The Cuypers Library at the Rijksmuseum (2026): Visitor's Guide & Photos
The Cuypers Library is the Rijksmuseum’s historic art history research library, designed by Pierre Cuypers and opened in 1885 alongside the main museum. It’s a multi-storey library with cast-iron spiral staircases, ornate wooden shelving, and row upon row of leather-bound art books — one of the most photographed interiors in Amsterdam and widely considered one of the most beautiful library spaces in Europe. Visitors can see the library through a large glass viewing wall in Room 1.13 on Floor 1 — you can’t enter the library itself (it’s a working research library for scholars), but the glass wall gives a clear, photographable view from the viewing gallery. Free to see with standard Rijksmuseum entry (€25 adult, free under 18). Often missed by visitors focused only on the Gallery of Honour.
Most visitors to the Rijksmuseum walk past Room 1.13 without realising what’s behind the glass wall. What they’re missing is arguably the most beautiful space in the entire building — a working 19th-century art library that has functioned continuously since 1885 and looks like something out of a Renaissance painting. This guide covers exactly where to find it, how to photograph it (tricky but doable), what you’re looking at, and why it’s worth a specific detour during your visit.
What Is the Cuypers Library?
The Cuypers Library is the Rijksmuseum’s research library — a working collection of over 450,000 books, journals, and documents on art, art history, and material culture. It was designed by Pierre Cuypers (the same architect who designed the museum building) and opened with the rest of the Rijksmuseum in 1885. The library occupies a tall, multi-level reading room with cast-iron spiral staircases, wrought-iron balustrades, ornate wooden shelving from floor to ceiling, and skylights high above. The library remains in active use today — researchers, curators, and scholars use it daily. It’s not open to the general public as a working space, but visitors can see it clearly through a glass wall in the public viewing gallery.
Key facts at a glance
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Opened | 1885 (with the main museum) |
| Designer | Pierre Cuypers |
| Type | Active research library |
| Collection size | 450,000+ books, journals, documents |
| Viewing location | Room 1.13, Floor 1 |
| Public access | Viewing through glass wall only |
| Researcher access | By appointment, scholars only |
| Included with standard ticket | Yes |
Where to Find the Library
The viewing gallery for the Cuypers Library is Room 1.13 on Floor 1 of the Rijksmuseum. From the main atrium on Floor 0, take the stairs or lift up one floor to Floor 1. Room 1.13 is on the east side of the building. The library itself is across a full-height glass wall — you’ll know you’re in the right place when you see the multi-storey library interior through the glass. The viewing gallery has benches where you can sit and look into the library.
Navigation step by step
- Enter the museum on Floor 0 (main atrium)
- Take the stairs or lift up one floor to Floor 1
- Follow signs for the Cuypers Library or Room 1.13 — signage is good but the library isn’t on the main highlights route
- The viewing gallery has a large glass wall showing the library interior
- Sit on the benches provided for extended viewing — or stand close to the glass for photography
Note: The staircase near the library viewing gallery is one of the Rijksmuseum’s original Cuypers-designed staircases and worth studying in its own right. Look at the tilework, ironwork, and painted ceiling details.
See Rijksmuseum Floor Plan & Map.
What You’re Looking At
The architecture
The library is a three-level reading room with:
- Tall narrow windows at the back providing natural light
- Cast-iron spiral staircases connecting the levels — visitors often photograph these specifically
- Wrought-iron gallery balustrades with decorative detailing
- Wooden shelving running floor to ceiling on every wall
- Open reading tables at floor level where scholars work
- A skylight or high windows providing overhead natural light
- Original 1885 details preserved throughout — the library looks essentially as it did when opened
The books
- Over 450,000 volumes on art, art history, archaeology, design, and material culture
- Leather-bound volumes dominate the visible shelving — rich browns, deep reds, gold lettering
- Much of the collection focuses on Dutch and European art, but with substantial global material
- Reference works, artist monographs, exhibition catalogues, and academic journals fill the shelves
- Rare books and manuscripts are kept in climate-controlled storage elsewhere, not on the public-facing shelves
The active scholarship
When you look through the glass during working hours, you may see researchers seated at the reading tables — art historians, curators from other institutions, PhD students, scholars researching books or exhibitions. This is the defining feature of the Cuypers Library: it’s not a museum-dressing historical recreation. It’s a functioning 21st-century research library that happens to look exactly as it did in 1885.
Why the Library Is So Beautiful
It’s Cuypers at his confident best
Pierre Cuypers (1827-1921) designed the entire Rijksmuseum building, but the library was his personal favourite space within it. As an architect with a deep love of books and libraries, he had specific ideas about what such a space should feel like: tall, well-lit, ornamented without being crowded, functional without feeling industrial.
The cast-iron spiral staircases
The twin spiral staircases are the library’s most photographed element. Cuypers used them both functionally (to connect the upper galleries to the reading floor) and aesthetically — they’re slim, graceful, and visually dramatic. Each staircase was custom-cast by Amsterdam ironworks specifically for the library.
The combination of materials
What makes the library feel harmonious is Cuypers’ deliberate combination of:
- Cast and wrought iron — structural and decorative
- Wood — shelving, reading tables, balustrade rails
- Stone and tile — floors and structural detail
- Leather — book bindings fill the visual field with deep, rich colours
- Natural light — from multiple directions
Each material choice amplifies the others. The warm leather bindings glow against dark wood shelving; the iron staircases contrast with the softness of books.
Preservation over time
The library has been maintained in its original 1885 configuration with remarkable consistency. Unlike most 19th-century institutional spaces (which have been renovated multiple times), the Cuypers Library has been preserved as a working example of 19th-century library design — and this consistency is part of its beauty.
How to Photograph the Library
The viewing gallery glass creates some photographic challenges but most can be worked around:
Technical tips
- No flash — like everywhere in the Rijksmuseum
- Stand close to the glass to minimise reflections
- Angle your phone slightly to avoid the most direct reflections of the gallery behind you
- Use a polariser if you have one (rarely on phones, but if you have a camera with polariser, it dramatically reduces glass glare)
- Portrait mode / wide-angle — the library’s tall vertical space favours portrait orientation
Compositional tips
- Focus on the spiral staircase — the single most visually dramatic element
- Include a scholar at work if visible — adds life and human scale
- Frame the shelving walls for the classic “wall of books” shot
- Use the full height — vertical composition showing multiple floors
- The skylight creates natural directional lighting — best photography conditions are bright daylight (morning or early afternoon)
Reflection workarounds
The glass wall introduces reflections in most photos. To minimise:
- Wear dark clothes — you won’t be reflected as strongly
- Stand within 10 cm of the glass — blocks most reflections from behind
- Photograph the elements at the far end of the library — less reflection visible
- Accept some reflection — occasionally frames the photo attractively
When crowds are less of a problem
- Morning opening (9:00-10:00 AM) — easiest time for clear photos
- Weekday afternoons after 3:00 PM
- Less popular than the Gallery of Honour — even peak times aren’t overwhelming
See Rijksmuseum Photography Rules.
Can I Go Inside the Library?
No for general visitors. The library is a working scholarly facility, not a public museum space. The glass wall is as close as general admission will get you.
Yes for researchers. Scholars with academic credentials can apply for access to the library for research purposes. This involves:
- Submitting a research proposal to the library
- Demonstrating scholarly need (PhD-level or professional research)
- Booking an appointment in advance
- Complying with reading room rules (no bags, pencils only, specific handling for rare materials)
Most visitors to the Rijksmuseum have no pathway into the library itself. The viewing gallery is designed as the experience for the general public.
Occasional open events. The Rijksmuseum occasionally runs special events (Museum Night, architectural tours, some members-only events) that include brief access to the library. If you’re especially interested, check the museum’s event calendar before your visit.
Why Visit the Cuypers Library?
Some reasons the library is worth a specific detour:
1. It’s one of the most beautiful spaces in the museum
Architects, librarians, and design enthusiasts consistently rank the Cuypers Library among the most beautiful interior spaces in Amsterdam — and it’s open to all visitors at no extra cost. Missing it is genuinely a missed opportunity.
2. It’s Cuypers’ architectural vision at its purest
The library is where Pierre Cuypers’ design thinking is most visible and least compromised. The Gallery of Honour and Great Hall have been used and modified over 140 years; the library has been preserved almost exactly as he designed it.
3. The contrast with the Gallery of Honour is striking
The Gallery of Honour is ceremonial, public, dramatic. The Library is quiet, scholarly, intimate. Experiencing both in the same visit is a lesson in how a single architect could design two very different kinds of space within the same building.
4. Great Instagram / photo opportunity
If photography matters to you, the library is among the most photographable spaces in Amsterdam. It has consistently been one of the most-shared interior spaces on social media in the last decade.
5. It’s less crowded
The library viewing gallery is almost always less crowded than the Gallery of Honour or the Night Watch Room. A genuine quiet space in a busy museum.
The Library in Context: Cuypers’ Architectural Vision
Pierre Cuypers designed the Rijksmuseum as a deliberate whole — every space connected by a coherent vision. The library is one of four essential Cuypers-designed spaces:
- The Great Hall (Voorhal) — the ceremonial entrance
- The Gallery of Honour (Eregalerij) — the central art-display axis
- The Night Watch Room — the culminating space for Rembrandt’s masterpiece
- The Cuypers Library — the working scholarly space
Each has a distinct function, but all share Cuypers’ signature elements: brick and stone construction, decorative ironwork, stained glass, painted ornament, and a strong sense of ceremony combined with utility. See The Rijksmuseum Building: Cuypers' Masterpiece.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Cuypers Library at the Rijksmuseum?
Room 1.13 on Floor 1. Take the stairs or lift up one floor from the main atrium and follow signs for the Cuypers Library or Room 1.13.
Can I enter the Cuypers Library?
Not as a general visitor — the library is a working research facility accessible only to credentialed scholars by appointment. Visitors see the library through a glass viewing wall in Room 1.13. The view is excellent and you can photograph through the glass.
Is the Cuypers Library included in the Rijksmuseum ticket?
Yes. Viewing access is included with any standard €25 adult entry ticket (free for under-18s). There’s no additional cost.
When was the Cuypers Library built?
1885, at the same time as the rest of the main Rijksmuseum building. It was designed by Pierre Cuypers as an integral part of the museum from the start.
How many books are in the Cuypers Library?
Over 450,000 volumes including books, journals, exhibition catalogues, and documents — mainly focused on art, art history, archaeology, and material culture.
Who was Pierre Cuypers?
Pierre Cuypers (1827-1921) was a Dutch architect best known for designing the Rijksmuseum building (1885) and Amsterdam Centraal Station (1889). He was the leading Dutch neo-Gothic architect of the 19th century and one of the most important institutional architects in Dutch history.
Can I photograph the Cuypers Library?
Yes. Handheld photography without flash is permitted through the glass viewing wall. The glass introduces some reflections; standing close to the glass and using a slight angle typically produces the best results. See Rijksmuseum Photography Rules.
Is the Cuypers Library the same as the Rijksmuseum’s research library?
Yes — same library, different names. “Cuypers Library” emphasises the architectural space; “Rijksmuseum Research Library” or “Rijksmuseum Library” emphasises the scholarly function. Both refer to the same facility.
Does the library have rare books on display?
The books visible through the glass are the library’s general working collection. Rare books and manuscripts are kept in climate-controlled storage elsewhere in the building, not visible to the public. Special exhibitions occasionally display rare items from the library’s collection.
What’s the best time to visit the Cuypers Library?
9:00-10:30 AM for the fewest crowds and best natural light. Weekday afternoons also work well. The viewing gallery is rarely crowded even at peak times, making it one of the calmer spaces in the museum.
Why is the library famous on Instagram?
The combination of cast-iron spiral staircases, floor-to-ceiling leather-bound books, wrought-iron balustrades, and warm natural light makes the library one of the most visually striking interior spaces in Europe. It has been featured in countless architectural photography collections, design magazines, and social media posts.
Are there tours of the Cuypers Library?
The Rijksmuseum doesn’t run regular tours focused on the library (since you can’t enter), but some Rijksmuseum Private Tours include a dedicated stop at the viewing gallery with architectural context from the guide. If the library is a priority for you, request this at booking.
