Europe Netherlands Amsterdam How to Buy Tickets to the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam

How to Buy Tickets to the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam

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There’s no question that Amsterdam is a destination with something for everyone. You’ll find countless beautiful spots along the city’s canals, and there’s plenty of food and fun to be had, too. Amsterdam, however, is also an important capital of culture, thanks to major institutions like the Van Gogh Museum.

Visiting the Van Gogh Museum offers tourists the opportunity to see the world’s largest collection of artwork by famed artist Vincent Van Gogh and learn as well about his troubled life.

Because the museum is such a great place to spend time and one of the best things to do in Amsterdam, it couldn’t be more important that you properly plan your visit. This guide will show you how to buy tickets for the Van Gogh Museum, explain why skip-the-line tickets for the Van Gogh Museum are no longer essential, and provide other useful information.

Quick Answer – How to Buy Tickets to the Van Gogh Museum: Unless you like spending your vacation waiting in long lines, we highly recommended you purchase your skip-the-line Van Gogh Museum tickets in advance here.

Best Ways to Get Tickets to the Van Gogh Museum

Even though the Van Gogh Museum is such a popular place to visit, there are only a couple of ways to buy tickets. That may make it seem like getting tickets is easy, but each option has its own advantages and disadvantages. Below we’ll take you through where to buy tickets for the Van Gogh Museum and why some options aren’t as good as you might think.

1. Line Up in Person (Not Possible)

It is no longer possible to buy tickets to the Van Gogh Museum in person when you arrive at the museum. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the museum removed the option to buy tickets on-site and changed to a scheduled ticketing system to better manage the number of visitors. Even if it were still possible to get Van Gogh Museum tickets at the door, we wouldn’t recommend it; after all, standing in line is never a good use of vacation time.

2. Book Online (Recommended)

Booking tickets to the Van Gogh Museum online is the only way to get them. Since this is one of Amsterdam’s most visited attractions, tickets for whole days can sell out. Therefore, it’s very important to book your tickets as early as possible.

The good news is that booking tickets online is a quick process. Moreover, because tickets are all scheduled, there’s no need for skip-the-line Van Gogh Museum tickets.

Tickets can be purchased through the official website for the Van Gogh Museum. However, these tickets are nonrefundable, and you’re only able to change the date and time of your visit up to 48 hours before visiting.

That’s why we recommend booking through this link. These tickets can be canceled up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. Given that you should book tickets well in advance of your visit and plans can change, this approach offers some peace of mind at only a slightly higher price.

3. Book a Guided Tour

A great way to learn more about Vincent Van Gogh and the incredible collection at the museum is to take a guided tour of the Van Gogh Museum. Although each of the exhibitions comes with its own information, touring the Van Gogh Museum with a live tour guide allows you to ask questions and learn more about what interests you.

We recommend booking this guided tour of the museum. Be aware that it does not include entry to the museum, so you’ll need to book your tickets separately.

4. Book a Ticket Bundle

Tourists planning on doing lots of sightseeing in Amsterdam should look into buying a bundle ticket to multiple attractions. For people planning on going to the Van Gogh Museum, we suggest considering this bundle ticket, as it combines entry to the museum with another popular Amsterdam activity: going on a canal cruise through the city. With this bundle ticket, you select your desired entry time for the Van Gogh Museum and then have your choice of cruise times for later in the day.

Man looking at Van Gogh self-portrait in Amsterdam, Netherlands
Jaroslav Moravcik / shutterstock.com

Useful Information for Visiting the Van Gogh Museum

What’s the Best Time to Visit the Van Gogh Museum?

If you’re looking to time your visit for when the museum is at its quietest, there are definitely some times that are best avoided. Even though there are limited numbers of tickets sold for each scheduled time slot, there’s no limit to how long you can spend at the museum, which means crowds can form at peak times.

The best times to visit the museum are weekdays from Monday to Thursday, either first thing in the morning before 10:30 or later in the day after 16:00. As for when during the year to go, you’ll find the museum much quieter outside the tourist high season from April through August.

Van Gogh Museum Hours of Operation

The Van Gogh Museum is open every day of the week. Opening hours for the museum are different for peak tourist season and low season. During the months of July and August, the museum is open daily from 9:00 to 18:00. The rest of the year, it’s open from 9:00 to 17:00 Monday to Thursday and from 9:00 to 18:00 on Fridays and the weekend.

How to Get to the Van Gogh Museum

Tourists in Amsterdam will be pleased to learn that the Van Gogh Museum is an easy attraction to build into their Amsterdam itinerary. That’s because the museum is located in the city’s Museum Quarter among other popular attractions, including the Rijksmuseum and the Vondelpark, from which you can easily walk. However, if you’re coming from elsewhere in the city, then public transport is going to be the best way to get there.

The exact route to reach the museum will depend on where you’re coming from in the city, but your options are either tram, bus, or metro. The tram is probably the easiest choice, as you can take any of the 2, 5, and 12 trams to the Museumplein stop directly outside the museum. The 347, 357, and 397 buses also run to the Museumplein stop. Finally, you can take the metro to the Vijzelgracht station, but it’s then a further 10-minute walk to the museum.

How Do Van Gogh Museum Tickets Work?

Tourists will be pleased to hear that tickets to the Van Gogh Museum are nice and straightforward, meaning there won’t be any confusion about what’s included or how to use them.

There is just one type of Van Gogh Museum ticket, which includes access to the museum’s permanent and temporary exhibitions. When selecting a ticket, you’ll need to pick an entry time from the available scheduled 15-minute time slots. Upon completing your booking, you’ll receive your ticket by email, which can be presented at the entrance either printed out or on your smartphone.

How Much Do Tickets for the Van Gogh Museum Cost?

The cost of tickets to the Van Gogh Museum really just depends on how old you are. Van Gogh Museum tickets cost €19 currently, with the price to be raised to €20 from October 7, 2022. Tickets for students, which are only available on weekdays, cost €10 with proof of ID, while children under age 18 enter free.

Best Hotels for the Van Gogh Museum

Travelers won’t have any trouble finding places to stay in Amsterdam, with accommodation options located across the city. While the Museum Quarter may not be as central as the Binnenstad neighborhood, it’s still a great area for sightseeing and has good public transport connections to other parts of the city. Here are a few suggestions of places to stay in the area to save you time.

The Conservatorium Hotel is perfect if you want to treat yourself. This stunningly modern five-star hotel is just across the street from the museum and has everything you could imagine in a luxury hotel, from a huge wellness center and indoor swimming pool to two restaurants and a bar.

For the trifecta of comfort, value, and location, you can’t beat Hotel Aalders. This three-star hotel just one street over from the museum is full of traditional character and features a bar should you need a drink at the end of the day. We also suggest looking at Airbnbs in Amsterdam for some great midrange options.

Stayokay Hostel Amsterdam Vondelpark is the most convenient budget option in the Museum Quarter area. It offers dorms and private rooms decorated in fresh, colorful designs, plus bike rentals and on-site brasserie. For more hostel ideas, check out our guide to Amsterdam’s best hostels.

Ongoing Exhibitions at the Van Gogh Museum

The Van Gogh Museum frequently holds events and temporary exhibitions throughout the year. It’s wise to check the museum’s calendar of events to see when they may be taking place, as this may influence your decision of when to go. All temporary exhibitions at the Van Gogh Museum are included in your ticket for general admission.

Current and future ongoing exhibitions at the museum include:

  • Color as Language: May 20 to September 4, 2022
  • Why So Serious?: May 25 to September 11, 2022
  • Golden Boy Gustav Klimt: October 7, 2022, to January 8, 2023

Security Process at the Van Gogh Museum

Like with any museum, there are rules that visitors to the Van Gogh Museum will need to follow for an easygoing experience. It’s best to become acquainted with these rules and the museum’s security process before going so you know what to expect when you arrive.

Large bags and luggage are not permitted inside the museum and are best stored at your hotel or in one of the luggage storage facilities in the Museum Quarter. However, small bags and backpacks can be stored in lockers at the Van Gogh Museum, and umbrellas and coats can be left in the cloakroom. Food and drink are not permitted inside the museum.

Photography for personal use and without the use of a tripod or flash is only allowed in the clearly marked spaces in the museum. Filming and photography for professional reasons require permission.

Visiting the Van Gogh Museum With a Disability

The museum has put a host of measures in place to assist visitors with disabilities and accessibility needs. Besides adding features around the facility to ensure its exhibits are accessible, visitors with disabilities are also able to bring a companion with them for free.

Wheelchairs, wheeled walkers, and mobility scooters can be used inside the museum. Wheelchairs are available for loan but must be booked in advance. There are elevators providing access to each floor of the museum.

Visitors with visual impairments may find the lighting low in the exhibitions. To assist their visit, the museum provides tactile floor plans of the building, and guide dogs are permitted when wearing a suitable harness. There is also the Feeling Van Gogh interactive programme designed for visitors with partial or full sight loss.

The Van Gogh Museum offers private guided tours in international sign language, and visitors with hearing impairments may bring a sign language interpreter as their free companion.

FAQ – Facts About the Van Gogh Museum

What Is the Van Gogh Museum?

The Van Gogh Museum is an art museum in Amsterdam dedicated to the artwork of Vincent Van Gogh. It features the largest collection of his paintings and drawings in the world.

When Did the Van Gogh Museum Open?

The Van Gogh Museum opened to the public on June 2, 1973. 

Who Built the Van Gogh Museum?

The Rietveld Building of the museum was designed by architect Gerrit Rietveld, and the Kurokawa Wing was designed by architect Kisho Kurokawa.

Why Was the Van Gogh Museum Built?

The Dutch government decided to create the Van Gogh Museum to house the large collection of artwork that had previously been on loan to the Stedelijk Museum, also in Amsterdam.

Where Is the Van Gogh Museum Located?

The Van Gogh Museum is located in the Museum Quarter neighborhood of Amsterdam Oud-Zuid in the city of Amsterdam.

You shouldn’t have any questions left about getting tickets to the Van Gogh Museum now that you have all this information at hand. Planning your visit to this world-class art museum should be a cinch, and we think you’re bound to have a great time.

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