Got tickets for the Vermeer Exhibition at the Rijksmuseum?! Here are some suggestions:
- As others have noted there is a designated entrance for the Vermeer Exhibition off of the bike lanes at the center of the museum. It’s the door I’ve always gone in for the main collection, on the left as you walk up from the Museumplein. They had the general folks going in the doors on the other side, across the traffic lanes. The lines are labeled and an employee walks the line to check everyone’s ticket. Your ticket is scanned once you go through the revolving door and you’re given a wristband.
- Dress in layers and I am not kidding. The guard tried to get me to put my rain jacket in a locker saying it was hot in the exhibition but I was cold from standing outside in the wind and didn’t want to bother. I shed my jacket and should have taken off my long sleeve quarter zip.
- You can stay in as long as you want and can go through as many times as you want. I doubled back some but…when you get to the end and exit through the gift shop you go into a short hall. The “blue lines” on the floor take you to the left to exit BUT if you want another crack at the whole thing go to the right and you are back at the beginning.
- If you can and there is not a huge crowd in the first room where the paintings are hung, walk through the doors with your head down and don’t look up until you are in the room. The visual impact of the View of Delft straight ahead of you is stunning. The way it is hung enhances it’s beauty. I’m not sure if that room actually has natural light (it has what appears to be a glass ceiling) but they have done a masterful job on the setting.
I had a 9A entry time and got into the first room when there were only a few people in there. I was gobsmacked even though I’ve seen View of Delft at Mauritshuis. The visual impact here was stunning. The light from the painting just glowed. I was very moved … similar feeling to those gorgeous Berninis in the Borghese.
I’ve also been in this exhibition space before, last time for the All the Rembrandts showing in 2019 where they had lots of his sketches on every wall and the rooms seemed to be configured much smaller. This exhibition has large rooms, LOTS of visual space around each work or set of works so you can enjoy each individual piece.
By my 2nd time through it was pretty crowded but it was still easy to wait your turn and ease up in front of every painting for a personal view and picture if you wanted.
I’m so grateful to the curators for bring this show together. They must have done some major talking to get all these museums to agree! I felt very lucky indeed. I hope everyone has an equally wonderful and uplifting experience!!