Can anyone tell me what activities/museums in Amsterdam need to be booked in advance, and which can just be paid for on the day? I know advanced reservations are needed for the Anne Frank house, but what about the van Gogh and Rijksmuseum, and a canal cruise? This will be in late March.
Posted by
WI
399 posts
I'd say that you can walk up and get a canal cruise same day (especially in March). We did that in June and caught the next boat.
Anne Frank, Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh are an absolute - you can't enter without an appointment and all tickets are purchased online. At least with Anne Frank I know the online tickets often sell out within hours of their first becoming available (6 weeks in advance).
Keep that in mind when you look at any day passes. You still need to book a reservation entry time, so sometimes it makes the day passes less helpful with these kinds of extremely popular sites.
Posted by
Massachusetts
1596 posts
From the Rijksmuseum website: https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/visit/faq
Do you need a reservation?
For a visit to the Rijksmuseum, booking a starting time is necessary. This applies to everyone, including Museumkaart holders.
From the Van Gogh Museum website: https://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/en/visit/frequently-asked-questions#buying-tickets-and-rescheduling
Where to buy Van Gogh Museum tickets safely?
Buy your tickets to the Van Gogh Museum safely at tickets.vangoghmuseum.com or through our official resellers Tours&Tickets, GetYourGuide, Tiqets, Musement and Klook. Other platforms may offer fraudulent tickets.
Is it possible to buy tickets at the door?
No, that is not possible. All tickets are available online via tickets.vangoghmuseum.com or via our official resellers: Tours&Tickets, GetYourGuide, Tiqets, Musement and Klook. Other platforms may offer fraudulent tickets.
Do I have to book tickets online, even when I have a Museumkaart, ICOM Card or other discount card?
Yes, for all visitors it is required to book a ticket with start time in advance. You can purchase your tickets via tickets.vangoghmuseum.com. Only a ticket with start time ensures access to the museum.
If you are a card holder of for example Museumkaart, ICOM Card, Stadspas, or Rembrandtkaart, you also need to book a ticket online.
Posted by
The Netherlands
2088 posts
Unless there is a major blockbuster special exhibit going on, the Rijksmuseum doesn’t sell out in advance. https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en
The Van Gogh Museum does tend to sell out in advance. The first time slots of the day are sold out the first, I recommend to book one of these early time slots a couple of weeks in advance.
https://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/en
The Anne Frank house needs to be booked as soon as tickets become available.
https://www.annefrank.org/en/
Don’t be fooled by third party ticket resellers. Use only the links I gave you above to book your tickets.