Rijksmuseum Amsterdam

If you want to see Rembrandt's "Night Watch" in the original, you have to visit the Reichsmuseum Amsterdam. It is located on Museumplein in the immediate vicinity of the Van Gogh Museum, the Stedelijk Museum and the Concertgebouw.

The imperial 19th century building is based on designs by Pierre Cuypers, one of the most important representatives of historicism. The current architectural design, especially that of the interiors and the addition, was done by the Spanish architect duo Cruz and Ortiz.

Originally, the collection, called the Nationale Kunst-Gallerij, was located in The Hague. Napoleon's brother, Louis Bonaparte, brought it to Amsterdam during his reign.

Today, the museum includes extensive collections of crafts, history and art, with an emphasis on the Dutch Golden Age. Asian art is presented as well as the colonial history of the Netherlands and art from the colonies. Worth seeing is the Marinemodellenkamer with over one thousand exhibits.

The classics of Dutch painting are all gathered: "Maid with Milk Jug" by Jan Vermeer, "Portrait of a Young Couple" by Frans Hals, well-known Rembrandt paintings such as "Saskia with Veil," "The Heads of the Clothmakers' Guild" and "Self-Portrait as St. Paul the Apostle."