Rembrandt House Museum

Rembrandt van Rijn bought this handsome house on Jodenbreestraat in 1639, when he was at the height of his success, and lived and worked here until 1658. The cost of the house contributed to the money troubles that led to his bankruptcy, and he was forced to sell it and move to a smaller home in the Jordaan. The building opened as a museum on 10 June 1911.

The interior has been reconstructed using the detailed inventory of Rembrandt's possessions drawn up when he went bankrupt, so the rooms are furnished much as he would have known them. You pass through the entrance hall where paintings were displayed for sale, the kitchen with its box bed, the living and sleeping rooms, and up to the large, light studio where he painted and taught his pupils. A highlight is the cabinet of curiosities, filled with shells, sculpture busts, weapons and natural specimens of the kind he collected and used as props. A modern wing next door displays a large collection of his etchings, and exhibitions explore his work and that of his contemporaries.

The museum offers demonstrations and activities that bring the house to life, and during school holidays it runs workshops such as etching sessions, which makes it a good choice for families with older children. Art lovers will appreciate seeing the space where works such as The Night Watch were created, and it pairs naturally with a visit to the Rijksmuseum.

The museum is open every day from 10am to 6pm, except on King's Day and 25 December. Tickets can be booked online, which is advisable at weekends and during holidays. Allow around an hour and a half. The historic house has narrow stairs between floors, so visitors with limited mobility should check access information with the museum in advance.

The house stands on Jodenbreestraat in the old Jewish quarter, right beside Waterlooplein metro station and the Waterlooplein flea market. The Jewish Cultural Quarter, including the Jewish Museum and the Portuguese Synagogue, is a few minutes' walk away, as is the Hortus Botanicus. Nieuwmarkt and the Oude Kerk are about ten minutes' walk to the north-west.