A World Class Museum. The first couple of times I visited the Rijksmuseum, I thought it was a dump. Stuff was put on the wall with what seemed like little curation. The place was closed for ten years, and what a miracle those ten years created! The building has been redesigned, open to the natural light, and the works are spread out in period, and with room to breathe. The Night Watch, for example, was stuffed against other pieces, and now lives in a room by itself, where it can vibrate. Do not miss the Delft Collection or the De Stijl pieces. This is a museum to be proud of!
A must see
You may need to go more than one time, but well worth it, and very close to the Van Gogh museum.
You Have to See the Rembrandts
The building itself has a very interesting and distinctive 17th century architectural style. Rijksmuseum is a fairly large museum with an extensive collection of Dutch paintings. I have to admit that the paintings are not really from my favorite era of art. But I was astounded when I saw some of the Rembrandts that I remembered from my old Art History courses. When I saw The Night Watch, my jaw dropped at the size of it. On display are many paintings from the Dutch golden age, and if you have an appreciation of that period, this museum is a must-see. And if not (like me), take an hour and just look at some of the Rembrandts and Vermeers. It's worth your time, especially if you find yourself in the Museum Quarter of Amsterdam.