The Rijksmuseum

The Rijksmuseum has a similar reputation to Anne Frank's House for overcrowding. I did everything I could to ameliorate this. Bought the Museum Card which allows direct access without having to go to the ticket desk. Got there on a weekday and arrived before 9am opening time. A lovely walk there too - about half an hour from my flat round the Herrengracht.

The Rijksmuseum itself is a fine Victorian brick edifice built on what was then the edge of town. It has like many old Museums (see British Museum for example) been renovated and now has a stunning glass clad entry area

I started off by heading upstairs to the biggest halls which house many of Rembrandt's best known, and largest, works. You want to see these before the crowds head in. My early start was well rewarded

 Now I should point out that this is just about my favourite art period. You can keep your impressionists. I like these Dutch portraits - the swaggering Dutch merchants and their austere wives. This is my stuff.

This is a delightful story of justice. The magistrates three sons conspired against him and the penalty for treason was death. So the father unhesitatingly carried out justice and had his sons beheaded without favour. Lovely morality tale.

I liked this little grotesque sculpture. If you are wondering why the contorted face look at the left temple just above the ear - he has been stung by a wasp.

Not for the politically correct. The betrothed English princess is only 9 years old and the older man taking advantage of her is a seedy old man of 14. Nice trousers though

 There are heroic Victorian frescoes on the building itself to admire too.

The rather grand library

Subtle tasteful sponsorship

Now you can understand my comment earlier about overcrowding. I circled back to the Rembrandts in the main hall later on and this is what it was like.

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The Museum has a quite tasteful modern extension for its Asian collection