Journeys›Photograph

Quick April Trip to Amsterdam's Museumplein

·Amsterdam, Netherlands·#travel#spring#amsterdam#museums#nederland#rijksmuseum
A grand multi-story library hall with numerous bookshelves, an ornate arched ceiling, a skylight, and large windows.

A quick April trip, and we gave a whole day to Museumplein. Started inside the Rijksmuseum, where the research library alone was worth the ticket — a glass barrel roof over three tiers of iron balconies packed with books, a spiral stair in the corner. The building has anchored this square since 1885; the square itself hosted the International Colonial and Export Exhibition in 1883, got its official name in 1903, and was reworked in 1999 by Sven-Ingvar Andersson. The girls did not care about any of that. They cared about the giant I amsterdam letters out front, which required climbing, along with several dozen other people doing the same thing.

There is a playground near the pavilion café, so we lost some time to a rope swing built for one person that both girls insisted on riding together. Then along the long pond, tulips floating in planters, toward the Van Gogh Museum at the far end — the two museums bookend the square, so the whole day was really one slow walk between them. Big banners everywhere for the High Society show, a Dutchman in a ruff staring down at the crowd.

The Rijksmuseum building with a large exhibition banner, and many people walking and cycling in front.A young person sits on a large red letter sculpture with a grand brick building and cloudy sky in the background.Many people pose on the large "I amsterdam" sign in front of the Rijksmuseum building under a cloudy sky.Two children play on a large net swing with a historic building and a cafe in the sunny background.The Rijksmuseum building overlooks a pond with floating tulip pots and a large gathering of people.An adult and two children smile in front of the Rijksmuseum, "I Amsterdam" sign, and a pool with tulips.The curved Van Gogh Museum and glass buildings stand before a grassy lawn with people, under a blue sky with clouds.A child in a blue jacket stands on grass in front of the Van Gogh Museum building and sign in Amsterdam.

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