The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam had to close online ticket sales due to the extremely high demand for its Johannes Vermeer retrospective show, the most comprehensive collection of his work ever exhibited with 28 of his 37 known paintings. The exhibition sold out within two days of opening, with thousands still searching for tickets before it closes on June 4. To accommodate demand, the museum extended its hours until 10 p.m on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings, and is working hard to resolve the online ticketing problems. Tickets have been seen on auction sites like eBay for a markup of over 1,343% on the original price; the situation has prompted the museum to find a solution to its ticketing problems.

Rijksmuseum Shuts Down Online Ticket Sales Due to Overwhelming Demand for Vermeer Show

The Rijksmuseum has had to shut down its online ticket sales due to the incredible demand for its Johannes Vermeer retrospective in Amsterdam.

On Monday, the museum released a statement, saying, “Due to huge demand for extra tickets for the Vermeer exhibition, the website is experiencing problems. Ticket sales have been shut down until further notice. Sorry for the inconvenience. We are working hard to resolve the situation.”

The show, which was declared the “first and last” retrospective of Johannes Vermeer by the Rijksmuseum when it was announced in 2021, is the most comprehensive collection of his work ever exhibited. It features 28 of the artist’s 37 known paintings, some of which are on loan from institutions in Japan and the US.

The exhibition sold out within just two days of opening, but the museum is determined to allow as many people as possible the chance to see it. In order to accommodate demand, the Rijksmuseum has extended its hours until 10 p.m. on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings, and is working hard to resolve the online ticketing problems.

Despite these efforts, however, thousands of people are still searching desperately for tickets before the exhibition closes on June 4. According to Ticketswap request data, as of press time, there were 7,407 requests for tickets to the Vermeer exhibition, but only 497 had been sold.

To make matters worse, tickets have begun to appear on auction sites like eBay, where they are selling for a markup of over 1,343% on the original price of €30. One auction listing for two tickets, for example, recently sold for €433. Although their validity could not be confirmed, many desperate visitors have been willing to take the chance.

Given the popularity of the Vermeer retrospective, it's clear that the Rijksmuseum will need to find a solution to its ticketing problems as soon as possible.