Dreaming about visiting famous works of art, beautiful castles, and ancient dinosaur bones? Whether you’ve recently moved to the Netherlands or have lived here for
years, you need to get a Museumkaart! The Museumkaart (Netherlands Museum Pass) is an annual membership card that gives free entry to many museums in the Netherlands.
Unlimited access to over 450 museums
Yes, you read that right! Purchasing the annual membership card gives you free or discounted entry to over 450 museums in the Netherlands, with around 40 museums in Amsterdam alone. Whether you’re interested in art, culture, history or science, there’s something for everyone! Most larger cities in the Netherlands provide at least one place where the Museumkaart can be used. Some of my personal favourites? Castle De Haar near Utrecht, Mauritshuis inThe Hague, the Space Expo in Noordwijk and Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden.
It’s cost-effective
With an annual fee of around 65 euros per year for adults and 33 euros for children, the Museumkaart provides excellent value for the money. Entrance fees at individual museums can be quite expensive, with some costing upwards of 20 euros. The one-time investment in the Museumkaart will pay for itself in about threeto four visits. The Museumkaart can bepurchased online if you’re a Dutch resident. Just visiting? You can purchase a temporary Museumkaart (valid for 31 days) at most museums. This temporary card, however, can only be used at five museums in a 31-day period.
See masterpieces up close
You may have seen famous works in your textbooks as a child, on television or on social media, but how incredible would it be to see these masterpieces in person? With the Museumkaart you can visit The Night Watch by Rembrandt, The Girl with the Pearl Earring by Vermeer, a 67-million-year-old T-Rex skeleton and artifacts from the Ancient Egyptian world. With all these wonders so close by, why wouldn’t you take the time to see them?
Feel closer to Dutch culture
Being an expat can make you feel as if you’re an outsider in a strange country. To feel a bit closer to the culture of the Netherlands, I’ve found that visiting museums and other cultura; sites can be helpful. Depending on your interests, you can learn about artists from the Dutch Golden Age, award-winning Dutch scientists, medieval castles and even the life of Anne Frank. One short museum visit has the potential to better understand the Dutch. One of the best parts of living (or visiting) the Netherlands is that in such a small country, you’re always only a short distance away from an amazing museum visit. No matter what your interests are, you’re sure to find a museum for you!
Written by Tracey Martin
For more information on the Museumkaart, and to see what museums you can visit with the card, visit
www.museum.nl