The Rijksmuseum: Amsterdam's Jewel in the Crown

There are tons of reasons to visit Amsterdam, but most of them don't revolve around the artwork. For tourists, it's about absorbing the local culture; but thankfully, the capital of the Netherlands is much more than the tourist traps. The Rijksmuseum, for instance, is one of the most iconic cultural attractions in the world. If that isn't reason enough to visit, here are four powerful reasons to book a trip to Amsterdam.

Unmissable Artwork

The Rijksmuseum is like the Louvre in Paris—it has a selection of pieces that you can't find anywhere else in the world. The majority are from legendary Dutch painters such as Vincent van Gogh, Vermeer, and Rembrandt. Just like Di Vinci, these well-known artists are renowned for their mastery of a paintbrush. For this reason, looking at paintings such as The Threatened Swan or The Milkmaid will take your breath away, as will The Night Watch. I Am Amsterdam ranks Rembrandt's masterpiece as the number one thing to see in the Rijksmuseum. If you're into art, there's no better place to indulge your love than in Amsterdam.

Private in Future

Holland's relationship with art is tricky because much of it has connections to World War II. Currently, there's a push to retrieve stolen pieces and return them to their families by the likes of the Mondex Corporation, an agency that specialises in retrieval. This has been made more intense by a policy of the Dutch government known as balance the interests. Thankfully, it means that the rightful owners should finally receive their belongings and some closure decades after the war. Of course, this means it won't be public any longer, so it's better to see the artwork now before they're no longer available.

The Gardens

Before you enter the museum, the beauty of the gardens will strike you. Indeed, you can spend half of the day just wandering around the green lawns staring at the stunning tulips. On a spring or summer's day, Amsterdam is ideal because it's not too hot, but warm enough that you don't need extra layers. Sitting on a bench watching the world go by is a perfect way to finish off after a couple of hours in the Rijksmuseum.

Cuypers Library

Cuypers has the oldest collection of books in the world, and visitors are allowed to come and look at them without special permission. You can even study in the library if you have research to do. The number of texts on display can be daunting which is why everything is digitized. Wander over to a communal iPad, and you can browse until your heart's content thanks to a mobile device and internet connection. It beats a dusty old book store any day of the week.

The Rijksmuseum is undoubtedly one of the biggest attractions in the Netherlands and something you should add to your bucket list.