Regional/Cultural Day
Rijksmuseum Day
A celebration of the Rijksmuseum, the national museum of the Netherlands, which houses over 8,000 objects including masterworks by Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Steen. The museum was founded in 1800 in The Hague and moved to Amsterdam in 1808. The Night Watch by Rembrandt is the most famous painting in the collection, and it has been the target of three attacks (in 1911, 1975, and 1990). The museum was renovated between 2003 and 2013, and the renovation took twice as long and cost twice as much as planned. The Dutch have a saying: "If you haven't seen the Night Watch, you haven't been to Amsterdam." The day is observed with free admission, special exhibitions, and guided tours.