Connecting Open Air Museum + Koller Muller Museum near Arnhem

Doing both in the same day, looking at your options, I’d take a taxi just to save time.

This past April, we stayed in Otterlo (not far from the Kröller-Müller Museum) and day tripped using the bus from Otterlo to the Open Air Museum. Both excellent museums deserve several hours each. It’s easy enough by bus but you have several connections and transit would chew up so much of your day better spent admiring Van Goghs.

I don't know how accurate this is, but Google Maps says Bus 105 from Arnhem Central to Otterlo Rotonde takes 28 minutes. That would leave you with a walk of 3.4 km. Perhaps a taxi from Otterlo Rotonde would be affordable?

I didn't try to figure out how frequently Bus 105 runs, and I specified travel on a weekday.

Starting at the Open Air Museum, public transit involves a short walk to the bus stop to catch the 3 to Arnhem Centraal where you transfer to the 105, then at the Otterlo Rotunde transfer to the 106 to the K-M museum stop and a short walk from there.

On paper (according to 9292.NL) this is an hour, however in real time it could be longer.

With giving ourselves plenty of time to walk from the Open Air Museum to the bus stop (so as not to miss the bus) and then just missing the connection to the 105 at Arnhem Centraal (because we got turned around and weren’t quite sure of the bus bay location), for us it was closer to 1 hour and 45 minutes.

thank you all for your ideas...I'm not sure what I'll do.

Ugh! So frustrating... We too were wanting to visit both places in September and at first I thought we could do it the day we arrived, seeing how our plane lands at 8:30 am at Schipol however I believe the KM is closed on Mondays so that scrubbed that idea right off. Secondly, I wondered about getting there from Amsterdam but more and more, it looks like this will have to wait for another trip, and use our 4 days to just stay closer to Amsterdam...

I will keep following to see if other good ideas pop up.

The free "white bicycles" greatly ease transportation around the Kroller Muller Museum.

Thank you guys. Current idea - if weather permits - walk 4km from OpenAir Museum to south entrance of the national park, pick up free white bicycle and pedal north through park to museum. (This will take about as long as riding bus but I'll see more, get exercise and it'll be a bit of an adventure!). Take public bus back to Arnhem.

If you are interested in WWII history, there is a great British Army museum at Arnhem. The Movie The Bridge Too Far is the house in the movie that was the temporary HQ for the British Paratroopers that were surrounded by the Germany. I visited Arnhem and this museum and enjoyed it.

Thank you geovagriffith, I've read about the museum. I am interested in WW2 history

If you're gonna do both in one day, don't linger too long at the Open Air Museum. I went to both (over 2 days) and the Kroller-Muller Museum is a must. The bike ride in the park alone is worth it. I also went to the Hunting Lodge which was great. The park is fantastic.
If I only had one day, I'd skip the Open Air Museum and just do the park and Kroller-Muller. I counted 55 Van Gogh paintings there. But if you're not into Van Gogh, then do the opposite. Either way, it's too much for one day. I stayed two nights on a farm right next door to the park.

Thanks to all of you, I have listened and have combined your advice with the 2023 Netherlands guide; staying in a sweet hotel near the entrance of the Nat'l park in Otterlo. Spending a day at each place. Not going to be running to catch buses or dealing with painful knees from over walking one day.

FOLLOW UP
Had great weather the day I was in Arnhem. Left the Open Air Museum on foot, proceeded along a not busy road for awhile then took a path through a wooded park. Walked for about an hour. There's a cute pancake house at the south entrance to the national park. The south entrance is called Toegangshek Schaarsbergen. Easy (flat) scenic bike ride (grabbed a free white bike) through the gorgeous park on a marked paved path to the museum. Lovely experience! Rode the public bus back to the station in Arnhem from Otterlo.

I've always wanted to do that - glad it was so good for you!

I'm considering a visit to the museum, but saw a YouTube video on it that was not enticing. Do you mind sharing your thoughts about it? I'm an art fan who will not have a car, so this is a bit out of the way.

Thanks very much!

@veryspecialquilts -

My partner and I found our entire experience with the Kröller-Müller Museum superb. There's one small group tour that is recommended by the museum on their website. We set up a day tour from Amsterdam to the museum using that link. There were 8 passengers in a large Mercedes van with a talkative driver who took us directly to the museum via the shortest route possible.

We took a short walk to the ferry which took us to the meeting place. The total time involved in traveling and visiting the museum was from 8:30 AM to about 5:45 PM. It was a very fine day trip. I think it was the least stressful way to visit the museum but of course it would cost a bit more than trains and buses.

I'm an art historian/artist and my partner is an interior designer. We loved the second largest collection of Van Gogh work housed at the museum as we could actually interact more with the works without the throngs always found at the Van Gogh Museum. There's one key piece that most art students will instantly recognize but many others worthy of your time. There's a surprising number of works by Vincent's contemporaries that will engage you. I fell in love with a Cezanne painting that I had not seen before.

The sculpture garden has more modern works than the museum. It's rather large and a pleasant outdoors break. There's a cafe sufficient for a coffee/tea break or lunch indoors and outdoors at times as well.

I'd enjoy a return visit any time. I wouldn't pay much attention to the youtube videos especially if you are seeking post-impressionist work.

deebaxster, regarding your followup: about how much time did you spend at the Open Air Museum and in the park?
We will be based in Utrecht and will train to Arnhem and take the bus to the Open Air Museum. We probably will skip the Kroller Muller Museum, because we are going to the Van Gogh Museum a couple of days later. However, the idea of cycling through the park is appealing. Do you think that would be worthwhile? If so, you said your walk along the road and through the woods took about an hour. Did that bring you to the south entrance you referred to? Was it pretty clear where you should walk?

Silas Marner - thanks very much for these details. I too am an art history buff and am happy to hear a small group tour is available. I will re-check the website. I'm getting the sense that there is much to enjoy in and near Amsterdam and that my week may not be enough!

Much appreciated!

@veryspecialquilts

The museum cooperates fully with the company they recommend for small group tours on their website: https://krollermuller.nl/en/address-and-route That's important because entry to the museum is enabled more easily.

You will need to watch the small tour group company's schedule as the number of offerings is limited. We timed our schedule around availability. There are only 8 seats available per excursion.

It appears that the meeting point is the same one we used in April 2023. Some people may balk at the price of €199 per person but to us that was a bargain as it only took 75 minutes to reach the museum!

Upon reflection it was an outstanding day for us.

Another vote for the WWII museum at Arnhem for those researching this forum for future trips. It was a heroic, if in the end failed, stand by the British paratroopers in this part of the war. I was there last March and very much enjoyed it. There is also a very decent cafe between the museum and the parking lot where I had lunch (not to be confused with the food truck on the grounds themselves).