Where to Go: The Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

Landscape at Twilight, 1890

After I stumbled out of the Rijksmuseum, dizzied and saturated by Dutch art, I wandered down the streets in search of a park where I could eat a Clif bar and recover from the amazingness. I almost made it past the Van Gogh Museum. Almost. Then I saw a building to my left with floor-to-ceiling windows emblazoned with copies of Sunflowers and Wheatfield with Crows, and I stumbled to a halt in front of the Van Gogh Museum. I didn’t mean to go here. I stubbornly walked past it and sat in the park and ate a Clif bar. But it wasn’t long before my feet strayed back to the same place, and I found myself pulling euro-bills out of my pocket and heading for the entrance. I just can’t stay away from Van Gogh.

Why you should go: As the name suggests, this is not a museum where you go to get a sweeping view of many different styles. The displays are mostly Van Gogh (surprise surprise), but there are also some features of artists who influenced him. Van Gogh’s paintings are much better in real life than they are in books. If you appreciate his work and want to see some of his most famous pieces, this is the place for you. 

The Potato Eaters, 1885

How to get there: The Van Gogh Museum is close to the Rijksmuseum and easily accessible by pretty much anywhere in the city. (Googlemaps will help you get around town.)

What to bring: The museum costs 14,00 euros. Cameras aren’t allowed, so be prepared to either write down the names of the paintings you like (as I did), or else bring money to buy postcards of the paintings you particularly want to remember.

What to do: Before you head to the displays, take the escalator downstairs and watch the 20-minute documentary about Van Gogh’s life. It’s spoken in Dutch but has English subtitles. Then go on to the displays, which chronicle Van Gogh’s work in his short life as a painter.

What else you need to know: Not all of the paintings have commentary, so it might be worth it to spend an extra five euros to get the audio tour (available in English). There is only one floor of Van Gogh displays, so I actually went through them twice: once up close, observing his technique, and once about six feet away from each painting, appreciating the way they change from a mass of thick paint to a breathtaking view of pear trees at sunset. You might find a new favorite.

The verdict? I’m glad that I visited. If I had it to do again, I would take a longer break in between the two museums in order to recharge my brain. Featuring some of the most innovative and famous paintings in the world, the Van Gogh Museum is definitely worth the price.

The Bedroom, 1888

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Where to Go: The Kröller-Müller Museum, Netherlands

“I put my heart and my soul into my work, and have lost my mind in the process.” ~Vincent Van Gogh

Cafe Terrace at Night, one of my absolute favorite Van Goghs.

Take a day trip from Amsterdam, find your way into the heart of the national park Hoge Veluwe, and you will discover one of the art gems of the world. The Kröller-Müller Museum is a treasure trove of art, especially from one of the Netherlands’ most famous artists: Vincent Van Gogh. 

Van Gogh has always fascinated me: not only his work, but his way of seeing the world. His mental instability and his constant search for something new and fulfilling made him unhappy for most of his life, but from that sadness blossoms the fruit of his work: full-bodied figures, landscapes that crackle like fire, and brushstrokes of such skill that they bring tears to my eyes.

Mary and Elly took me to the museum and turned me loose in the galleries, where I wandered in a trance from painting to painting. I saw some of my all-time favorites by Van Gogh. Most impressive to me was Cypresses with Two Women. I can show you a photograph, but it can’t convey the brushstrokes. They jumped off the page, robust and vivid, piled on so thick that it almost looked like a relief. The trees are tangles of olive flames, quivering on the canvas. The trees, like the trees in most of his paintings, are alive.

Zelfportret, 1867

I spent a long time looking at Van Gogh’s Zelfportret, 1867. His eyes stared at me. Not empty, like the eyes of a photograph. He put his heart and soul into his work, and they are still there, still caught up in the brushstrokes, staring out at me. He looks exhausted, a bit wary, trying to decide whether to be intrigued or apathetic. I wish I could talk to him. I wish I could tell him about the millions of people who appreciate his art, and tell him how much his paintings move me. But the canvass is silent, and his body is dust in the grave. So I just give a nod to the painting, wipe the tears from my eyes, and move on.

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Why you should go: Even someone who knows nothing about art will recognize a few of the paintings on display, and art enthusiasts need to bring a jacket because they will get chills every time they turn a corner and see another masterpiece. You’ll find art by Georges Seurat, Auguste Rodin, Paul Gaugin, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and many others as well.

How to get there: The museum is nestled in the heart of the Hoge Veluwe National Park in the Netherlands. By bus or car it’s only a couple hours outside of Amsterdam. I will let the museum’s website do the talking.

What to bring: The fee for park entrance and museum admission is 16,40 euros for adults (unbelievably worth it). Bring a purse or knapsack instead of a backpack; you’ll have to wear it in front or lug it around with one hand. 

What to do: Not only is there a spacious indoor section, but the museum also features a large sculpture garden. Take advantage of both these features and make an afternoon of it. Also, if you have a few extra euros, check out the local organic food at Monsieur Jacques, located inside the museum. I had the most amazing Brie sandwich in the world there.

What else you need to know: It’s not a huge museum, so feel free to take your time. It features a lot of modern art, so you can skip a big section of the displays if you’re not interested in blank canvasses and blocks of wood. Finally, you should learn how to pronounce the artist’s name in his native language. Say “Vincent,” with a nondescript European accent, then follow it with “von,” and end by saying a throaty “aw” with a huge clearing of your throat before and after the vowel. “Dank u wel, Vincent Van Gogh. Dank u wel.”

Country Road in Provence by Night. It was so beautiful that I cried when I saw it.

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