Amsterdam’s famous Dutch national museum dedicated to arts and history will see light of day after ten years. Closed in 2003 for renovations, the museum saw a series of dramatic unfortunate events—flooding, asbestos and a dispute over access for cyclists—delaying the process. Lots of extra time and extra money later, the museum finally gets a grand reopening on 13^th April 2013.

Incredible seems the fact that the museum was founded way back in 1800 (yes, it’s that ancient), and was shifted to Amsterdam in 1808. The renovated building is no less than a palace, with its elaborately crafted pillars and walls, ceilings painted with 50,000 stars by artist Richard Wright. We wonder if the inspiration was Vincent van Gogh’s Starry Night. His self portrait does hang somewhere on the walls of the museum though.

And the mighty Dutch have displayed their grit once again by building a hall under the main building, below sea level, though it caused a lot of furore, and could still make a weak-hearted visitor slightly jumpy. Especially, when they are told that the way inside is through a tunnel under a cycle path.

The museum houses a whopping figure of 8,000 art objects (yes, it is huge) from the years 1200-2000, from the one million objects originally displayed. An art-lover’s haven, it presents the story of art from the Middle Ages to the twentieth century. Some of the most famous arty dudes whose masterpieces adorn the museum walls are Rembrandt, Frans Hals and Johannes Vermeer. I could go on about the interesting art pieces from various eras, mostly from Europe, displayed here, but then art is something which has to be seen to be understood.

The event is historic in the art world, and the Rijksmuseum is believed to be one of the most important museums of Europe. So, whenever you go to the Dutch land, you know you have to go to the Rijksmuseum. Oh, and what’s more, the entry will be free on the inauguration day.