Most people visit the Rijksmuseum the wrong way.
They spend three hours wandering through endless galleries, fighting their way through the crowds, eventually leaving with sore feet and a blurry photo of Vermeer’s “The Milkmaid” (and a few other paintings they didn’t quite ‘get’).
But what if you could do it differently?
Imagine standing in front of “The Night Watch” and realising it isn’t just a piece of canvas – it’s a coded message of rebellion, a love letter to Amsterdam, filled with numerous symbols we are still uncovering today.
If you’re looking for the best guided Rijksmuseum tour, you have to look beyond the surface. As a guide, I don’t just show you where the artworks are; I show you why they still matter.
What to expect during the best Rijksmuseum guided tour
When visiting on their own, many people walk right past a 19th-century traffic sign on the building’s facade or miss a hidden political message in Jan Asselijn’s “The Threatened Swan.”
A problem with huge museums like the Rijksmuseum is that they can be overwhelming. Your feet get tired after all the walking, and the labels become somewhat monotonous after a while. That’s why exploring the Rijksmuseum during the guided tour makes all the difference.
You’ll get to see the curated highlights of the museum, learn interesting stories about the artworks you would otherwise walk past, and leave the museum inspired.
⤷ Read more: How to visit a museum right: A guide for the perfect museum visit
A Little Teaser: Three Secrets at the Rijksmuseum
To give you a little preview of what to expect during the guided tour at the Rijksmuseum, here are three secrets hidden in plain sight at the Rijksmuseum. This museum is a goldmine of fascinating stories, artworks filled with intrigues and paintings made by the world-famous artists.
⤷ Read more: 10 Things you didn’t know about the Rijksmuseum
Secret no. 1: The “Hidden” Architect in the Walls
Most visitors admire the fascinating Rijksmuseum building without realising that the architect, Pierre Cuypers, snuck himself into the decor. Look closely at the tilework and sculptures: Cuypers had himself depicted in the museum’s facade. Even more scandalous? The Protestant King William III hated the “Catholic” look of the building so much that he refused to set foot in it for the opening.
During our Rijksmuseum guided tour, I’ll show you parts of the building design that weren’t well accepted at all by the architect’s contemporaries.
Secret no. 2: “The Night Watch” Controversies
Rembrandt’s “The Night Watch” is the museum’s crown jewel, but it’s actually quite controversial. First, it’s not a night scene at all. It’s set in the day, but centuries of dark varnish made it look like midnight. Second, look at the girl in the yellow dress. She isn’t a random child, but rather the company’s mascot, and the dead chicken hanging from her belt represents the symbol of the guild (“claws” of the Kloveniers).
During the tour, I’ll show you more secrets of “The Night Watch” Rembrandt hid from his own patrons. Like, for example, his wife Saskia’s portrait (and probably his own self-portrait).
⤷ Read more: Where to see Rembrandt’s paintings in Amsterdam
Secret no. 3: The “Rich Girl’s” entertainment
The Dolls’ Houses (specifically Petronella Oortman’s) cost as much as a real canal house back in the 1600s. But it wasn’t for children. It was a status symbol for the elite. There is real marble on the floors, real silver in the kitchen, and tiny paintings by famous artists on the walls.
During our Rijksmuseum guided tour, I’ll show you a miniature of a famous Italian Renaissance painting that many miss when in front of one of the Rijksmuseum dolls’ houses.
⤷ Watch: My video tour – The Rijksmuseum highlights
Must-sees during the Rijksmuseum Guided Tour
My Rijksmuseum guided tours are quite flexible, and I always try to adjust them to your interests, but there are some must-sees we’ll stop by. The Rembrandt’s and Vermeer’s artworks, the Rijksmuseum Library, the dolls’ houses and Vincent van Gogh’s paintings are definitely among them.
⤷ Read more: Rijksmuseum highlights
Practical tips for visiting the Rijksmuseum
The “Ghost Hour” Strategy: Weekdays early mornings are the “sweet spot” for visiting the Rijksmuseum. Locals are on their way to work, and the large groups from the cruise ships haven’t arrived yet. If you can get that first 9 am slot, head straight to the Gallery of Honour. You’ll have about 20 minutes of near-silence with the Vermeers before the rush starts at 11 am. I start the majority of my Rijksmuseum tours between 9 am and 10 am to beat the crowds.
Have a coffee or lunch at its restaurant: If, after exploring its galleries, you’d like to spend more time at the Rijksmuseum, relax at its museum cafe. It’s located in a museum lobby which is beautifully adorned with statues and wall decorations, and lit with the light coming from the massive glass roof. It’s one of my favourite places to sit and relax while exploring the Rijksmuseum masterpieces. And it’s so pretty, I even included it in my list of the most beautiful museum cafes in Europe.
The “Small Bag” Rule: The Rijksmuseum security is strict. If your bag is larger than an A4 sheet of paper, you’ll have to check it. To save up some time, my tip is to avoid the long queue of the cloakroom and head straight for the lockers and leave your stuff there.
Rijksmuseum shop: If you’d like to get some beautiful souvenirs from your visit to the Rijksmuseum (and Amsterdam), check out the museum shop. It’s one of my favourite museum shops in Amsterdam, and in it you’ll find great books inspired by art (including my “Following Van Gogh” book), things made by local designers, jewellery and other lovely souvenirs inspired by the Rijksmuseum collection.
⤷ Read more: 15 Best souvenirs from Amsterdam
Want to skip the planning and just enjoy the art?
Navigating it is the hardest part of the Rijksmuseum. When you book a tour with me, I handle the timing, the route, and avoiding the crowd. You just show up ready to hear the stories that make these walls talk.
Click here to see my available small-group (max. 8 people) Rijksmuseum tour dates for 2026. Or read more about my private museum tours in Amsterdam and get in touch through this contact form if you’d like to book a private Rijksmuseum tour with me.
Meet your guide: Tea Gudek Snajdar
I’ve spent the last decade deep in the archives and the galleries of the Rijksmuseum, turning the “dry” history of the Dutch Golden Age into stories that actually stick. As a published author (“Following Van Gogh” book) and MA-degree art historian, I’ve done the heavy lifting of reading the 500-page academic tomes so you don’t have to.
Ten years of guiding at the Rijksmuseum has taught me one thing: people don’t remember the dates of a battle, but they do remember why Rembrandt was the 17th-century king of “shady” behaviour, or how a single tulip once cost more than an Amsterdam canal house.
When I’m not writing about art or leading tours, I’m hunting for the best hidden espresso bars in the city. If you’re looking for a tour that feels less like a lecture and more like a witty conversation with an insider (who actually knows what they are talking about), I’d love to show you my Rijksmuseum.
Ready to see the Rijksmuseum through the eyes of an art historian and an author? My Rijksmuseum Guided Tour is currently booking for the 2026 season. Book the small group Rijksmuseum tour here or get in touch if you’re interested in a private Rijksmuseum tour.
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