We are two couples who are a bit torn between purchasing a guided tour from Local Guides ($50 plus the $22.50 entrance fee) for a 2 hr visit, or downloading the museum app and making our way through on our own. There are no opportunities for guided tours through the museum itself. Looking at April 17 as our visit day. Curious about experiences folks have had doing either option. Thank you.
Posted by
The Netherlands
1613 posts
I find the Rijksmuseum app to be one of the best museum apps out there. And it’s free!
I would therefore never pay $50 for a guided tour. But I’m not you, so you might prefer a guided tour.
You don’t have to be in the Rijksmuseum for the app to work. You can already download it on your phone and try it to see if you like it as much as I do.
When you look for the app in the app store, please mind the correct spelling of the name of the Rijksmuseum.
Posted by
Washington, DC USA
511 posts
In addition to the really excellent app, the museum's Gallery of Honor has the most famous masterpieces in one (often crowded) large gallery so there is no worry about not easily finding the most notable highlights. The app allows you to design a personalized tour of your choice, if you wish.
While in the Gallery of Honor, I could hear a number of tours. My cursory impression was that the ones I heard did not add much to what I could get from the app and my guidebooks. I think the only advantage of a guide would be that you could ask questions if that is important to you in art museum, and if you know that your guide has a depth of independent expertise on artists or periods of most interest to you and did not just memorize set scripts about specfic paintings.
Posted by
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA
14818 posts
Vote #3 for the museum app. I also like the feature you can use while in the museum to get you from one piece of art to another.
Don't forget your earbuds so you can listen!
AND buy your ticket thru the app, then it's right there when you get to the museum.