How to get there, what to see in each of the four floors, and the small details — from the cloakroom to the Kurokawa wing — that make the difference between a rushed visit and a memorable one. Everything you need to walk in prepared.
The Van Gogh Museum holds 200+ paintings, 500+ drawings, and 750 personal letters by Vincent — the largest collection of his work in the world. Spread across four floors plus the elliptical Kurokawa wing for temporary exhibitions, it can feel overwhelming on a first visit. This guide walks you through the route most visitors find rewarding, the practical details that catch people out, and where each masterpiece sits. See also our opening hours and best time to visit guides for planning tips.
The chronological introduction to Vincent's life starts here, with his earliest dark Dutch works such as The Potato Eaters (1885) and his rapid transformation in Paris in 1886, where Impressionism turned his palette inside out. This floor sets up everything you'll see upstairs.
Sunflowers, The Bedroom, Almond Blossom and Self-Portrait with Grey Felt Hat — the works most visitors come for. Allow 45–60 minutes here. The room is sometimes crowded around the Sunflowers; circle back twenty minutes later and you'll often find it almost empty.
Floor 2 holds light-sensitive drawings on rotation and the personal letters Vincent wrote to his brother Theo. The 1999 elliptical Kurokawa wing, by Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa, hosts temporary exhibitions — always worth checking what's on.
The museum is at Museumplein 6, 1071 DJ Amsterdam. Trams 2, 5 and 12 stop at Van Baerlestraat, a 2-minute walk from the entrance. The nearest train station is Amsterdam Zuid, ten minutes away by tram, and Centraal Station is twenty minutes by tram 2 or 5. If you arrive by bike, racks are along Hobbemastraat at the side of the building.
Entry is through the glass Entrance Hall on Museumplein, between the original Rietveld building and the Kurokawa wing. Coats and bags larger than A4 must be checked at the free cloakroom — there are no exceptions in the galleries. Pick up a free floor plan at the information desk, then take the escalator straight up to floor 1 to start with the masterpieces. From there, work your way down through the chronology to floor 0, then back up to floor 2 for drawings and letters.
Practical answers to plan your visit