Year after year, Rembrandt’s ‘Night Watch’, behind its protective screen of reinforced glass, attracts more than a million art lovers from all over the world into the neo-classical brick building in the center of the museum district.
Founded by Louis Bonaparte in 1808, the Rijksmuseum now contains not only the world’s largest and most important collection of 17th-century Dutch paintings, but also sculptures and valuable craftwork exhibits. Until around 2008, the museum galleries will be undergoing gradual renovation. Many of the world-famous works have therefore been moved into the Philips wing or to other museums. For up-to-date information on the progress of the renovation work, see the museum website.