Rijksmuseum: The Gardens

The Rijksmuseum offers more than just art and craftsmanship, as visitors can also explore the garden designed by Pierre Cuypers in 1901. The garden features intricate shrubberies, dazzling water features and kaleidoscopic flower beds, and a giant wingnut tree overlooking the play areas. Visitors can also discover sculptures and pieces of old Dutch structures, and the garden has foundations and temporary exhibitions during the summer months. 

The garden was first developed in April 1885 and completed in 1916, featuring different styles in its four sections, such as Renaissance and French-Classicist. A restoration plan in the 1960s saved the garden from neglect, and it has been maintained by a garden board since 1976. 

The garden holds around 7,000 plants and over 16,000 historic bulbs, as well as parts of notable structures and sculptures dispersed throughout. Additional features include a 19th-century nursery and pergola, a porch with lunch and dining facilities, and an open-air chessboard and automated fountain. Each summer, the gardens also feature a section with works from 20th-century stone carvers.