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Description
The Rijksmuseum is one of the world's finest art museums and boasts an impressive collection of over 8000 artworks. Floor 2 is home to the highlights, such as Rembrandt’s The Night Watch (1642), Vermeer’s Milkmaid (1660), The Little Street (1658), and Woman in Blue Reading a Letter (1663). Don’t miss Van Gogh’s Self-portrait (1887) on the first floor, as well as Jan Willem Pieneman’s Battle of Waterloo (1824) - the largest painting in the museum. Other must-sees are the Delftware (blue-and-white pottery), intricate dollhouses, the Asian Pavilion, and Cuyper’s library. There’s also a Michelin-starred restaurant, cafe, shop, library, garden, and outdoor gallery that host sculpture exhibitions. The Rijksmuseum was founded in 1800 and was originally located in Den Haag (The Hague). In 1808, it was moved to the Royal Palace on Dam Square in Amsterdam, where it was joined by The Night Watch and some other national artworks. Architect Pierre Cuypers was chosen to design the museum's current building and construction began in 1876. The museum officially opened to the public in 1885.