Amsterdam's world-famous art museum, the Rijksmuseum, is poised to re-open April 13, 2013 after a dauntingly long restoration. Though a skeletal part of its collection had been on display in a few small rooms now the whole museum will greet the public in a pristine form and a form much more user-friendly than before.

The NYTimes article on this:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/02/ar...anted=all&_r=0

I think AMS is my fall destination based on this alone. We saw the "reduced" collection in 2007 and it really whetted our appetite for more.

I was there in 2009 for about 3 hours.

So finally the whole place will be open, but I love the building also.

http://www.theartnewspaper.com/artic...ireworks/29310

check out the pictures of the re-opening - bombastic!

I've been to its opening day. Spectacular.

I'm planning a day in June.

More links at http://tinyurl.com/aag37vw

Yeah, I need to return too. The crowds were unbelievable, but how gorgeous the building that's been revealed to us.

Planning on going. Menachem; is it easier to get in with a Museumkaart?

Such good news! I, also, am willing to take a special trip to see the renovated museum. We have a history.

I was in Amsterdam in the early 1970's. No job. Broke. Winter. Living with a Dutch girlfriend. The only thing I could afford to do was go to the Rijksmuseum, which was free at the time. Each morning I would grab my Dutch/English dictionary, take a tram, or ride my friend's bicycle to the museum and visit one room. I looked closely at each display, took notes, and either asked the guards or my girlfriend, later, about things I din't understand. Next day another room.

I did that all winter long while I waited for a job offer in the States to come through. I got to know the place really well. Well enough to chat with the staff. I was there when the Night Watch was slashed, and got to watch some of the restoration.

I have been back to Amsterdam a number of times, but have never been able to go back to the museum; first because of inertia, and then the damned thing was closed.

Definitely on my bucket list!

@Tulips

YES! and Hurrah: you get to skip the line and it's free to enter:

Houders van de volgende kaarten kunnen met hun kaart direct naar de entreepoort:

Houders van Museumkaart (gratis)
Vrienden van het Rijksmuseum (gratis)

Great, thanks menachem. Such a good deal, the museumkaart.

and with a museum card you will go into many other lesser museums IME than you would if you had to pay for entry - like to places like the fantastic Troppen Museum, Amsterdam City Museum, some churches, the Bible Museum, the branch of St Petersburg's Hermitage, Lord in the Attic, etc.

Museum card is a great great deal!