This is my current approximate itinerary for the Amsterdam area for July. I have not made reservations for any museums yet.
Wednesday: Plane arrives in Amsterdam 12:30pm local time. If time: Maritime museum, walk past various monuments.
Thurs: Anne Frank house, Portuguese synagogue and Jewish museum; if time, Dutch resistance museum.
Fri: Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh museum, possibly Stedelijk museum.
Saturday: day trip to Haarlem: Buy combo ticket for Frans Hal and Teylers museum at information office in the town hall at 9:30am or when they open; Frans Hal museum first; walk past various monuments; if time, briefly, Saint Bavo’s kerk. Stayokay Amsterdam Vondelpark.
Sunday: day or part day trip to Zaanse Schans.
Monday: Rembrandt house, Willet Holthuysen museum, or possibly other historic house; if time, if not seen yet, one or more of: maritime museum; Amsterdam museum, Dutch Resistance museum, or other museum. Train to Den Haag.
I understand that from one side to the other side of the old part of Amsterdam where the tourist industry is, is approximately a 45 minute walk; I am guessing that I will use local public transportation whenever I judge that doing so will save me time including waiting for the next train or help me fit in what I want to do before the museums I want to see close.
Would I be making a mistake by buying the 120 iamsterdam card that costs 115.00 euros? Is there a supposed consensus about buying it in advance and having it delivered to your USA home address versus buying it in advance and picking it up at the iamsterdam visitor information center Amsterdam Schiphol airport versus waiting until I arrive to buy it and just hoping I will figure out where to buy it in person?
Edit: if this matters, my total trip budget is $3,500 US dollars. Subtracting $160 for transportation to and from the airport in Michigan, plane tickets I already bought, and cost of hotels/hostels I already reserved, I have $1,182 left for the combination of food, transportation and sites and museums.