After a ten-year, nearly €400 million renovation, Amsterdam‘s fantastic Rijksmuseum finally reopens next month on April 13th. For visitors who have been disappoint (some of us multiple times) by the glacially slow refurbishment, it comes not a moment too soon. With almost two kilometers of galleries covering more than 800 years of the Netherland’s rich art and history, the palatial, red-brick museum is the crown jewel of Amsterdam’s Museumplein district.

The brand-new dual atria alone covers 25,000 square feet. Along with dramatic changes to most of the museum’s 80 galleries, the fabled library is finally being opened to the general visiting public. So, no more begging and wheedling just to get a peek at the fabulous painted ceiling, mosaics, cast-iron staircases and the six kilometers of bookshelves. I don’t think that I was the only one who pestered his way into the library, was I?

But most return visitors will make a beeline for the Galley of Honor and the Golden Age galleries for the sublime paintings by Vermeer, Hals, Steen and of course Rembrandt . A special room at the heart of the museum is dedicated to Rembrandt’s famed Nightwatch, the apotheosis of the Dutch Golden Age of art.

The “new” Rijksmuseum even has its first rebranding in over three decades. The new look is down to designer Irma Boom, who has tackled everything from signage to the souvenir pens and mugs.

Related articles

• Case Study: Rijksmuseum releases 111.000 high quality images to the public domain. (openglam.org)
• Girl with a Hoop Earring: Fun with Vermeer (artnews.com)
• Vermeer’s ‘Woman In Blue’ Brings Her Mystery, Allure To L.A. (wnyc.org)
• Why 2013 is the Year to Visit Amsterdam (urbantimes.co)