Amsterdam's 850-Work Archive of a Single Life

At a Glance

The Van Gogh Museum on Amsterdam's Museumplein houses 200 paintings, 500 drawings and 700 letters by Vincent — the largest single-artist collection in the world. Opened 1973 in a Gerrit Rietveld building; Kisho Kurokawa added the oval wing in 1999.

Kept by the Family

Theo kept almost everything; Johanna van Gogh-Bonger published the letters and made Vincent famous. Their son founded the foundation in 1962 to loan the works to the state.

Must-See

• The Potato Eaters (1885).
• Sunflowers (1889) — second version.
• Bedroom in Arles (1888) — first version.
• Almond Blossom (1890).
• Wheatfield with Crows (1890).

Visiting Tips

Tram 2/12 from Centraal. €25, online booking essential. 2.5 hours. Free online archive at vangoghmuseum.nl.