Before flying to Curacao this week I had one more day in Amsterdam. And what better way to spend the afternoon than cherishing the beauty, art and renovation at the Rijksmuseum.

After an extensive renovation the museum opened again last year with a blast. I remember when it closed more than 10 years ago for this renovation. I was a student in Amsterdam then. It was such a delight to be back there.

All photos via the pinterest page of the museum

This is the new entrance hall of the museum. Vast and light, it will lead you to the entrance of the galleries, the restaurant and the museum shop.

At the information desk there is a folder with a walking route especially designed so you can see the architectural delights of this building. It is certainly as impressive as some of the art in it. While you walk through the hall, take a moment to stand still and look up. Chances are you will be impressed.

This is one of the main attractions of course. The famous Rembrandt. It is not often you shall see it like this. When I was there people swarmed around it. Taking pictures and selfies. But if you stand in one place long enough, the people seem to disappear and all that is left is the light in the painting.

The library is one of the most impressive rooms in the museum. Leaving the main halls filled with chatter and laughter you enter the quite, serene library. A wondrous sight.

“The Rijksmuseum Research Library is a private academic art history library whose purpose is preservation. The library has maintained a constant, high-standard acquisition policy since 1885.”

— Rijksmuseum

“From 25 April, British writers and philosophers Alain de Botton & John Armstrong will be showing in the Rijksmuseum what art can mean to visitors. And not so much from an (art-)historical point of view, but focusing rather on the therapeutic effect that art can have and the big questions in life that art can answer. In the exhibition Art is Therapy, De Botton (1969) and Armstrong (1966) will be commenting on 150 artworks on display in the Rijksmuseum galleries, from the Middle Ages right through to the 20th century, including the Asian Pavilion, but also on objects in the shop, café, cloakroom and entrance. They have also selected approx. 40 prints from the Rijksmuseum Print Room. The text boards have been designed by Irma Boom and added to the museum’s original ones. De Botton and Armstrong believe that these new captions shed an entirely new light on the Rijksmuseum collection. This exhibition will be the first time that the philosophers put their theories from their latest book Art as Therapy into practice. ”

— Rijksmuseum

The Asian Pavilion - usually a bit more quiet than the other rooms, is a splendid space. I especially loved all the statues.

“The Asian Pavilion was designed by the architects Cruz and Ortiz. Constructed from Portuguese sandstone and glass, the building is surrounded by water and characterized by a wealth of diagonal planes and unusual perspectives. Inside, it houses a rich collection of Asian art brought together from China, Japan, Indonesia, India, Vietnam and Thailand and dating from the period between 2000 BC and 2000 AC.”

— Rijksmuseum

This being The Netherlands and its crown jewel of a museum there is an abundance of art depicting tulips of all kinds, in all mediums and from various centuries. You can imagine my happiness. The museum shop sells reproductions of some of the works - yep, you guessed it. I bought the one above. This is "Still life with flowers" by Hans Bollongier painted in 1639. And soon its reproduction will hang in my house.

“In the 17th century, the tulip, one of the Netherland’s national symbols, was subject to a veritable mania that led directly to it being traded on the stock market.”

— Rijksmuseum

Stepping out of the museum you are greeted by the bikers making their way through the arches. An everlasting symbol of the Rijksmuseum.