Art School Trip To Amsterdam

A cruise through Amsterdam’s canals is a pretty and peaceful way to see some of the city’s most beautiful spots. Gliding through the old centre, the view encompasses elegant merchants’ mansions, carillon-crowned churches and warehouses with their rich history from Holland’s Golden Age.

Tip: There are 65 miles of canals that meander through the city.

The largest collection of Van Gogh paintings in the world is housed here, along with the works of his contemporaries, Impressionists and Post-Impressionists. A visit here helps students understand the artistic context in which his works were created and the influence they had upon others.

Tip: The permanent collection includes 200 paintings, 500 drawings and more than 700 letters.

The Netherlands’ largest museum houses a fantastic collection of Dutch masters from Rembrandt to Vermeer and Frans Hals. Students can trace the developments and continuities of artistic styles and techniques. Reopened in April 2013 after major renovations, the collection also encompasses objects from Netherlands’ cultural history and Asian art.

The building where Anne Frank hid from Nazi persecution sits on the Prinsengracht canal. As well as the preservation of the hiding place and an exhibition on the life and times of Anne Frank, the museum acts as an exhibition space to highlight all forms of persecution and discrimination Photo © Konrad Glogowski.

Set on the banks of the Amstel River, this is an exhibition space and cultural education centre with a focus on Russian history and culture. View pieces from the Hermitage collection in St Petersburg, including paintings, sculptures, applied art and archaeological discoveries.

Tip: Amsterdam’s Canal Ring inspired Peter the Great to found the city of St Petersburg.

This spacious museum shows modern and contemporary art and design from early 20th century up to the 21st century. It reopened in 2012 after renovations and features artists such as Wassily Kandinsky, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Marc Chagall, Henri Matisse, Jackson Pollock, Karel Appel, Andy Warhol, Willem de Kooning and Gilbert and George.

The Kröller-Müller Museum approximately two hours from Amsterdam in the De Hoge Veluwe National Park is renowned for its large collection of paintings by Vincent van Gogh. The museum is also home to impressive works by George Seurat, Pablo Picasso, Fernand Leger, Piet Mondrian and many other great painters.

This museum outside the city centre has a major collection of key works by artists of the CoBrA group (1948-1951) as well as work by their Dutch contemporaries, including artists of the Vrij Beelden (1945) and Creatie (1950-1955) movements. The museum collection is regularly supplemented by acquisitions and gifts. Works from the collection are on permanent display.

Rembrandt’s former home on the Jodenbreestraat has been restored to its former glory and furnished with items and works of art from the 17th century. See where his son Titus was born, the workshop where he printed his etchings and, of course, the master’s studio. Photo © Lian Chang.

Tip: The museum has around 250 etchings by Rembrandt on display.

Students can get involved in this creative hub where photographers meet for lectures, forums and discussions. The brightly lit, white rooms of this revamped canal-house are filled with work from established names and emerging talent. In recent years it has shown work by Diane Arbus, Helen Levitt, Anton Corbijn, Alex Prager and Cy Twombly.

Enjoy a 360º degree view of Amsterdam and the surrounding area from the rooftop and 20th floor of the A’dam tower. A lift with sound and light effects will transport you in 20 seconds to the indoor Lookout on the 20th floor where visitors can enjoy the panoramic views and discover more about the history and culture of Amsterdam through interactive screens. Take the stairs to the roof for more views of the historic city, the port, airport and the polder landscape.

The Clara Maria Cheese Farm and Clog Factory is located southwest of Amsterdam in the polder. A guided tour allows students to see Gouda cheese being made in the converted barn using the milk from the farm and traditional processes. Groups enjoy a cheese tasting and a chance to see Dutch wooden clogs being made using antique machinery. An on-site souvenir shop has a variety of Dutch products available

This new educational attraction will allow groups to take a virtual flight experience above Holland’s beautiful landscapes using the latest I-ride technology. Specialised vehicles suspended above the ground move with the film to offer an exhilarating experience of flying. A pre-flight edutainment presentation explains how Holland was created from sea and swamp.