Centraal Museum Utrecht: What to See and How to Visit

This guide is for anyone who has moved to Utrecht from abroad and has walked past the Centraal Museum more often than they have been inside, whether you come alone, with a partner or with children. It covers what is in the collection, what is on this season, how tickets and free entry work, and the practical details that make a first visit easy.

• The permanent collection
• What is on now
• Tickets, free entry and discounts
• On the day: hours, café and house rules
• Parking and accessibility
• FAQ

The permanent collection

The heart of the museum is Collectie Centraal, which the museum’s programme page calls a treasure trove of art, design, fashion and urban history. The galleries are arranged by theme rather than by date, so fashion is shown next to paintings and older art sits beside contemporary design. You work out the connections between eras for yourself, which helps if you find museums laid out by date a little dry.

If you would rather not see everything, try Follow your Art, a personal route through Collectie Centraal based on what you find interesting. There is also a media guide that runs on your own smartphone, with stories, extra images and background information. Bring headphones if you want to listen without disturbing anyone.

Some smaller works are easy to miss. Fern Folly by Elspeth Diederix is described as a secret garden in a hidden corner, and Susanne Khalil Yusef: We Want to Live is also on display. At the station square, Maarten Baas’s four-metre-high clay chair is part of Art at the Station Square, so you may already have seen the museum’s work without realising it.

What is on now

The big new exhibition is Graffiti. It comes 75 years after the invention of the spray can and treats graffiti as part of a broader artistic development, showing how graffiti and contemporary art have influenced each other for decades. In the Annex, Karimah Ashadu’s film installation follows bodybuilders in Lagos who shape their identities as well as their bodies.

Also on: Sara Sejin Chang: TRANSMUTATION, the first comprehensive solo exhibition of the Korean-Dutch artist, with work from the past fifteen years; Twilight of the Gods by Frans Franciscus, about diversity, injustice and love; and Focus on Flowers. Outdoors, Art on the Square shows Ricardo van Eyk’s APEX, about how urban infrastructure shapes the ways we live together. These shows do not all close on the same date, so check the run dates on the programme page before you plan a visit around one.

The activity calendar mixes tours, workshops and events. For adults, look out for Centraal Laat, an evening event, and the Graffiti encounters, where artists with roots in graffiti talk about their practice and you make your own work using their techniques. There is also a self-guided Utrecht Graffiti Tour around the city. The calendar shows which activities are free, free with a ticket or paid, and which need a reservation.

For children, there is a daily Family Game called ‘What Do We See?’, plus family tours and workshops during school holidays, including a tour shared with the miffy museum. The museum also has a families page if you want ideas before you go.

Tickets, free entry and discounts

You can buy tickets online or at the ticket desk by the entrance, and you do not need to print anything: your ticket can be scanned on your smartphone. A ticket gives access to all exhibitions, though a surcharge may apply to some major exhibitions. The pages used for this guide do not list prices, so check the Plan Your Visit page for current ticket prices.

According to the museum’s FAQ, entry is free with a Museum Card, ICOM card, VriendenLoterij VIP CARD, Friends Pass, Rembrandt Card or U-pas. If you buy a Museum Card at the museum, it is valid immediately after purchase. Visitors with a CJP card or a student ID, including international student IDs, get a discount on a regular ticket. There is no teacher discount at the moment.

If your plans change, you can reschedule your ticket online through Ticket Support, or cancel it. If you bring a companion to assist you, they also need a ticket, but companion tickets are free and can be booked online or at the ticket office. VVV gift cards work in the shop but cannot be used to pay for admission.

On the day: hours, café and house rules

The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It is closed on New Year’s Day, King’s Day and Christmas Day. On Easter Sunday and Easter Monday, Liberation Day, Ascension Day, Whit Sunday and Whit Monday, Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve it opens from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The shop opens Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and the café from 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. You can visit both without a museum ticket. The café has a terrace in the museum garden, which makes it a good place to meet a friend.

There are lockers for coats and bags, but you cannot store suitcases. You may take photos as long as you do not disturb other visitors or photograph them without their permission. Flash and tripods are not allowed. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the building on the ‘Centraal Museum’ network. Groups are welcome but should register in advance by emailing rondleidingen@centraalmuseum.nl.

Parking and accessibility

If you drive, use the Vaartsche Rijn or Springweg car parks. The museum is about a 10-minute walk from either. You can drop people off in front of the museum. On Nicolaaskerkhof, next to the museum, there are two disabled parking spaces. They are free with a European disabled parking permit, and the On Wheels app shows whether they are available. With a Utrecht disabled parking permit you can park anywhere for free. The museum’s own site lists the full visiting address.

Large parts of the museum are wheelchair accessible, and there is a special route for wheelchair and buggy users that also works for parents with prams. Ask about it at the ticket desk or download the route as a PDF. The mezzanine floors in the Stables can only be reached by stairs, and some doors are difficult to open, so it can help to bring someone with you. There are two wheelchair-accessible toilets, and you can borrow stools, wheelchairs, a walker and EnChroma glasses. To reserve a wheelchair, walker or EnChroma glasses, email info@centraalmuseum.nl. Certified assistance dogs are welcome if they wear a harness and have an assistance dog ID card.

FAQ

Can I visit the café or shop without a ticket?

Yes. The shop is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and the café from 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. You do not need a museum ticket for either.

Is the museum free with a Museum Card?

Yes. Entry is also free with an ICOM card, VriendenLoterij VIP CARD, Friends Pass, Rembrandt Card or U-pas. A Museum Card is valid immediately after purchase.

Do students from abroad get a discount?

Yes. A student ID, including an international student ID, or a CJP card gives you a discount on a regular ticket. The museum’s website has current prices.

Is the Centraal Museum good for children?

Yes. There is a daily Family Game, family tours and workshops during school holidays, and a route suitable for buggies. Check the programme for activities marked for families.

Official sources: centraalmuseum.nl · centraalmuseum.nl · centraalmuseum.nl

Last checked: 13 October 2026 against the pages linked above. Prices, opening hours and programmes change; the venue’s own site always has the current details.