• Private Tour
• Instantly Confirmed
• Carbon Neutral

When you are in love with Dutch art of the golden age, you can't miss this tour. I tell & show you all the hidden gems of Dutch art's golden age (1600-1700). Of course, with a special focus on all the Rembrandt and Vermeer works there are in the Rijksmuseum.

Destination

Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Category

Art Culture Tours

Duration

2 hours

Transport mode

Walking tour

Available languages

English, Nederlands

Included

• Entrance tickets
• Private guide

What you can expect

This is the plan

Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with Rolf.

1. Meeting point

   Meet at Amsterdam - Amsterdam to start your journey

   View on Maps

2. Itinerary

   This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.

3. Meeting Point

   Inside museum at the round info desk

4. Quick Intro

   Hear the story behind the Rijksmuseum building and get ready to go in

5. Treasure Rooms

   See the why the Dutch became so rich

6. Begin Golden Age

   See what the bases of Dutch art are

7. Young Rembrandt

   I'll show young Rembrandt and his development

8. Great Hall

   How to give visitors roots with an outstanding picture programm on walls, stain glass and floor

9. Gallery of Honor

   See all the best Dutch art between 1600-1700

10. Vermeer

    Three Vermeers are dicussed and his sources as well

11. Rembrandt

    Master, rebel and genius. I'll tell you why.

12. Make it yours

    Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.

    Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.

    Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.

I can personalize this tour for you

• Tell me your preferred date and group size
• Tell me your preferences and wishes so I can customize the tour for you
• Wait for my personal offer in your inbox!

Contact me

Flexible cancellation policy

• Feel confident booking

  Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.

• Change of plans?

  Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.

• Loved by travelers worldwide

  Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.

Reviews from guests

rogier🇳🇱 Netherlands

18 January 2023

Rolf was great and very patient with my deaf friends. A big recommandation!!great tour

Christophe🇬🇧 United Kingdom

20 October 2022

Rolf is a very good storyteller, he'll not only provide all the information you expect from a guide but do it in a way that will make you remember it, considering the passion he has for the topic. Thank you very much Rolf! Rolf is an amazing guide

Susan🇺🇸 United States

2 September 2022

Rolf met us on time, going out of his way to come to our hotel. At the museum he took such care with my handicapped husband and me. The tour itself was so very special...educational, light, and enjoyable. I learned so much. Rolf is an outstanding asset to your program. I am very glad I found your ad and close Rolf. Wow!Fabulous day with Rolf

Carolin🇩🇪 Germany

3 April 2022

Rolf was a lovely guide. We visited the Rijksmuseum with him. He knew every single piece and corner of the museum, had interesting background information on the paintings and asked for our personal wishes. Can highly recommend his tour.Great guide with extensive knowledge

Charlotta🇸🇪 Sweden

11 November 2021

Rolf guided our family of four (two teens) on two consecutive days, first to the Rembrandt and Vermeer paintings at the Rijksmuseum and then to the Van Gogh museum. We all appreciated Rolf’s knowledgeability, his well-balanced attention to artistic detail and historical context, and not least his pleasant and easy-going nature! We had a lovely and rewarding time with Rolf as our guide. Highly recommended!Wonderful tours of Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh museum

William🇺🇸 United States

19 October 2021

We thoroughly enjoyed our tour experience with Rolf, who is both personable and knowledgeable. It was a fascinating as well as efficient way to see everything we were interested in—our time with Rolf flew by! He shared a wealth of knowledge in a logical, chronological progression and tied it to what was going on historically in the Netherlands during the lifetimes of Rembrandt and Vermeer. There were many incredible facts presented that gave us a new perspective and appreciation for the works of these great men—so glad we took this tour!! (Oh and by the way he gives virtual tours via Zoom!)Outstanding!

Robert🇨🇦 Canada

11 September 2021

It was a delightful in depth tour of the Rijksmuseum and its history and its famous paintings . As we only had a few hours , it was all so precise and perfect! All our questions got answered in an easy understandable way. Rolf is knowledgable , patient and just the perfect guide . We highly recommend Rolf .Rijksmuseum tour with Rolf

Sharon🇺🇸 United States

12 December 2019

Rolf was excellent. He has a deep knowledge of art history. He understands how to convey what is important about the composition, color, and light. With his educational background, and having grown up around artists he is extremely knowledgable. Rolf shared with us interesting information about the museum building and its historical evolution. He had a gentel sense of humor. We would highly recomend Rolf for a tour of this museum. It enhanced our time at such a historic museum. Excellent!

Bill🇺🇸 United States

2 November 2019

Rolf is first class. One of the best guides we’ve ever had, his knowledge of the life and times really enhanced his presentation. Rolf also comes from a family with artist roots. Highly recommended. Bill and SarahRembrandt and Vermeer

Robert🇺🇸 United States

1 October 2019

As a New Yorker, exposed to numerous museums and Art, my wife and I had a fantastic experience with Rolf. Knowledgeable and passionate. The time flew by as he explained the history of art in the museum. Highly recommended.New York to Amsterdam

Angela🇺🇸 United States

7 May 2019

Rolf made our visit to the Rijksmuseum one of the highlights of our trip to Amsterdam. As you might expect, the All the Rembrandts exhibit is incredibly popular and therefore very crowded. With Rolf's expert guidance, we were able to zero in on the etchings & paintings that were the best examples of Rembrandt's genius. Rolf wove all the information and examples into an interesting and compelling narrative. In addition, he took care of the ticketing, so we just had to check our coats and continue on to the exhibit. Highly recommended! The Only Way to See All the Rembrandts

Margaret🇺🇸 United States

3 May 2019

Wow! He knows his art history stuff and great stories of Rembrandt’s personal life. I am a retired high school art teacher specializing in photography as an art form. I also paint watercolors. Rolf has family members who are working artists, and he has a degree in art history with advanced studies leading toward another degree. So my experience at the Rijk’s Museum began with entering one of the Rembrandt gallery rooms and being led to a small drawing or etching and hearing how and why Rembrandt made this image...what it was leading to, then examining it up close with a very nifty magnifying glass. I was led from gallery to gallery, lesson to lesson, image to image, insight to insight. The experience culminated in a cathedral-like gallery and the masterpiece,”Night Watch.” I really saw it like I had never seen it before. What fun!Rembrandt with Rolf

Liqun🇺🇸 United States

26 March 2019

A very knowledgeable and nice guide! Highly recommend.Rembrandt

Mayde🇺🇸 United States

19 September 2018

WOW! Rolf's art tour is an absolute must if you visit Amsterdam! He is energetic and passionate and makes your visit to the museum so much more meaningful as he points out so many details that can be missed. HIs communication with me prior to our tour was excellent, he was so responsive to my requests and even confirms the day before you meet! He gets tickets in advance and skips the lines! The Van Gogh museum is must do while in Amsterdam but not without Rolf as your guide! Rolf is an absolute pleasure to tour with and worth the splurge for his invaluable lessons! Van Gogh museum with a Dutch art historian

Dickson🇺🇸 United States

17 July 2018

This tour with Rolf made the most of the limited time we had at the Rilksmuseum. Rolf took what we knew about Dutch history and art and showed us details and richness we had never seen. Very conversational, never too deep or intimidating, we had a rich experience and a much better understanding of the museum's treasures. It was an amazing aesthetic experience. This is the way to see the Rijksmuseum!

Mabelle🇺🇸 United States

22 June 2018

Taking the art tour with Rolf was one of the best decisions we made on our Amsterdam trip. My mom and I are very interested in art and have spent hours reading painting descriptions in other museums. But we learned so much more in our short time with Rolf than we would have just walking through the Rijks or Van Gogh museum. He was incredibly knowledgeable and knew far more stories than the museum plaques shared. We not only learned about the history of the artists and many of the paintings, but Rolf also took us through the techniques of the artists and the way they evolved over time. He told us about the stories behind the people in the paintings and what happened to them long after the time they were painted. Mostly, this tour was absolutely worth it because you could spend hours in the Rijksmuseum wandering aimlessly and still not see every painting because there is just too much to see. Rolf narrowed down the pieces based on our interests and we were able to learn so much. We can’t recommend Rolf and this tour enough!Amazing tour!

Aaron🇺🇸 United States

3 June 2018

We thoroughly enjoyed our guided visit to the Rijksmuseum with Rolf. He gave us a wonderful introduction to the paintings of Rembrandt, Vermeer, and their contemporaries. As relative amateurs to the world of the Dutch masters, we were seeking some historical context and a basic understanding of compositional techniques. Rolf drew upon his deep knowledge and genuine enthusiasm to deliver that and much more. There is simply no substitute for a one-on-one encounter with priceless works of art complemented by true expertise. Best Way to See the Rijksmuseum !!!

Lynn🇺🇸 United States

10 April 2018

Rolf was very knowledgeable and instructional. He shared a lot of insight into the art as well as the artists and he made the museum tour especially entertaining and educational. My husband and I both highly recommend this tour with Rolf!Fantastic Guide

Marilyn🇺🇸 United States

10 April 2018

Thank you, Rolf! We so enjoyed the tour you gave us of the Rijksmuseum. The details you provided were so interesting and gave us a whole new appreciation for the amazing artworks which we saw. Great Museum Tour

TERESA🇺🇸 United States

2 April 2018

Rolf gave my wife and I a stimulating tour through the Rijksmuseum which emphasized these old masters, telling us of the artists lives and how their careers developed as well as who infuenced who. A wealth of knowledge as well as a very nice chap all around. I encourage him agai to see the Barnes Museum when he comes to the States.Private Rembrandt & Vermeer Tour with Rolf

Tina🇺🇸 United States

22 February 2018

We booked two tours with Rolf during our Amsterdam vacation (Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum), and we enjoyed both immensely! Rolf was knowledgeable and personable. He found out what we were interested in and made it a point to make the visits relevant to us. I definitely recommend Rolf if you're in Amsterdam :-)Great Experience!

Joselyn🇺🇸 United States

30 December 2017

Rolf gave us an excellent tour of the Rijksmuseum teaching us about about Rembrandt and Vermeer. We learned many new things about the history and art of the Netherlands. Many thanks for a great tour!Excellent art guide

Laurianne 🇨🇦 Canada

16 October 2017

We booked with Rolf on Friday, Oct 6/17 for the Rembrandt & Vermeer tour at the Reiks. Rolf was prompt, attentive, informative & has a great sense of humour. He shared stories of these Dutch masters & their contemporaries, along with enriching our knowledge of Dutch maritime history & ingenuity. Rolf even helped us with catching the tram back to Centraal Station. He went above & beyond! He definitely is passionate about art history & we had an amazing experience. When we are back in Amsterdam, I would do another tour with Rolf & highly recommend him for your tour guide.Afternoon well spent at the Reiksmuseum

Sjoerd🇳🇱 Netherlands

20 February 2025

Rolf is an enthousiastic and very knowledgable guide who could easily keep everyone’s attention. We enjoy the tour very much. Enjoyed the tour!

Darren

14 January 2025

Rolf was accessible and responsive leading up to the tour and assisted us in both obtaining the museum admissions we needed and arranging a mutually convenient time and place to meet. He was knowledgeable, entertaining and friendly. He brought with him his wide breadth of knowledge and in addition has a collection of materials on his tablet which provided even more depth and information as we toured the museum. I would recommend him highly!Rolf was Amazing!

Louis

28 December 2024

Very friendly. Very informative. Very knowledgeable.Rolf was great

Victor🇺🇸 United States

18 December 2024

Rolf was extremely knowledgeable and engaging in our Rijksmuseum tour. He kept us fascinated. Very pleasant and warm personal manners. Art tour with Rolf was amazing!

Payton🇺🇸 United States

9 December 2024

Rolf was a wonderful guide and we would happily use him again. Very knowledgeable, friendly, and accommodating!Great Guide, Great Tour

James🇺🇸 United States

1 November 2024

We engaged Rolf for a guided tour of Rijksmuseum on October 23rd. It was an excellent decision. All went as arranged- we met on time and he was very accommodating of my wife, who needed to use a wheelchair for the tour. He is extremely knowledgable and personable. It was time and money well-spent. We learned a lot, and had very pleasant time with Rolf. Highly recommended.Recommended guide

Simone

19 October 2024

My husband and I wanted a private tour of the Rijksmuseum while in Amsterdam. The number of tour guide choices were many but we definitely chose the best with Rolf. Rolf is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about the art but more than that you could feel his joy in sharing this knowledge with us. He was able to point out minute but important details in the work or in the artist's mind that we would never have known otherwise. In addition Rolf made us feel very comfortable and welcome -- he was truly interested in us and our experience. We would recommend Rolf for anyone visiting the great museums of Amsterdam. Wonderful Experience at the Rijksmuseum

Markus🇩🇪 Germany

17 October 2024

Rolf has an immense knowledge about the arts. We enjoyed a wonderful 2 hour tour through the Rijksmuseum, learning a lot about the old masters. Highly recommended.For art lovers

Zachary🇺🇸 United States

17 October 2024

Two hours wasn’t enough time! Rolf was as personable as he was knowledgeable. The tour went quickly but was jam packed with so much pertinent information you wouldn’t know unless you were with someone who really knew their stuff. From history to painting technique, Rolf could answer whatever I throw his way. I did a tour at the Rijks, but through the connections he was drawing between Rembrandt and Vermeer to Van Gogh, I want to come back and do the Van Gogh museum with him. Highly recommend!Excellent guide!

Jana Ms🇳🇱 Netherlands

8 October 2024

I have been to the Rijs museum several times. But when Rolf was our guide [2nd time now] you learn so much and understand the artist and what is actually in the paintings. This time, my friends were the type to take 100's of pictures...... Rolf was so patient. Rolf is so extrememly knowledgable about the artist and artifacts of the museum. He has a sense of humor and a way of story telling that is very relaxing. The 2 hours flew by. I highly recommend him and the next batch of friends that come to visit I will definately be booking him. What a wonderful person he is.Rijks tour with Rolf

Christopher🇺🇸 United States

6 October 2024

We booked two tours with Rolf, one for Van Gogh and one for the Rijksmuseum. He’s incredibly knowledgeable and fun to be with. Loved every minute with him. Fantastic time with Rolf

Susan🇺🇸 United States

2 October 2024

We had the pleasure of spending two hours touring the Rijks Museum with Rolf - and highly recommend him as a guide. The museum is huge, and we spent extra time there afterwards, but Rolf really did give us a wonderfully thorough sense of history, art, and art history taking us through periods of time and culture - bringing to life the paintings and objects in the museum collection. Rolf also tailored his explanations to our interests and needs. He has studied a great deal - and also brings an i-pad with certain details of images to enhance the tour. Thank you Rolf! Outstanding Tour of Rijks Museum with Rolf

Bob

29 September 2024

We were very lucky to have Rolf serve as our guide for the Van Gogh Museum. His knowledge of art history and particularly Van Gogh was vast. I’m addition he was very personable as well as having a sense of humor. We highly recommend him. Best guide to have for the Van Gogh Museum

Gary🇺🇸 United States

27 September 2024

Rolf tailors the tour to your interests and questions. He tells you not only how and when the artworks were created, but also why. He was also caring and patient with my wife, who is presently experiencing back pain and find some of the walking and standing painful. Rolf's the best.Engaging, knowledgeable, caring.

Tom🇺🇸 United States

26 September 2024

Rolf was fabulous, knowledgeable, professional, and friendly. I am not particularly into art - at least not before our experience with Rolf at the Van Gogh Museum. He was able to express his vast knowledge in a way that made the art and the life of Van Gogh seem to come alive. He is the best. Van Gogh came alive to us

William🇺🇸 United States

30 July 2024

We used Rolf for our Van Gogh and Rijksmuseum tours. His knowledge of art is off the charts. He kept my teenage granddaughters engaged for two hours. He is very easy to talk to and personable. He was a perfect fit for us. Perfect Art Guide

Stacey🇺🇸 United States

23 July 2024

Learned a lot with Rolf. Did a wonderful job explaining Van Gogh’s life and the differences in his art work. Went away having a much better understanding. Highly recommend him to anyone wanting to enjoy the museum not having to follow the head sets and getting around a busy museum. Great Van Gogh tour

Katy🇺🇸 United States

30 June 2024

My friend and I had the opportunity to tour the Rijksmuseum with Rolf, and it was truly the highlight of our trip. We were able to see, learn about, and digest more in a few short hours with his guidance than we would have been able to do in days on our own. He also helped us secure entrance to the special Frans Hals exhibition. He was an incredible guide, and I'm so glad we got to meet him!The highlight of our Amsterdam trip!

Clayton🇺🇸 United States

3 May 2024

Rolf is a friendly and knowledgeable guide. His expertise made the Van Gogh museum tour come alive. Art history expert

Rohan🇨🇦 Canada

26 April 2024

This tour was amazing. Rolf was very knowledgeable and took my suggestions of my wants to tailor the tour. Hugely informative and exactly why I booked a guide. Rolf was up to the task and we had such an enjoyable time. For me who has very little knowledge of art history, Rolf made the tour a 10 out 10Private Rijksmuseum tour

Joel🇺🇸 United States

26 April 2024

We visited the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum with Rolf. We found Rolf to be very engaging and extremely knowledgeable. He has a terrific ability to convey his knowledge. When it comes to art history we are reasonably knowledgeable and we learned so much more from Rolf. Wonderful Experience

Kelli🇳🇱 Netherlands

23 April 2024

Although I have been to the Rijksmuseum many times - including with other private guides - Rolf provided the best experience by far. He is highly knowledgeable and constructed to the tour such that it felt like a cohesive whole since he talked not only about individual pieces but also how they related to others. We learned so much. More importantly, one member of our group is wheelchair bound with an advanced stage neurological disease, and Rolf did a great job of making that seem normal and inclusive. Highly recommended.Top notch guide

Albertine🇺🇸 United States

20 April 2024

Rolf was a very good tour guide. Friendly, engaging, and enthusiastic He was very knowledgeable about the Dutch art history. Would recommend. Very Good Tour

Erin🇺🇸 United States

13 April 2024

Rolf was one of the most knowledgeable and interesting guides I’ve had. He was delightful and engaging and I learned so much. I highly recommend him!!Amazing morning with Rolf

Gill🇬🇧 United Kingdom

9 April 2024

Rolf is a knowledgable guide and our spin round the Rijks Museum was skilfully orchestrated. Nonetheless, he was happy to follow our interests and curiosity on other works too. We thoroughly enjoyed our tour. Expertise delivered with a light touch

Jerry🇺🇸 United States

9 April 2024

Was great experience outstanding guide Gave us insight into all artist not just Van Gough cRolf comes with great art background Great Art Historian

Stephen🇺🇸 United States

21 November 2023

Rolf was awesome … told a great story that led up to the conclusion of how the Night Watch painting originated. He pointed out details I would have never realized if I was just wondering around looking at everything. I really appreciated his knowledge and how he entertained us. A masterpiece of a guide!