Van Gogh Museum Tours and Tickets

There are plenty of ways to experience the Van Gogh Museum. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:

• Small Group Guided Bike Tour of Amsterdam's Hidden Gems

• Van Gogh Museum Amsterdam Exclusive Tour w/ Reserved Entry

• Van Gogh Museum Tour Reserved Entry Semi-Private

• Amsterdam Highlights Bike or E-Bike Tour

• Bike Rental in Amsterdam

Tickets for the Van Gogh Museum cost €25 for standard admission or €15 for students: under-18s go free. Guided tours start at around US$100 per person, including tickets, or you can book a private guide from around US$240 per tour. Tours that visit both the Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum cost from roughly US$290.

Yes, the Van Gogh Museum is well worth visiting—it's a place of pilgrimage for art lovers from around the globe. It's home to more than 1,500 works by the iconic impressionist, among them masterpieces such as Sunflowers,Irises, and Self-Portrait as a Painter—as well as informative displays on Van Gogh's life and technique. To enhance your experience, consider a private guide who can bring the artist's talent and tragedy into full perspective and help you navigate the vast collection.

Per one customer who booked the Van Gogh Museum Amsterdam Exclusive Tour w/ Reserved Entry, "Ewald was an extremely knowledgeable guide, and his passion for Van Gogh and his artworks shone through. He made sure to visit the artwork in a dramatic sequence that unfolded the story of the artist's life while also spacing out the highlights to maintain our interest. Ewald gave us sufficient background into Van Gogh's life with anecdotes and details that were delivered factually, and without lurid sensationalism. His respect for the artist and his work was clear to us all. He also checked in with us frequently to make sure our energy was not flagging, and asking about our physical needs. Since we were an unusually interested and studious group, he remained for an extra hour, at least, showing and discussing further artworks with us."

Yes, you need tickets for the Van Gogh Museum, but you can’t buy tickets at the museum on the day—you need to reserve your time slot entrance ticket online in advance, even if you have a Museumkaart or similar museum pass. Entrance to temporary exhibitions is included with your booked ticket.

Plan to spend between 1.5–2.5 hours at the Van Gogh Museum. You can take in the permanent collection in just over an hour, but there are often temporary exhibitions to enjoy (which are included with your admission ticket), as well as a café, shop, and bookstore.

Entry to the Van Gogh Museum is by timed admission ticket only (which you can only book online), but you might still have to queue. Expect wait times of about 15 minutes with prebooked tickets, though this can go up to 30 minutes at busy times such as summer weekends.

No, there’s no specific dress code for the Van Gogh Museum, and face masks are no longer compulsory. However, as with most public buildings throughout Amsterdam, you won’t be allowed to enter shirtless or without footwear. You also won’t be able to bring rucksacks and other luggage into the museum.

On average, it takes 75 minutes to explore the permanent collection at the Van Gogh Museum, which is spread over two floors. You could easily take in the highlights in an hour, but it’s best to allow two hours to cover the temporary exhibitions, gift shop, and café.

At the Van Gogh Museum, you shouldn’t miss iconic paintings such as Sunflowers, The Potato Eaters, Bedroom in Arles, Wheatfield with Crows, and The Yellow House. Alongside these highlights, don’t miss the collection of 35 Van Gogh self-portraits and the series of letters Van Gogh wrote to his brother and friends.

There are tons of fun things to do when you're done visiting the Van Gogh Museum. According to travelers, these are some of the top attractions in Amsterdam:

• Anne Frank House

• Herengracht

• Bloemenmarkt

• Rijksmuseum

• Amsterdam Canal Ring

View Viator's guide to all the best attractions in Amsterdam.