Van Gogh Museum (Amsterdam)

Located at Museumplein in the heart of Amsterdam, this is one of the city's most popular visitor attractions, and an absolute must for art inspired cheap city breaks in Amsterdam. Van Gogh is considered one of the most enigmatic artists in recent history, and the Van Gogh Museum has the world's largest collection of his work. It covers his complete career, from early paintings and sketches to the prolific periods in Paris, Arles and Auvers. Iconic works such as 'Sunflowers' takes pride of place here. It is a surprisingly cavernous art museum with several spacious galleries which despite its popularity, never seems to feel too crowded.

 

There are yet more paintings from contemporaries of Van Gogh, such as Monet and Gauguin, so it is a fun exercise to compare the differing styles. There is a recreated art studio to explore, complete with displays of letters and personal effects, which offer a colourful insight into the lifestyle of a much misunderstood artist. On short breaks in Amsterdam, you can browse the hundreds of artworks at leisure with an English language audio tour, or there are guided tours conducted by art historians and occasionally, contemporary Dutch artists.

 

Serious art aficionados will want to take advantage of free art and culture lectures on the first Sunday each month in the museum's auditorium which also hosts regular film screenings.  Kids can get creative too on weekend breaks in Amsterdam. Young art buffs can enjoy an interactive tour of the museum and spend a couple of hours creating their very own artistic masterpiece. Even younger kids can have fun on a supervised art treasure hunt. A visit to the Van Gogh Museum deserves several hours to explore in detail, and makes for a rewarding day of inspiring viewing that even kids will find captivating.