PalaceClosed Royal event days (check calendar at paleisamsterdam.nl)

Royal Palace Amsterdam

#8of 9 places to visit in AmsterdamAmsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands

Also known as Paleis op de Dam · Koninklijk Paleis Amsterdam

Quick answer

Opening hours: 10:00–17:00, last entry 16:30. Entry: €13.50. Allow 1.5 hrs. Best time: Opening at 10:00.

Updated 18 September 2026 · Compiled by Traveliac, AI-assisted · 4 min read

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Photo: Diego Delso / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Opening hours: 10:00–17:00; Open daily from 10:00 on scheduled opening days; secondary sources list 10:00-17:00 with last admission at 16:30 and summer hours to 18:00.
Entry fee: €13.50; Ticket from
Time needed: 1.5 hrs
Best time of day: Opening at 10:00
Best months: Apr – Jun, Sep
Address: Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 147, 1012 RJ Amsterdam, Netherlands (Dam Square)

About Royal Palace Amsterdam

The Royal Palace Amsterdam charges €13.50 for adults, including an audio guide, and admits visitors aged 17 and under free, as of 2026. The building on Dam Square began as the city hall, designed by Jacob van Campen, who took control of construction in 1648, and it stands on 13,659 wooden piles driven into the soft ground. Royal Palace sandstone is yellowish and has darkened over centuries, and a 6-metre statue of Atlas carrying the globe crowns the rear of the roof.

Best time of day: Opening at 10:00. On a weekday, before coach groups arrive from Dam Square.

Royal Palace Amsterdam timings

Royal Palace Amsterdam opens at 10:00 and closes at 17:00. It keeps the same hours on Saturday and Sunday.

Opening hours: 10:00–17:00; Mon–Sun 10:00–17:00; Open daily from 10:00 on scheduled opening days; secondary sources list 10:00-17:00 with last admission at 16:30 and summer hours to 18:00.
Closed on: Royal event days (check calendar at paleisamsterdam.nl)

Mon–Sun	10:00–17:00

Good to know: The palace publishes an opening calendar six months ahead, and closes for state visits and royal functions without much notice.

Opening hours compiled from paleisamsterdam.nl and public records, last updated 18 September 2026. They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides

Royal Palace Amsterdam ticket price

Entry fees for Royal Palace Amsterdam
Ticket	Price
Standard ticket	€13.50
Concession (student / senior)	€9
Children	Free

Adult admission is EUR 13.50 as of 2026, including an audio guide; students pay EUR 9 and visitors aged 17 and under enter free, as do Museumkaart and ICOM holders. Some secondary sources list EUR 12.50, so verify at paleisamsterdam.nl. Payment at the palace is cashless. The palace opens on more than 230 days in 2026 and closes on days of royal events.

Prices compiled from paleisamsterdam.nl and public records, last updated 18 September 2026. They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides

Best time to visit Royal Palace Amsterdam

Quiet
Moderate
Busy

10:00 - 11:30
OpeningBest time to go
Audio guides handed out with little queue and the main halls nearly empty on weekdays.
Quiet
11:30 - 14:30
Midday
Tour groups from Dam Square and cruise arrivals raise queues at the entrance.
Busy
14:30 - 16:30
Afternoon
Crowds ease, though summer weekends remain steady until last admission.
Moderate
16:30 - 18:00
Closing
Last admission is around 16:30, when the palace becomes quiet on most days.
Quiet

History of Royal Palace Amsterdam

The Royal Palace was commissioned as Amsterdam's city hall at the height of the Dutch Golden Age, when the city wanted a building that would show its wealth and independence. Jacob van Campen's design used classical forms, and the interior is faced with white marble, including the Citizens' Hall, whose floor carries inlaid maps of the hemispheres.

The building became a royal palace in 1808, when Napoleon's brother Louis Bonaparte, King Louis I of Holland, moved to Amsterdam and adopted the city hall. It stayed in state hands after the kingdom was folded into the French empire and has served the Dutch monarchy since. King Willem-Alexander uses the palace for state visits and official receptions as one of three official royal residences, while the public floors work as a museum on most days of the year.

Rules & etiquette at Royal Palace Amsterdam

The Royal Palace Amsterdam closes on the days of state visits and official receptions, so check the online calendar before travelling from outside the city, because closures can appear at short notice. Payment at the desk is cashless.

The official page did not state bag, dress-code or photography rules in the sources found, so verify them on arrival; security screening is likely, and large bags may be stored at the entrance. Dam Square outside is a busy pedestrian plaza with pickpockets, street performers and costumed characters who request payment for photographs, so keep a hand on a bag. Voices carry inside the marble halls, so use the audio guide at low volume.

Tips for visiting Royal Palace Amsterdam

1
Royal Palace visitors who arrive at 10:00 on a weekday usually see the Citizens' Hall with few others, though opening times vary by day, and the audio tour that comes with the ticket runs about 60 to 75 minutes. The Netherlands and Japan: Links through Time exhibition runs from 26 June to 11 November 2026 and adds Japanese objects to the route.
2
Royal Palace rooms worth a slower look include the Citizens' Hall, for its inlaid floor maps, and the Burgomasters' Chamber, with paintings by Ferdinand Bol and Govert Flinck. The Nieuwe Kerk stands beside the palace and holds its own exhibitions, so a combined half-day is possible. Dam Square itself has restaurants that charge tourist prices, so walk one street back toward the Jordaan for lunch at a better price.

How to reach Royal Palace Amsterdam

The red star is Royal Palace Amsterdam; the numbered pins are the 8 nearest places in our guides, each showing its rank in its city. Tap a pin for details.

Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 147, 1012 RJ Amsterdam, Netherlands (Dam Square)Directions in Google Maps

From Amsterdam Centraal
0.8 km · 10-12 min
Free on foot; about EUR 3.40 single GVB fare by tram (verify at gvb.nl)
From Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS)
17 km · 30-35 min
About EUR 5.40 train (2026 secondary source; verify at ns.nl)
From Anne Frank House
1 km · 12-15 min
Free on foot

Nearest airport

From Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS)

about 17 km; train to Amsterdam Centraal in about 15-20 minutes, then a 10-minute walk.

Nearest station

From Amsterdam Centraal

about 800 metres; a 10-minute walk down Damrak, or tram 4, 14 or 24 to Dam.

Royal Palace Amsterdam FAQs

How much does the Royal Palace Amsterdam cost in 2026?

Adult admission is EUR 13.50 as of 2026 and includes an audio guide. Students pay EUR 9, and visitors aged 17 and under enter free. One secondary source lists EUR 12.50, so verify at paleisamsterdam.nl.

Can you visit the Royal Palace Amsterdam every day?

No. The palace opens on more than 230 days in 2026 and closes for royal events. Check the opening calendar, which extends six months ahead, before travelling.

Is the Royal Palace still used by the royal family?

Yes. King Willem-Alexander uses the palace for state visits and official receptions, and it is one of three official royal residences. The public floors serve as a museum on open days.

Who built the Royal Palace Amsterdam?

Jacob van Campen designed and led construction from 1648 as the city hall. It stands on 13,659 wooden piles and became a royal palace in 1808.

Compiled with AI assistance from official sources and public records, and published only after the checks in How we write these guides. Nobody from Traveliac has visited this place. Last updated 18 September 2026. How we rank and check places