Van Gogh Museum Amsterdam

It is impossible for an art fan to think of the Dutch masters without thinking of Vincent Van Gogh. Perhaps no other artist has so seized the imagination and hearts of art critics and fans alike, and a visit to the Van Gogh Museum, home to the largest collection of his painting in the world is a must for anyone visiting Amsterdam. Featuring of course works from Van Gogh other exhibitions allow you to compare his works with fellow artists – a study which is made easier by the choice of grouping Van Gogh's works chronologically into five periods, each representing a different phase of his life and work. The periods consist of: The Netherlands, Paris, Arles, Saint-Remy and Auvers-sur-Oise. Located in the Amsterdam's Museum Quarter, between the Rijksmuseum and the Stedelijk Museum the Van Gogh museum can be reached by tram number 2 and 5 from the Central Station. The museum is accessible for disabled visitors, and its main entrance can be approached via Paulus Potterstraat 7. Open daily except for Janurary 1st the museum has guided tours for groups up to fifteen people and runs a website gallery which is touted as the most thorough and comprehensive Van Gogh resource on web. The collection originally belonged to Theo van Gogh (1857-1891), Vincents younger brother. Following Theos death, it passed to his widow, Johanna van Gogh-Bonger (1862-1925). Although a number of works were sold, she retained a major group, representing all phases of Van Goghs oeuvre. On her death in 1925, her son, Vincent Willem van Gogh (1890-1978), inherited the collection. In 1962, on the initiative of the Dutch state, he transferred the works to the Vincent van Gogh Foundation. They are now on permanent loan to the Van Gogh Museum and form the nucleus of its collection. The museum also has a large collection of works by other 19th-century artists: contemporaries and friends of Van Goghs - among them Paul Gauguin and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec - as well as a number of older artists whom he admired, such as Léon Lhermitte and Jean-François Millet. A great many of these works were collected by the Van Gogh brothers. Their original collection has been complemented through acquisitions and long-term loans from other institutions. The Van Gogh Museum is located on the Museumplein in Amsterdam, between the Rijksmuseum and the Stedelijk Museum. The entrance to the Van Gogh Museum is at Paulus Potterstraat, number 7 The museum can be reached with trams 2 and 5 from Central Station. The museum is easily accessible for the disabled. All floors can be reached by lift; wheelchairs and buggies are available free of charge.