first-time visitors make the same mistakes, I decided to write this article. These tips will help you avoid the common pitfalls and have a memorable visit instead of a rushed, frustrating one.
The Van Gogh Museum displays 200 Van Gogh paintings and 500 drawings—the world’s largest collection. For many travelers, seeing these masterpieces becomes the highlight of their Amsterdam visit.
Table of Contents
Here are my 13 Best Van Gogh Museum Tips:
Tip 1: Book Tickets Immediately
Van Gogh Museum tickets sell out weeks in advance with no walk-up sales available. On busy days, you’ll see a sign at the entrance: “All tickets are sold out for today.” Avoid that disappointment by booking ahead. Sometimes a few slots open on short notice, so check the availability calendar below and book immediately if you see an opening.
PS: Before you book consider booking a small group Van Gogh Museum guided tour instead for a deeper experience. And in case regular tickets are sold out, these tours include entry and a time slot, so it’s another possibility to get in, even if the museum looks sold out.
👨🎨 Best Small Group Van Gogh Museum Tour
Art Historian-Led Tour (Max 6 People)
Real art historians share Van Gogh’s stories you’d never discover alone. Price includes entry ticket and 4.9-star rating from travelers.
Join This Tour
Tip 2: Use a Trusted Booking Platform
I recommend booking through a official ticket partner rather than directly with the museum. These platforms offer much more flexible cancellation policies—you can cancel up to 24 hours before your visit for a full refund. The museum’s direct booking has much stricter terms. The tickets are identical, but you get better protection if your travel plans change. I recommend booking your Van Gogh Museum ticket here.
Tip 3: Choose Your Time Wisely
Pick the earliest slot possible—ideally 9 AM. If not available, grab anything before 10 AM. You can arrive 30 minutes early, so a 10:15 booking gets you in at 9:45.
Afternoon alternative: Book the last 3 hours before the museum closes, when tour groups leave and crowds thin. But honestly the best time is 9 AM, nothing beats that timeslot!
Avoid 11 AM-3 PM at all costs. That’s peak chaos time. Think rows of people in front of the Sunflowers. It’s just not fun.
Tip 4: Plan Your Duration Right
- Minimum: 2 hours for highlights (but it will feel rushed)
- Recommended: I recommend 3-4 hours for a relaxed visit
- Average visitor: 75 minutes (way too rushed)- you recognize them instantly, they almost run
Don’t shortchange yourself. This isn’t a checkbox visit. You’ve traveled a long way to come and see it.
Tip 5: Don’t Visit Two Major Museums the Same Day
Never combine the Van Gogh Museum with the Rijksmuseum on the same day. Both are massive museums that demand your full attention. You’ll end up tired, cranky, and won’t enjoy either properly.
More importantly, both need early morning time slots to avoid crowds. Seeing Vermeer’s paintings or the Night Watch in peaceful galleries transforms the entire experience at the Rijksmuseum too.
Tip 6: Travel Light Through Security
Don’t bring luggage—it’s prohibited for security reasons. All bags must go in lockers, and purses get thoroughly inspected at every checkpoint. Female visitors should consider leaving purses in the lockers too. Just carry your phone and a payment card.
This prevents multiple security stops as you move between floors and I promise you it will make your visit much smoother (same advice for a small backpack).
Tip 7: Bring Water
The van Gogh museum cafes are expensive and mediocre, they’re not my favorite. Bring water and store it in the lockers, you can always get back to your locker mid visit to drink some water.
Tip 8: Wear Comfortable Gear (Honestly!)
Wear comfortable walking shoes and dress in layers—climate control varies throughout the building to protect the artwork. —you’ll be standing a lot, often shifting your weight while studying paintings. Standing get tiring quickly, and goed shoes make a world of difference.
Tip 9: Get The Audio Guide
The audio guide is a great way to learn more about paintings, get it from the information desk for a nominal fee. It always brings a painting more to life. You start to see things you might otherwise not see. Or just hearing the circumstances under which Vincent painted makes something even more incredible.
Tip 10: Respect The Museums Rules
Don’t get too close to paintings—security will quickly remind you. Avoid this at all costs because they’re strict here for good reason since these works are irreplaceable and some visitors get overly excited. Once they’ve warned you, they’ll watch you like a hawk for the rest of your visit, which makes for an uncomfortable experience. Better safe than sorry!
Flash photography is prohibited, but regular photos are usually allowed if you’re respectful. Follow any specific instructions staff give you. Keep noise levels down too—no phone calls, and definitely not on speaker. With thousands of daily visitors, quiet appreciation helps everyone enjoy the experience.
Tip 11: Do Not Follow the Chronological Route
If you have a early entry slot; start on the third floor and work your way down, opposite of the chronological route everyone else follows. If you arrive early, you’ll have Van Gogh’s most famous masterpieces practically to yourself while crowds gather on the first floor.
Third Floor: His final masterpieces, including “Almond Blossom” (painted for his nephew) and “Tree Roots”—his very last painting. Start here when it’s empty.
Second Floor: His transformation in France comes alive here. The brilliant “Sunflowers,” famous “Bedroom in Arles,” and works showing his developing style. Or start here if the sunflowers is the painting you came for!
Ground Floor: Van Gogh’s dark early works from his Netherlands period, including “The Potato Eaters”—the first painting he felt proud of. Save this for last.
The museum’s chronological layout tells Van Gogh’s story beautifully, but you don’t have to follow it.
One more tip: spend time upstairs (at the end of your visit) with his letters to his brother Theo that reveal his thoughts and struggles.
You can download a floor plan from the Museum’s website here.
Tip 12: Research Online Before You Go
The museum has excellent digital resources available, making it easy to research before your visit, including their virtual tour on the website and their YouTube channel. These resources can help make your visit fun and provide additional background information.
Tip 13: Check for Special Exhibits and Events
The Van Gogh hosts rotating exhibits and special events throughout the year. Check the calendar before your visit to see if you can visit one that interests you. Here is a spectacular YouTube video of the exhibition Auvers – His Last Days.
Great Van Gogh Products For Your Home
Current Van Gogh Museum Prices and Passes
Standard admission runs €24-27 depending on your booking source. This trusted vendor for Van Gogh Museum tickets gives you better cancellation options than the museum offers directly.
Important: The I Amsterdam Card no longer includes Van Gogh Museum access. Websites claiming otherwise are outdated. The only pass that works is the Dutch Museumkaart, which requires a Dutch address and local bankaccount.
The I Amsterdam Card is a great choice for other attractions and public transportation so if that sounds interesting to you, buy this combination ticket that include both your Van Gogh Museum ticket and the I Amsterdam Pass.
Book a Guide for a Much Deeper Understanding
An art historian guide makes a huge difference at the Van Gogh Museum. You’ll hear stories behind the paintings that you’d never discover on your own.
If it is within your budget, I recommend this small-group Van Gogh Museum tour over a single entry ticket. Real art historians lead these tours, and they are great storytellers too, limiting groups to 6 people. The 1.5-hour tour includes your entry ticket, and you can stay afterward as long as you want.
Other travelers rate it 4.9 out of 5 stars, saying the guide transformed their visit into storytelling.
Smart tip: If Van Gogh Museum tickets are sold out, guided tours like includes entry with reserved slots, meaning even if regular tickets are sold, you might still be able to get in!
👨🎨 Best Small Group Van Gogh Museum Tour
Art Historian-Led Tour (Max 6 People)
Real art historians share Van Gogh’s stories you’d never discover alone. Price includes entry ticket and 4.9-star rating from travelers.
Join This Tour
With Children
The museum welcomes families with special audio tours for ages 6-12 and free treasure hunts from the information desk. There are also Saturday workshops which keep kids engaged while teaching them art appreciation at the same time.
Missing Starry Night?
One of Van Gogh’s most famous painting, is not part of the Amsterdam collection, it lives permanently at New York’s MoMA (tickets). Closer to Amsterdam you can see “Starry Night Over the Rhône” at Paris’s Musée d’Orsay (tickets) instead.
⤷ Read my post: How To Get From Amsterdam To Paris
After Your Visit
The museum shops stocks quality Van Gogh-inspired items—worth browsing even if you’re not usually a souvenir buyer. There are three big stores inside, including one dedicated to art books only.
Once you leave you can visit Museum Square’s other world-class institutions like the Stedelijk (modern art), and MOCO (contemporary). The nearby underground Albert Heijn supermarket offers snacks at normal prices.
The Rijksmuseum (Dutch masters) is also part of Museum Square, but as I mentioned early I do not recommend a same-day visit.
Why Amsterdam Has the World’s Largest Van Gogh Collection
Vincent created over 2,000 pieces, of art including 900 paintings in just 10 years. Most went to his brother Theo, then Theo’s widow Jo van Gogh-Bonger. Her smart choices made Amsterdam the center of the Van Gogh world (her story is an excellent book). Without her planning, he might have never even been discovered.
The museum opened in 1973 in a building designed by Dutch architect Gerrit Rietveld. The modern wing, added in 1999, hosts temporary exhibitions that often match the permanent collection in quality.
Frequently Asked Questions Van Gogh Museum Tips
Van Gogh Museum or Rijksmuseum?
Both museums are excellent, but choose based on your interests. Visit both if possible, but never on the same day. Choose Van Gogh Museum if you love colorful art and want to understand his fascinating life story. This museum focuses entirely on Van Gogh’s work and personal journey. Choose Rijksmuseum if you prefer variety—Rembrandt, Vermeer, historical artifacts, even a real airplane. It’s the Netherlands’ largest art museum with something for everyone.
How Long Does The Van Gogh Museum Take?
I recommend 3-4 hours to see the museum properly. Two hours is a the absolute minimum for highlights if you’re pressed for time. Those “75-minute visit” recommendations you see elsewhere are way too rushed—they’re designed to sell more tickets, not to give you a good experience. Better to do fewer things well than rush through everything.
Is The Van Gogh Museum Worth It?
Absolutely! Whether you’re an art lover or just curious, this museum delivers. Van Gogh’s bright, colorful paintings lift your mood, and seeing them up close is powerful. For Van Gogh fans, this is the ultimate destination—nowhere else has so many authentic works in one place, including his final painting. The museum tells his complete story beautifully, letting you go as deep as you want.
What is the best time to visit the Van Gogh Museum?
The best time to visit the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam is early morning. Period. Book a 9 AM slot, or as close as possible, but no later than 10 AM. Late afternoon is your second choice if early isn’t available. Weekdays are less busy than weekends, and weekends offer unique Amsterdam experiences you can not do on weekdays, like the Saturday Noordermarkt. So do your museum visit on weekdays, if possible.
Can I bring my kids to the Van Gogh Museum?
Yes, the Van Gogh Museum is very kid-friendly. The museum offers all kinds of activities. For example, free treasure hunts for toddlers and 6-12-year-olds, checklists for older kids, and even kids workshops (Saturdays only). This helps keep the little ones engaged, while it will also help develop an interest in art.
Final Thoughts
The Van Gogh Museum offers something no other place can: the chance to trace a genius’s complete artistic journey in one afternoon, except maybe for the Kröller Müller museum in Otterlo, who owns the 2nd largest Van Gogh collection in the work.
Book early, arrive prepared, and give yourself time.
Next Steps
- Book your timed entry ticket now (when you want to visit on your own)
- Consider a guided Van Gogh Museum tour for deeper insights
- Plan one other Museum Square attractions for the same day (but not the Rijks)
Read more:
- Van Gogh in the Netherlands (learn more about his life and important locations)
- Kröller-Müller Museum in Otterlo (2nd largest Van Gogh Collection)
- My favorite paintings at the Rijksmuseum (where Vincent van Gogh went himself)
Last update on 2025-10-09 at 09:38 - Products, Prices, and Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Ger! Your posts are chock-full of really important information, and cleverly written too. Today, my traveling companion (who lives in another city) and I used your website/ links to book our GVB cards, and timed entries for Van Gogh and the Rijksmuseum. We look forward to trying the cafe at the Public Library too. If you’re there, we’ll buy you lunch or a coffee at least!
That makes me so happy to read. And smart booking the timed entries, especially the Van Gogh sells out days, often weeks in advance. I can not stretch that enough. So many people get dissapointed. I’m glad you get a change to explore these two museums and the rest of Amsterdam. Sent me a private message or email with your travel dates and lets see if we can make a coffee or lunch happen!