The museumkaart – The Netherlands’ little known wonder pass!

The Netherlands is known for its incredible array of museums. Almost every town and city having at least one, our little seaside town of Noordwijk has more than 5 itself. If you’re coming to The Netherlands, it may be worth your time and money purchasing a museumkaart in advance. This way you’re ready to go as soon as you arrive.

What is the museumkaart?

The museumkaart is a personalised physical pass that grants you free or heavily discounted access. Museumkaart works to over 500 museums and events across the country for a year for an incredibly reasonable price. Yes, it lasts for a year, but don’t stop reading just because you’re only coming for a weekend, 5 days, a week etc! The card costs €59.90 per year with a one-time starting fee of €4.95. Now, we know what you’re thinking, it looks like a lot of money. But, when you realise that the rijksmuseum (probably the most famous museum in Amsterdam) alone costs €22.50, €65 doesn’t look so bad! The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam as well as the MoCo (modern art museum) both also cost around €20. So, if you’re planning on seeing a few museums while you’re in The Netherlands, the museumkaart is the way to go.

How do you purchase a card?

Sign up here in less than 5 minutes by filling out the form and adding a photo of yourself. You then process the payment and you’re all set! The museumkaart then gets sent and should arrive within 5-8 days, this is the only tricky part if you’re not already in the country. We suggest contacting the accommodation you have booked and asking if they could look after the cards for you before your arrival. This is something we do at the hostel when guests inform us in advance.

What can you see?

The museumkaart gives you access to over 500 museums and dozens of activities and temporary events organised throughout The Netrherlands. The card guarentees that your time here will be filled with endless opportunities for days out. See our list of top options for a few of the major cities close to The Flying Pig Beach Hostel.

Amsterdam

The Anne Frank House – A museum dedicated to the incredible life of Anne Frank whose diary written during World War 2 became famous around the world.

The Rijksmuseum – The national museum of The Netherlands. An informative journey through art and history with famous works including Rembrandt’s ‘The Night Watch’ and many others.

Nemo Science Museum – A museum dedicated to science and technology filled with countless videos, experiments and demonstrations.

The Hague

Kunstmuseum Den Haag – One of Europe’s largest art museums. The Kunstmuseum houses work by Monet, Van Gogh, Mauve and more.

Kasteel de Haar – The largest castle in the Netherlands is beautiful both inside and outside. Wander around this incredible castle renovated by the designer of the Rijksmuseum and Amsterdam Centraal station.

Fotomuseum Den Haag – With 6 different exhibitions per year, the museum showcases a broad range of periods, disciplines and genres of photographic history.

Leiden (our closest city)

Hortus Botanicus Leiden – Opened in 1590. The botanical gardens of Leiden are the oldest in The Netherlands and one of the oldest in the entire world. Spanning 7.5 acres in the city centre with 10,000 different species of plants. The Hortus Botanicus includes a giant tropical greenhouse, a winter garden and species of plants from around the world.

Wereldmuseum – One of the oldest museums of Ethnology in the world focusing on global cultural histories such as religion, living environments and injustice.

Japanmuseum SieboldHuis – With a permanent exhibition showcasing artifacts collected from Japan between 1823 and 1830. The museum has changing temporary exhibits such as woodblock printing, the history of kimonos and more. This museum is a gem in Leiden.