World > Europe > The Netherlands > Amsterdam

Rijksmuseum

Deep in the throes of a massive renovation (projected to be completed in 2013), this is still nonetheless a world-class museum‚ not least because its directors are making an enormous effort to meticulously rotate important works in and out of the two-story Philips Wing, the only part of the vast 1885 building open during the refurbishment. What visitors see now is a sort of Rijksmuseum all-stars lineup that the museum's directors are calling “The Masterpieces.” Rembrandt's Night Watch and Vermeer's Kitchen Maid will be on permanent display, but you'll never know what else you might see: 18th-century dolls' houses, weaponry, Asian lacquer work, or ornate silver.