Journeys›Photograph

Two Days in Amsterdam: Art, Canals, and Tulips

·Badhoevedorp, Netherlands·#travel#family trip#spring#amsterdam#rijksmuseum#netherlands
An adult and two children stand on a bridge overlooking a canal with houseboats and historic buildings.

We spent a couple of days in Amsterdam in early April 2018. The city felt just as you'd picture it, with canals everywhere lined by historic buildings and houseboats. We spent most of our time just walking, crossing bridges and taking in the atmosphere. It was cool enough for jackets under a bright, overcast spring sky.

A main event for us was visiting the Rijksmuseum. The building itself is impressive, and inside we finally saw Rembrandt’s 'The Night Watch' in person. The scale of it is hard to capture in photos; it really does command the room. We also explored the museum's research library, a stunning multi-story space with arched ceilings and walls filled with old books.

Being spring, we couldn't leave without seeing the tulips. We found an indoor hall that was a sea of vibrant reds, pinks, and yellows. The girls were happy just to be surrounded by all that color, and one of them left with a small, perfect bouquet.

A man and two children pose on a bridge overlooking a canal with houseboats and city buildings.An adult and two children stand smiling in front of the Rijksmuseum, which displays "High Society" exhibition banners.A smiling woman and two children stand in front of the ornate Rijksmuseum building with large banners.An adult and two children stand before a large, ornate building with Rijksmuseum and "High Society" banners.A large framed painting of a group of armed people, including two prominent men, with "REMBRANDT" written above.A multi-level library hall with tall bookshelves, arched ceilings, a skylight, and large windows.A smiling child holds colorful wooden tulips, surrounded by beds of real pink, red, and yellow tulips indoors.A child in a blue jacket holds colorful wooden tulips in front of fields of real tulips.

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