FROM THE CITY STREETS TO THE MASTERS CANVASES
Go on a walking tour through the Golden Age. Your journey begins at the Waag on Nieuwmarkt, once a medieval city gate that later became the heart of trade and craftsmanship in Amsterdam. Here, the city’s surgeons once gathered for public dissections—a spectacle immortalized in Rembrandt’s The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Tulp. Although this painting now hangs in The Hague, the stories of innovation and commerce still echo in the surrounding streets.
As you walk towards the Rijksmuseum, history unfolds before your eyes. In the Staalstraat, you’ll stand where the textile guild once ruled. This very street inspired Rembrandt’s The Sampling Officials (or The Syndics), a portrait of the guild’s leaders assessing their fine cloth—just as they did right here centuries ago.
Further along, you’ll pass by the site where Rembrandt painted The Night Watch, a commission for a local civic guard company. There, you’ll learn how these citizen-soldiers once protected the city and why Rembrandt’s revolutionary depiction of them made history.
Throughout the walk, your guide will share insights into daily life in the 17th century, from bustling markets to powerful merchant families. As a result, by the time you reach the museum, you’ll have stepped into the world of the Dutch Masters—ready to see it all reflected in their paintings.
Exploring the Rijksmuseum
After a short break upon arrival, you’ll continue your journey inside the Rijksmuseum, home to the greatest masterpieces of the Dutch Golden Age. As you move through the galleries, you’ll immediately recognize scenes from the streets you just walked.
Stand before The Night Watch and recall the very place where it was created. While you look at The Sampling Officials, you can imagine the textile guild’s headquarters in the Staalstraat. Marvel at Vermeer’s tranquil interiors and understand how his luminous portraits captured a different side of the era.
In this way, with your guide’s expert storytelling, the art becomes more than just paintings—it becomes a vivid connection to the city you’ve just explored.
