• Private Tour
• Instantly Confirmed
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Get ready for a fantastic tour along Van Gogh's brilliant masterpieces from every period in his artistic life. Let me share the latest news and discoveries about his work!

Destination

Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Category

Art Culture Tours

Duration

2 hours

Transport mode

Walking tour

Available languages

English, Nederlands

Included

• Private guide

Excluded

• Tickets

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 Van Gogh Museum - 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. Van Gogh Tour

   Intense tour along his masterpieces

4. Start

   Meet guests

5. Stop 1

   Introduction & self portraits

6. Stop 2

   Dark period in the Netherlands

7. Stop 3

   Colour period in Paris

8. Stop 4

   The best works of Arles & family matters

9. Stop 5

   The pieces of art at the intstitution

10. Stop 6

    The last period, fame & inheritance

11. 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

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

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

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

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

Richard🇬🇧 United Kingdom

26 July 2022

We had a great time with the very knowledgeable Rolf exploring the Van Gog museum. Very easy to be with and gave as a great insight.Excellent guide

Michael🇺🇸 United States

2 March 2022

Having Rolf for a day of art history was an exceptional experience. His knowledge and passion made paintings I have seen before appear in a new light. First at the Rijksmuseum, then at Van Gogh , his explanation of how and why the artist painted as he did was beyond interesting. He allowed all the time necessary to view both the works in his program, but took the time to explain any painting we had an interest in. I would recommend Rolf to anyone with an interest in art. Should I return, Rolf will be among the first I get in touch with.I will never experience art in the same way

Unknown

13 August 2021

We love Rolf! He is naturally kind, sincere, patient and authentic. Being exceptionally well prepared and knowledgeable, he brings to life the history, family, work and tragedy of this all too human icon. Rolf is a gifted story teller and truly cares about your tour experience. Rolf is the Best!

Karen🇺🇸 United States

24 April 2018

Rolf was very knowledgeable and very passionate about art. Great Guide

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

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 tour!

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!

Ross🇺🇸 United States

24 January 2018

We enjoyed our time with Rolf at the Van Gogh Museum. He expanded our knowledge of the artist and his art. We listened intently to Rolf as he spoke about Van Gogh’s progression from his early works to his final masterpieces. We would recommend Rolf’s services for those who would want to make the most of their visit to the museum. Van Gogh - A More Incisive View

Ellen🇺🇸 United States

3 January 2018

My cousin and I thoroughly enjoyed Rolf's tour of the VanGogh museum. It was a good mix of information and background, making our visit both pleasurable and educational. Ellen FlahartyVan Gogh's Life & Masterpieces Tour

Lucila🇪🇸 Spain

30 December 2017

Thanks to Rolf we had a beautiful visit to the Van Gogh Museum!! He explained to us a lot of things about the paintings and about Vincent and his brother's life. We will highly recommend him!!!Amazing!!

Natalie🇦🇺 Australia

27 December 2017

We had the absolute pleasure of exploring the life and art of Vincent Van Gogh with Rolf while in Amsterdam. I had told him that my daughter was an artist and he had gone to great lengths to tailor the tour towards her (as I had asked) and she really got a lot out of it. Rolf was warm, knowledgeable, and charming and the time flew by. We can highly recommend Rolf as a guide especially when it comes to art which he is obviously passionate about. This tour set a high bar for our other tours an we would happily return to Amsterdam and book in another guided tour with Rolf!Rolf has set a high bar for other tours!

Philippe🇧🇪 Belgium

3 December 2017

During a WE break in Amsterdam we booked a Van Gogh Museum tour with Rolf. What can we say, it was insightful and entertaining at the same time. Thanks to Rolf we could understand the whole story and tragedy of Vincent van Gogh while seeing his master pieces. Rolf has not only the knowledge but also the gift to communicate it perfectly and with a lot of empathy for the artist. Dank u wel Rolf!Van Gogh's Life & Masterpieces Tour

Sarah🇬🇧 United Kingdom

13 November 2017

My husband and I had a two hour tour of the Van Gogh Museum with Rolf. He was an excellent guide. He explained lots about the tragic life of the famous painter so we had a human insight into the paintings we were seeing. We had a very interesting and informative morning and if I had had time I would definitely have booked a tour of the Rijksmuseum with Rolf. Tour of Van Gogh museum

Allison🇺🇸 United States

1 October 2017

My friend and I were doing a Euro trip and only had a couple of days to spend in Amsterdam. We wanted to make sure we got the most out of our two days, so we booked several tours so that we could see it all. We used With Locals to book our tour of the Van Gogh Museum and were set up with Rolf. Rolf was very communicative and it was easy to find him among the throngs of people. He had our tickets ready and we entered into the museum. Rolf was an amazing tour guide. My friend and I left feeling like we knew everything about Vincent Van Gogh and his life story. Rolf always had answers to our questions and let us take our time to enjoy the paintings while giving us the background story on the particular painting or on that period of his life. I cannot recommend booking with Rolf enough--10/10 from this Texas girl. Thank you for an amazing experience in Amsterdam! Book with Rolf - 10/10 experience

Deborah🇺🇸 United States

26 September 2017

There is so much to learn about when visiting the Van Gogh Museum that I am thrilled we chose Rolf to give us a detailed and in-depth tour. He was knowledgeable, articulate and very interesting. Don't hesitate booking with Rolf - you won't be disappointed! great tour

LISA🇺🇸 United States

15 September 2017

My wife and I booked an evening tour of the Vincent Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam with Rolf Laimbock. Rolf was on time waiting for us, very pleasant and patient. I had just read a biography on Van Gogh and felt like we were getting the live version thru Rolf. His history of Van Gogh agreed with the authors research. Rolf supplemented our understanding with his knowledge to help us appreciate the artist's work even more which fueled conversation later that night over glasses of wine. Thanks for such a memorable evening.Spectacular time with Rolf

Diana🇺🇸 United States

10 August 2017

Rolf was our tour guide for the Van Gogh Museum. Rolf was extremely knowledgeable regarding Van Gogh: his life, his paintings, his technique, how it developed, etc. The tour was the PERFECT way to go through the museum, he kept the tour extremely interesting the entire time. I would highly recommend Rolf! Van Gogh Tour

Jasja

7 August 2017

It is more than the art, it is also the "backstory" that matters. While I had been to the museum before, having the tour with Rolf gave me a much better understanding and appreciation about the artist's life, his family and how we are lucky to be able to see such an amazing collection of the artists works. Rolf really know how to bring the back story to life - the story of Vincent and his brother Theo, and Theo's wife, who, without her publication of his letters, the world probably wouldn't have really learned about this amazing, tortured artist. Rolf did a great job in a fantastic 2 hour tour.Van Gogh's Life & Masterpieces Tour

Anne

7 August 2017

A visit to the Van Gogh should be on every bucket list. Rolf has a lot of knowledge and can share this with great enthusiasm. We were with big group of friends and he made it interesting for everyone by taking into account the wishes of the group. Surprising questions or jokes kept the atmosphere high. Very fun and educational.Van Gogh's Life & Masterpieces Tour

Fleur

2 August 2017

Rarely had such a inspired, personal and educational tour as with Rolf! We were with 5 friends and still have days of energy due to Rolf’s knowledge. He has many background stories and anecdotes that bring Vincent’s paintings to life. We can not wait for the next tourVan Gogh's Life & Masterpieces Tour

Jolanda

31 July 2017

Great Van Gogh tour! Surprising discoveries and what a joy. We would love to come back again Van Gogh's Life & Masterpieces Tour

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

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!

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

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

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!

Jana Ms🇳🇱 Netherlands

29 October 2023

Rolf was extremely knowledgeable about the history of the paintings and of the museum itself. He was very personable and we enjoyed his company and his knowledge. Would highly recommend him. Made our tour the best!Wonderful enlightening tour of Rijksmesum

Cathie🇦🇺 Australia

7 October 2023

Rolf was very friendly and easy to talk to. His depth of knowledge was fantastic and highly recommend Rolf for a tour. Rolf is genuinely passionate about art. Van Gogh tour