The Rijksmuseum was a very enlightening experience for me that really kickstarted my excitement for the entire trip. I normally do not possess much interest in the exhibits that are found in museums. However, the Rijksmuseum was like no other museum I have ever seen. The age of some of the items on display is absolutely mind-blowing. Some of the items date back to 1200 – 2000. Rembrandt’s Night Watch is one of the most famous paintings in the museum. It felt very thrilling to have the experience to view these amazing artworks in person.

One of my favorite exhibits was the floor that displayed all of the old weapons and armor. When I was in high school, I did a project on weapons through the centuries so this spiked my interest immediately. There were several cannons on display that were had these magnificent carvings into the side of them which were so detailed and beautiful. Overall, almost every painting had me in awe at the time and precision it took someone so long ago to make such an admirable piece of art. The Rijksmuseum was by far one of my favorite parts of the study abroad experience which came as a surprise to me personally. However, this experience operated as an eye-opener for me to really allow the trip and the following experiences to have their full effect.