The Museum Card, also known as the Museumkaart in Dutch, is a personal card that grants free entry to approximately 400 museums in the Netherlands for one year. It is available for purchase at many of the larger participating museums or online, with a temporary card issued when purchased from the museum. While most museums offer free entry to Museum Card holders, some museums may charge an additional fee for special exhibitions, but not for general collections.[2][3]
In 2013, over 900.000 people held Museum Cards, and approximately 23% of visitors to affiliated museums in 2011 held Museum Cards (4.3 million out of 18.1 million visitors).
Museum Card Requirements
Buying the card online is only possible for Dutch residents with a Dutch IBAN and a registered Dutch address. Tourists or visitors from other countries who want to purchase the Museum Card can do so at participating museums, where a temporary card is issued, valid for 31 days or 5 visits.
Mission
The Museum Card, issued by the Dutch Museum Association, is intended to encourage repeat visits to museums and foster a stronger connection between museums and their patrons. The Museum Card Foundation (SMK) is responsible for managing the card, coordinating the annual Museum Weekend event, and assisting with the promotion of affiliated museums. The revenue generated from the sale of the card contributes to the support of participating museums. Affiliated museums are recognized in the Dutch Museum Register and hold membership in the Dutch Museum Association.
The Museum Card is available to buy at many of the participating museums below. It was noteworthy that the main web page for the Museum Card was available in Dutch only and it did not provide any translation, however there are now currently translations into English and German.
