Amsterdam: museums

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Rijksmuseum

Amsterdam’s most famous museum, and the only one of the major museums we visited on our most recent trip, is the Rijksmuseum. How can I review that? I’m not sure I can – it’s so huge and varied – so I shall pick out one part that has special resonance for me. The library! Isn’t it magnificent?

The library was completed in 1881, when the design was considered innovative – the cast-iron and glass roof construction made it possible to read by daylight. It hasn’t changed much since, and now holds one kilometre of books on art history over four storeys, with another five kilometres in underground storage. I’m glad I don’t have to keep them tidy!

Museum of Bags and Purses

The Museum of Bags and Purses (Tassenmuseum Hendrikje) has a collection of over 5,000 items dating from the 16th century to the present day. A bonus – it’s housed in a building constructed in 1664 as the home of the Mayor of Amsterdam, and restored for the museum in 2007. Two of the rooms still have period features.

Kattenkabinet

This museum dedicated to cats in art is also housed in a grand canal house, though not as fabulously renovated as the Tassenmusuem. It was founded by wealthy financier Bob Meijer in memory of his cat John Pierpoint Morgan III. (I wonder what name the cat answered to?)

On our last visit, I don’t remember the collection extending into the garden. Maybe it wasn’t open because the weather wasn’t suitable. This time, it was my favourite part and I amused myself finding as many black cats as I could (because our last cat, Sally, was black).

The bonus here was that we shared the museum with some real, live cats (one more alert than the other).

House of Bols

Before dinner one evening, we decided that our aperitif would be the House of Bols Cocktail and Genever Experience. An interactive, self-guided tour takes you through the history of this Dutch spirit and gives you information about how it is blended, including the chance to test your own nose. We met again the blue and white KLM canal houses (you might recall the large models on Museumplein from a previous post) of which our own collection numbers 56!

Valerie gets her shot
The KLM connection

And finally, of course, it was cocktail time. Cheers!

Cocktail time
Cocktail time

This was my final thematic post about Amsterdam – the others were Canals; Parks and Gardens; and Decorative Buildings. And now for something completely different …

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74 Comments »

  2. I have two questions, Anabel. What is the total number of those blue and white KLM canal houses? Which museum has Van Gogh’s painting Wheatfield with Crows? Did you visit that one?
    Amsterdam is moving up on my to-visit list now 😉
    Have a great day.

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    • Never mind my second question… I am reading your posts backwards, can you tell? (And I found the answer in one of your previous posts. I wanted to read all about your Amsterdam trip at the same time, so I can see a whole picture at once — someone else must feel the same way, yes? Ha.)

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      • I’m not sure exactly how many houses there are – there is a new one every year. They are numbered on the back and our highest number is 98, so probably over 100. No, we didn’t go to the Van Gogh Museum this time though we’ve been, maybe 3 times, before. Well worth a visit.

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  5. I haven’t commented on your last two postings because I haven’t been well and although I managed to read them the effort of writing was just too much. I enjoyed them, as usual, and now that I’m up and about again I will be able to enjoy what you post in future.

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  6. A varied museum. I’ve always associated that first black and white painting from Kipling’s Just So stories. The cat that walks alone ( in the wild wood) I’ve had a copy of it in my hall for the last 30 years and the older I get the more accurate it becomes :o(.

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  7. I’ve been to Amsterdam twice and still haven’t been to the Rijksmuseum, but I love the sound of the Bags and Purses Museum and of course Kattenkabinet! Will definitely be checking those two out if I find myself in Amsterdam again!

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  13. Hi Anabel – lovely collection of museums to see – especially reminding us that the Rijksmuseum has an extensive library … dusting would be a nightmare. Gorgeous the Bag and Purse museum, as too the cat one … the Bols experience would set anyone up for a good evening. They all look wonderful places to visit – cheers Hilary

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  16. I have fond memories of visiting museums in Amsterdam but alas none of these were on my itinerary. Admittedly it has been 25 years since I was there. Gulp. My youngest son would absolutely love to visit a cat themed museum.

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  18. What an interesting array of museums. I love the cats in art, and that library looks magnificent. The handbag one is also intriguing and fun. Who thinks of creating museums for such things? 🙂

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  20. That library looks fabulous. The cat called JP Morgan amuses me too. It is a very apposite name for a financier’s cat.

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  21. Hi, Anabel – I’ve greatly enjoyed following you on your trip across Amsterdam. Having a peek into the museums was a particular delight. Even though I am more of a backpack gal, I loved seeing the Museum of Bags and Purses. Ditto to the Museum of Cats in Art. How fun! Thanks for sharing this adventure.

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  22. Well, we are off to Amsterdam next month, will have to check out the Cat Museum. One of the places in Rijksmuseum that I enjoyed finding was the library. Fascinating to see that it is still been used, though not sure how my concentration would be with people staring down at me!

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  24. When we go to Amsterdam, we will have to go to that cat museum! I love black cats even though I am more a dog gal but my hubby is full on cats. I love tha one cat painting with its paw in that finger trap. I loved the Rijksmuseum since there are so many Rembrandt paintings as he is one of my favourites. The purse museum is probably like the Bata Shoe museum in Toronto…you don’t think much of it but when you are in it, you really find it interesting. I bet I would like this just like I love the Bata Shoe museum.

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  25. The bags and purses museum didn’t really appeal when I came across it but it looks like it’s quite interesting. I’ve seen other reports about it too. Might have to have a look next time I’m over there.

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