I visited two of Amsterdam‘s most popular museums today: the Van Gogh Museum and the Anne Frank House.
When the Van Gogh Museum opened in 1973, there wasn’t nearly the volume of tourists there is today. I really loved the museum, despite the slow-moving, backed-up lines. I did find it annoying that so many people were taking selfies in front of the most popular works, Sunflowers and Almond Blossoms. One young woman kept posing—kicking back her heel, putting her hands on her cheeks with a surprised expression—while her friends snapped multiple shots.
Crowds also stood much too close, leaning over the already-too-close, knee-high barriers. Gosh, what if Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear were here instead of being permanently displayed in London?
Standing close to Van Gogh’s works gives you a brief glimpse of his thick, textured brushwork, intricate patterns, and unexpected colour pairings. But stepping back allows your eyes to blend those bold combinations into a more sweeping, unified perspective. I know it sounds cliché, but that’s when the painting comes alive. Try zooming in on some of his pictures.
I particularly enjoyed Van Gogh’s paintings of peasants. He had a deep interest in their lives and was even criticized for his focus on them. He always depicted them with dignity.
They even had van Gogh’s last, unfinished painting on display.
Next, I headed over to the Anne Frank House, but I had some time to kill, so I found a bench (hard to find here, unlike Copenhagen) by a canal and sat watching the many and various electric boats going by.
The Anne Frank House was very well organized, and I didn’t feel that they had booked too many people into my timeslot. Overall, the experience was thoughtfully done. I had an audio guide and passed through several exhibitions highlighting the Frank family’s personal life before entering the Secret Annex via a series of extremely steep stairs.
There were personal effects, including documents, photographs, objects, and Anne’s original diary. I read The Diary of a Young Girl as a preteen and remember it well. Visiting the house put me right there. It was a deeply moving experience, and one I would highly recommend.
Off to Iceland! 🇮🇸 I’m SO looking forward to colder weather.
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