Anyone wishing to conduct research by consulting the collections of the Rijksmuseum is welcome to visit the Rijksmuseum Research Library and Study Room. Both are located in and next to the historic library in the main building.

Consulting the library collection

In our Research Library you can consult the library collection. To do so please follow these two steps

  1. Make a booking for a workspace
  2. After receiving the reservation confirmation, request the works that you would like to consult via the library catalogue.
    Try not to request more titles than you can consult during your visit as we have limited storage capacity. However, you can use our book scanner free of charge. Please bring your own usb-stick.

The workspace reservation may be cancelled if you have not completed the second step.

If you have an active library account you can also temporarily request free scans from the general library collection.

Consulting prints, drawings and photographs

To study works on paper from the collections of the Print Room, the Dutch History Department and the Royal Antiquarian Society, please make an appointment in the Study Room Prints & Drawings. For this you need to send an e-mail to studiezaal@rijksmuseum.nl and include the following information:

  • The object numbers of the works you want to see. You can find these in Rijksstudio. If you want to see all the works of an artist from the collection, giving the full name and the technique(s) will suffice.
  • The preferred date and time of your visit.
  • Contact details (name, phone number).

Request your appointment at least two opening days in advance. Your appointment is confirmed when you have received a confirmation from us.

It is possible that certain requested items are not available. We will inform you when this is the case.

Admission and identification

After reserving your workplace, you will receive a confirmation email. This email also contains an entrance ticket. You need to show this at the museum entrance. The ticket does not give access to the exhibitions.

When entering the Research Library or Study Room Prints & Drawings, you may be asked to show your entrance ticket, a valid ID and/or your Research Library pass. You will receive a library pass on your first visit.

Before your visit read the Conditions for a visit to the study rooms. They are additional to the Rijksmuseum terms and conditions.

Groups are welcome

At the moment, we can accommodate groups of up to 4 people with one accompanying person. We ask you to send a request at least one month in advance to studiezaal@rijksmuseum.nl. Make sure to include the name of the institution, a list of objects that you wish to consult, and the names of the participants. We will inform you as soon as possible whether the visit is possible on the desired date and if the requested objects are available.

Cancelling your reservation

If you have to cancel or change your reservation, let us know as soon as possible via email on studiezaal@rijksmuseum.nl or call us at +31 (0)20 6747055 (Research Library) or +31 (0)20 6747267 (Study Room Prints & Drawings).

We reserve the right to cancel an appointment, for example in case of forced closure or if we are unable to facilitate a visit for other reasons. In that case we will contact you as soon as possible.

Got a question?

Free
Reservation needed
Monday to Saturday

Opening hours

  • Research Library: Mo - Sa
  • Study Room: Tu - Sa

10 to 17h.

Location

First floor in the main building.
From the atrium follow the signs for the ‘Bibliotheek’ to the second floor and through the Waterloo room.

Rijksmuseum
Museumstraat 1, Amsterdam

  • +31 (0)20 6747055
    (Research Library)
  • +31 (0)20 6747267
    (Study Room)

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01:16 min. - A richly decorated treasure chest