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For the average tourist, the Rijksmuseum is one of the top tourist attractions in Amsterdam, which is itself one of the top tourists hotspots in Europe, which in turn is one of the most desirable continents for we Earth travellers (which is arguably one of the least-visited populated planets in the known universe*).
I guess the fact that it took until my, oh I don’t know…fifth? trip to Amsterdam before I finally visited the Rijksmuseum confirms what I’ve long suspected, that I’m not an average tourist (mean perhaps, but not average…who is?), but on November 26th, 2013 I finally took some time (and about twenty euros) to check out the 100+ year old building and perused a sampling of the museum’s collection of more than a million objects that celebrate the art, history, and culture of Dutch civilization.
In a word, I found it ‘meh”.
Sure the building(s) itself is cool, but so is most of the architecture that surrounds it. Along every canal in the gloriously picturesque city is building after building that dates back hundreds of years and each one can easily fill up one’s architectural appreciation cup until it runneth over. And sure, the art that dangles from the gilded walls is of the highest quality, but to be honest the Hermitage in St. Petersburg holds a vastly better collection of Rembrandts and truth laid bare: the greatest of all Dutch painters is virtually ignored at the Rijksmuseum due to the fact that Van Gogh has his own vastly more interesting one-man show museum just down the street (an attraction I never miss and can never get enough of).
And while the Rijksmuseum does have its charms and its admirable qualities, its real downfall lies in its location. I mean, if the Rijks was the only game in town I’m sure I would appreciate it more, but in a city like Amsterdam I can easily think of at least 423 better things to do, like Anne Frank’s House, the aforementioned Van Gogh Museum (of course), a canal tour, and the rest.
As if there’s a city like Amsterdam. As if there’s an average tourist. As if I bothered to write a ticket story about something so meh as the Rijksmuseum. As if there’s a “j” in Rijksmuseum. As if.
*You think flat-Earthers are weird? Just you try and have a rational conversation with a conical-Venusian.
Todd Man Out 