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Dual Delight: Semi-Private Rijksmuseum & Van Gogh Combo Tour with Reserved Entry

Reserved Access, Double Discovery: Exploring Dutch Art at its Finest on a Guided Combo Tour

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Duration: 5.5 hs Semi-Private Tour
Tour Description

Discover more about this tour

Museum enthusiasts, listen up! This semi-private 5.5 hour guided museum tour includes two of Amsterdam’s most popular museums and is an ideal way to experience them both during a day of art and culture. Our charming young guides will provide tickets for you to enter both the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum in a group of no more than 8 guests.

 

To begin this tour we’ll explore the Rijksmuseum to indulge in some of Holland’s most celebrated artists, like Rembrandt, while learning about the country’s rich history through a collection of 8000 works. Our guides will share their favorite stories about the museum’s most prominent and even quirkiest pieces. We’ll discuss familiar names like Rembrandt as well as lesser known items like 17th century dollhouses. Understand the meaning behind Vermeer’s “The Milkmaid” and marvel at the expansive 19th century library. At the end of the tour, you’ll have a good overview of the museum’s collection and you may even know how to pronounce its name correctly.

You’ve probably heard about one of the world’s most famous painters, Vincent Van Gogh. But what do you actually know about this Dutch artist? After a break for lunch we’ll introduce you to the man behind the famous sunflowers and self-portraits on this intimate tour of the Van Gogh Museum. Learn about him through his iconic paintings of people eating potatoes and of his own bedroom, or maybe his “Wheat field with Crows” or “Yellow House.” We will visit the world’s largest collection of Van Gogh’s works to learn about his turbulent life stretching from his days in Holland to his dramatic ending in France. And yes, don’t worry, we’ll discuss that whole ear incident.

Highlights Include: (if artwork is not on loan or being restored etc.)

Rembrandt masterworks

The Jewish Bride

The Syndics of the Drapers’ Guild

Vermeer’s The Milkmaid

19th century library

17th century dollhouses, globes, ship replica, and Delft ceramics

Large Collection of Van Gogh Self Portraits

Early And Obscure Works

Objects From Van Gogh’s Studio

Sunflowers

The Potato Eaters

The Bedroom

Yellow House

Wheatfield with Crows

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Semi-Private Tour

“Semi-Private” means group size is never more than 8 guests maximum.

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“Private Tour” means tour guide exclusively for you.

Latest Reviews
Latest Reviews
  • Sandee Sandee

    Touring these two museums are a must if you are visiting Amsterdam. It’s easy as they are neighbors to each other. But what these tours so outstanding was Victoria, our guide. Request her, please.

  • George M George M

    We met Angelo in front of the Rijksmuseum along with the six other guests for our tour. He was very knowledgeable about the paintings, painters and the related biographies and history. Angelo was very attentive to us and was able to answer all of our many questions. He maintained a high level of enthusiasm throughout the five hours we spent with him.

  • MJK K MJK K

    Professionally dressed Guide who worked for Babylon Tours arrived well before we did for 10 am tour Thursday, July 12, 2018 Easy to find location listed from aviator. She was prompt, personable and very knowledgeable. Bring your own lunch and water to drink @ lunch break. Key rental Lockers on ground floor near toilets very handy. Interesting time well spent. Definitely recommend for first timers for the small group.

  • Elizabeth S Elizabeth S

    The tour was excellent. The tour guide was Anita, an art historian. Although she chose the paintings to talk about she was thorough with the art history and brought fresh perspectives to the paintings.

  • Amy G Amy G

    Victoria was our guide, and she definitely knows the subjects well. The tour for started a little late, but once we were going it was great. I didn’t realize we would stop for lunch, and I was very grateful that we did because it would be too much to do all in a row. Victoria was great to get us to move close into the paintings, and the. We would look from a distance to see how the art changed. She helped us see clues that we would have otherwise missed and set the scene for the culture at the time that changes how you view the art. She did a masterful job of telling the story of Van Gogh’a work and life. She also didn’t make us feel badly when we were ready to go at the end of the tour instead now of going to see the special exhibit. We were exhausted and had been traveling for a while at this point and our feet needed a rest! Great tour. If I had time, I might do the tours on different days but this was also an efficient way to get through it. Thanks Victoria!

  • Bernard P Bernard P

    Great explanations from our guide for a wonderful visit in the beautiful museums of Amsterdam...

  • Lisa J Lisa J

    Best tour .I would do it again,the guide was very knowledgeable.

  • Sharon F Sharon F

    Our guide Pina was a delight and extremely well versed in all topics pertaining to the tour. Although we had been to Amsterdam on several previous trips, her personalization of this art experience was unmatched.

  • Michael O Michael O

    Our guide was very knowledgeable and really helped us understand the Dutch Golden Age. It was a wonderful tour and excellent source of information for both the Rijksmuseum and VanGogh. They are soooooo crowded, I cannot think of a better way to actually learn something from your visit

  • dan85395 dan85395

    Great tour.....was supposed to be 4 hours but we went 5.5. Loved Victoria, despite her having a bad cold.

  • Christopher R Christopher R

    Our tour guide was wonderful and made spending several hours in the two museums much more amazing. She was very informative and catered to our group very well. I definitely recommend seeing any famous museum with a knowledgeable guide rather than listening to a recording.

  • Julia D Julia D

    I really enjoyed this tour. Our guide was very knowledgeable and provided background information to help my understanding of the art. Loved this tour, thank you!!

  • 28caenm13 28caenm13

    This was expensive, but worth the money to hear details from our guide. The small group was great only 4 people. Our guide shared wonderful information and details about what we were seeing. Very enjoyable! Would not recommend going on Sunday's because it was quite crowded. Other than that, both museums are nice.

  • Joe B Joe B

    Fantastic tour. The tour guide was friendly and knowledgeable. I would recommend this to anyone!

  • gwen g gwen g

    Victoria was great and knew so much about art and van gogh. She really brought him and his work to life for us.

  • Amy F Amy F

    We had an amazing tour. Our guide was an expat from US who has lived in Amsterdam for the last 20 years, so it was wonderful to hear and learn from her passion and expertise about art, but we also learned about the culture and people of the Netherlands. She was additionally very effective at shooing away all the tourists with their selfie sticks so we could actually get in and have a look at the art that she was telling us about.

  • Cathy G Cathy G

    Audrey Sykes was a terrific guide. Very sensitive and informative. After the tour was over, as we chatted she recommended another attraction she thought I would enjoy, The Lord in the Attic. It was a gem and made the next day of sightseeing a winning one.

  • JOSEPH V JOSEPH V

    We thoroughly enjoyed our tours of the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum. Our guide, Tea, was an art historian who had deep knowledge of all the artists and their works. This, combined with her pleasant and engaging personality, made the day both educational and enjoyable.

  • Tim W Tim W

    Our guide, Tea, was super enthusiastic and knowledgeable. I learned more than I can remember but was in awe the whole time.

  • Matthew B Matthew B

    The museums and art were amazing and our tour guide fully enhanced the whole experience with her depth of knowledge. Our guide was friendly, flexible and aggressive to always get us in front of the art.

  • Geoffrey F Geoffrey F

    Amazing guide that gave a great insight into the history and wonderful exhibits and paintings on display. Well worth the extra cost of a skip the line experience.

  • Karen C Karen C

    My wife and I were on this tour along with my sister and BIL We are definitely not art people and knew we needed help to appreciate Rembrandt and Van Gogh. we specifically asked for Victoria and she did not disappoint. We really learned a lot and actually retained a lot of it. I would definitely ask for her. Two words to the wise. First, there is a lot of standing. Have to to appreciate each work. But the floors are stone and it can be tough on the feet. Second is Victoria. We would go with her again and again. She was great. However she is conservative with some of her opinions so if you are very liberal, you may not want to request her but you will lose out by not going with her.

  • Dennis D Dennis D

    Fantastic tour with great guide. Her knowledge and description of art works was very good.

  • RC RC

    Amazing tour! Audrey was a terrific guide and did a terrific job explaining the beautiful artwork in both museums in such detail to truly help me appreciate it.

  • Anne C Anne C

    AMAZING tour and well worth the money!!

  • NORMAN D NORMAN D

    The Tour Guide was terrific, knowledgeable and made us understand the essence of the paintings...especially Van Gogh. Loved that it was a small group so asking questions and receiving answers was easy to understand.

  • Crystal C Crystal C

    My tour guide was kind, patient, and passionate! I learned so much and my mother actually teared up at the end! Also, maybe because of the time of year, it ended up being a private tour! So awesome!

  • Don W Don W

    This was a highlight of our time in Amsterdam! Our tour guide took us through both museums and we loved it! I learned so much! But wait,there's more! I have two children ages 10 and 11 and she made it especially interesting for them! Would highly recommend this tour and this company! Don't miss it! The whole family wished we could go to every museum with our guide.

  • Don W Don W

    This was a highlight of our time in Amsterdam! Our tour guide took us through both museums and we loved it! I learned so much! But wait,there's more! I have two children ages 10 and 11 and she made it especially interesting for them! Would highly recommend this tour and this company! Don't miss it! The whole family wished we could go to every museum with our guide.

  • Max Eric K Max Eric K

    I sing the praises of Babylon tours. Prior to the tour they sent me a text reminding me of details and confirming the arrangement. Afterwards, they sent an email thanking me for the business and asking for a review. Their guide was prompt and totally knowledgeable about his topic. It sounded like he had painted some of the stuff himself. He was a total proferssional in all ways.

  • Charles D Charles D

    Great tour. Victoria was a great guide. very knowledgeable and organized. Highly recommend the tour

  • Paul H Paul H

    I cannot rate this tour highly enough. Both museums are required visits on a trip to Amsterdam to anyone with even a passing interest in art. The Van Gogh Museum in particular is very hard to get into and a skip the line tour is a very wise pre-purchase. On top of that, the guide is a professional art historian with a wealth of knowledge about the historical and artistic context of these fascinating and beautiful paintings.

  • Alexander K Alexander K

    Our tour guide, Tea, was absolutely wonderful! She had extensive knowledge about the museums and was truly brilliant in how she shared the information with the group. All questions were answered thoroughly and with a smile, and nobody was made to feel like a neophyte even though we all were. I walked out of both museums feeling like I had gotten much more than my money's worth. I would definitely recommend this tour for anyone interested in seeing these beautiful museums and the amazing pieces of art they contain. Note: Be sure to bring .50 Euro coins with you. You'll need them to store bags in the lockers prior to entering the Rijksmuseum.

  • Doverpv Doverpv

    A great way to enjoy the museum tour and truly understand and appreciate the story behind these Legendary artist! Out private tour guide - Victoria , painted' an easy way to understand the essence and background of some of the key art works during that age and time!

  • Robert R Robert R

    Our small group tour became smaller when two people didn't show and the other couple skipped the Van Gogh Museum. Therefore, three of us and our guide! It is a five hour tour with a break ion the middle. We are museum people, happy to wander for hours, but i think it would not be too long for anyone with an interest. Paula is outstanding. Entertaining, knowledgeable and adept at navigating the crowds. I would recommend this for anyone in seeing these museums in an optimal manner.

  • bknight967 bknight967

    Excellent tour. Hope you get Victoria as your guide. Her knowledge and passion for the art was evident. She picked just the perfect combination of paintings to tell the stories of Rembrandt and Van Gogh. This tour will surely make you be an art lover.

  • Patrick R Patrick R

    I personally preferred the Van Gogh museum. I consider it a must see. It felt less crowded and was much quieter than the Rijksmuseum. Also, pictures aren't in the Van Gogh museum which make it a better experience in my opinion. The guide was incredibly knowledgeable and enthusiastic about art. She was able to share stories about artists and specific pieces which helped understand and appreciate the art much more.

  • Omar N Omar N

    Do both museums in the same tour.. takes 5h but definitely worth it! Having an art history expert as a guide was extremely useful and added to the cultural experience of visiting the museums! A tour not to be missed if you are an art history buff

  • Dawn E Dawn E

    We booked a small group tour and it ended up being private which was wonderful. Victoria was an amazing guide and the tour was fabulous.

  • Mollygoudy Mollygoudy

    We booked the small semi-private group tour. Tea was our guide. Her depth of knowledge was incredible. This was a fabulous way to tour both museums. We learned more than we would have by simply listening to the audio tapes.

  • Beth V Beth V

    The tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and managed time well. Even though we had seen these works before we felt we had a new understanding of them. There was enough time to enjoy the highlights and to take in the lowlights as well since the tour ended mid-afternoon. We had time to continue looking at the other exhibits.

  • Rachael M Rachael M

    Absolutely loved this tour. Victoria was the best guide and she made the tour interesting and informative. We were able to get up very close to the paintings. Having lunch with her was even amazing.

  • tjtroad tjtroad

    This tour was amazing!

  • sylviagreene sylviagreene

    This small group, skip the line tour of both museums is the only way to go for a well informed, pleasurable experience. The guide was superb in giving even the least knowledgeable among us insights into the artists and their works.

  • Marlene H Marlene H

    Our tour guide, Victoria, was terrific. We were with her for over 5 hours and learned so much. She was very informative and was a pleasure to be with. I would recommend this tour to everyone who visits Amsterdam.

  • Jeffrey B Jeffrey B

    Our tour was great. Our guide, an art student, was very knowledgeable and very helpful. We were very pleased. In one day we saw the highlights of both museums. The Rijksmuseum was much too large to see everything, so we were very pleased to have someone to direct us to the major attractions.

  • Roger M Roger M

    We were met punctually at the designated location by our guide Paola Pirovano. She provided very interesting background information about each artist and the art forms we viewed. She was very fluent and well prepared and made the tour fun with her warm and humorous personality. We rate our experience 5 stars.

  • Bonnie B Bonnie B

    Our tour guide was fantastic. She is an art historian and provided us with much background information about the artists and each work we visited. She was enthusiastic and very interesting.

  • Ashli B Ashli B

    Museums are both great. It's a bit of a long day, with a 40-minute break for lunch. Recommend either bringing lunch with you or asking for a bit more time in-between as the museum in the Rijksmusem is quite expensive and crowded during lunch time. Van Gogh museum was fantastic. Our tour guide was very kind, a bit hard to understand at times over the noise of the museums during the busy period. Overall, highly recommend visiting both of the museums either with a guide or taking the self-guided tour, but picking a tour that skips the long entry line.

  • Casey A Casey A

    One of the best tours I've ever been on. Our guide, Victoria, was incredible. She had so much knowledge and a passion for the art of Van Gogh and the works in the Rijksmuseum, that it set our tour way ahead of what we could've possibly appreciated on our own. Highly recommended!

  • JCOXES JCOXES

    Unbelievably great! Victoria was fantastic. Five hours just flew by. We learned so much My teenage daughters loved it!. So much to learn, see and experience. Victoria, our tour guide, was so knowledgeable. She loved talking about these wonderful museums and answered all our questions. Highly recommend this tour. Probably the best we've ever been on.

  • Navneet Navneet

    Good walk ! Informative and Knowledgeable guide ! Great Communication skills and a good sense of humour. Kept it fun !

  • Jean A K Jean A K

    Our guide was wonderful! She provided pertinent background information that put the Dutch masterpieces in the Rijksmuseum into the context of the life and times of seventeenth century Amsterdam. Besides the paintings, she showed us other museum highlights, like the beautiful library and fantastic dollhouses.?At the Van Goth Museum, we walked past the huge line of about 200 people and right into the museum. Our guide gave us an insight into Van Goth's turmoil and explained his artistic development. We thoroughly enjoyed the tour and highly recommend it.

  • Helen D Helen D

    Excellent! Great experience to see numerous artworks and have our guide provide a personlised tour. Victoria was very knowledgable and the five hours flew by with ease and all too quickly.... Would definitely recommend.

  • dwmartin37 dwmartin37

    Great guide. Just wish that Van Gogh's Potato Eaters painting had not been on loan so that we could have seen it too.

  • judith r judith r

    We had the best guide, Victoria...we became good friends....however, the other tour of the Anne Frank house started in a diamond factory where they were very unhappy when no one bought a diamond.....we did not have to go there and no where was it written that we would do that.....but our guide had no alternative.....and she was truly wonderful and very knowledgeable

  • Barbara J Barbara J

    Great guide! Fun, informative. A full day.?Our guide discussed history, the politics, the renovations...made the art come to life.?Impossible to see as much, with this much depth, on our own.

  • Faizan Hassan Faizan Hassan

    The tour guide was amazing. Victoria knew her history, gave us a lot of details, and we thoroughly enjoyed this tour.

  • amypatrick24 amypatrick24

    This tour was amazing and worth every penny! Victoria will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about the Rijksmuseum, its architecture, and its collection of Dutch masters. She is a Vincent VanGough groupie and has amazing insight and perspective on the works on display at the Van Gough Museum. If you want to spend most of the day immersed in beautiful art complimented with intelligent commentary, then look no further than this tour.

  • Harry S Harry S

    We had an extraordinary experience and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Our wonderful guide was an art history major and extended herself to insure we were satisfied with our tour. I could not have asked for a more enjoyable and educational experience.

  • REBECCA G REBECCA G

    we had a wonderful guide she was there to greet us right on time and gave us lots of insights we would not have otherwise known about. Fascinating!

  • Deanne Pena Deanne Pena

    Our morning at Rijkes Museum and afternoon at the Vincent Van Gogh museum was wonderful. The museums are amazing and Henk was a delightful guide throughout the day. He has such a passion for the arts and he is filled with so much information. He loves and welcomes many questions! Henk always assisted those who needed the lift elevator, as was required by our threesome. There are hundreds of Van Gogh paintings displayed in this museum on 4-5 floors. We booked this tour through Viator.com

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