Museums · CRUISES & BOAT

15 Museum Days by Boat Around the World Worth Booking

36 tours  ·  from $18 a head

The good museum days by boat sell their time slots weeks ahead. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.

Paris: Louvre Museum Entry Ticket With Host and River Cruise - Making sense of the Louvre’s three wings
Cruises & Boat Tours, Louvre Museum Tours, Museum Tours in France, Museum Tours in Paris, Museums Around the World, Tickets, Tour Reviews

Paris: Louvre Museum Entry Ticket With Host and River Cruise

1.Louvre Museum Entry Ticket With Host and River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 9,926 reviews · 1 day · from $100Our pick

Meet an English-speaking host at Benlux on Rue de Rivoli for coordinated Louvre entry, then explore the museum independently with a digital audio guide. Finish with a flexible one-hour Seine cruise, passing the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Musée d’Orsay, and more.

“Everything went well. Although our check in time for the Louvre was 5pm, we had enough time to see what we wanted to see, which was Mona Lisa, the Greek sculptures and a few paintings along the way. If you plan on seeing more or spending more than 2 hours here you may want to buy tix separately. You can not see everything in 2 hours, but it was a long day of walking for us so 2 hours is all we had left plus we still wanted to catch dinner b4 we caught the cruise. Tip: Allow yourself to get dinner before the cruise. We caught the last cruise…”

Check availability →Read our full review

Amsterdam: Van Gogh Museum Ticket and City Canal Cruise - Entering the Van Gogh Museum at Museumplein
City Tours, Cruises & Boat Tours, Museum Tours in Amsterdam, Museum Tours in the Netherlands, Museums Around the World, Tickets, Tour Reviews, Van Gogh Museum Tours

Amsterdam: Van Gogh Museum Ticket and City Canal Cruise

2.Van Gogh Museum Ticket and City Canal Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 3,899 reviews · 3 hours · from $47

Visit the Van Gogh Museum at a fixed entry time, then take a 75-minute Blue Boat canal cruise from the Hard Rock Café or Heineken Experience. See Amsterdam’s merchant houses, bridges, and newer architecture with multilingual audio commentary. Add the museum guide or snack box if desired.

“I loved seeing all the sites of Amsterdam on the cruise and the information that was given. The boat guide was funny and made it fun. Seeing Van gogh painting was just amazing such a talent”

Check availability →Read our full review

Amsterdam: Van Gogh Museum Ticket & Canal Cruise - Following Van Gogh from early work to later paintings
Cruises & Boat Tours, Museum Tours in Amsterdam, Museum Tours in the Netherlands, Museums Around the World, Tickets, Tour Reviews, Van Gogh Museum Tours

Amsterdam: Van Gogh Museum Ticket & Canal Cruise

3.Van Gogh Museum Ticket & Canal Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3,304 reviews · 1 day · from $47

Visit the Van Gogh Museum at your chosen entry time, then cruise Amsterdam’s historic canals for one hour. See Sunflowers, letters, bridges, mansions, and the Magere Brug, with multilingual cruise commentary. Reserve your cruise time at a Tours & Tickets shop if your schedule is tight.

“Just show the museum worker your voucher and they let you in. No exchange ticket is necessary. Very smooth experience.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Louvre Museum and Seine River Cruise Tickets by e-mail - Finding the Louvre entrance
Cruises & Boat Tours, Louvre Museum Tours, Museum Tours in France, Museum Tours in Paris, Museums Around the World, Tickets, Tour Reviews

Louvre Museum and Seine River Cruise Tickets by e-mail

4.Louvre Museum and Seine River Cruise Tickets by e-mail

★★★★★★★★★★3.0 · 1,315 reviews · from $57

Pair timed Louvre admission with a one-hour Seine cruise. You’ll see the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, Winged Victory, and major French and Italian works at your own pace, then use the cruise ticket on a later day within six months. Check your email carefully for the final QR codes.

“The staff were so friendly and attentive to us as my son broke his leg in March and still has a bit of a hobble with his walking stick, they let him see the mona Lisa up close and it really made his trip as that's all he wanted to see! The place is so beautiful you could spend days in there! I'd recommend going the earlier the better as the ques are huge to get in. But the place is phenomenal, breathtaking x”

Check availability →Read our full review

Louvre Museum Ticket & Optional Seine River Cruise - Finding your way inside the museum
Cruises & Boat Tours, Louvre Museum Tours, Museum Tours in France, Museum Tours in Paris, Museums Around the World, Tickets, Tour Reviews

Louvre Museum Ticket & Optional Seine River Cruise

5.Louvre Museum Ticket & Optional Seine River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 1,169 reviews · from $25

Prebook timed Louvre admission and enter with a QR code, then explore the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and permanent collections at your own pace. Add a one-hour Seine cruise from the Eiffel Tower, usable the same day or another day during your stay. No guide is included.

“Our hotel was 25 min away from tour. We ordered an uber to ensure we would be on time and even gave ourselves an hour and 15 min so could have coffee/be sure and be on time. Due to multiple transportation issues and an accident on road we missed our time by 15 miRead more”

Check availability →Read our full review

Berlin: East Side Gallery Spree Cruise in a Solar Catamaran - East Side Gallery from the Spree
Cruises & Boat Tours, Museum Tours in Berlin, Museum Tours in Germany, Museums Around the World, Sailing, Tour Reviews

Berlin: East Side Gallery Spree Cruise in a Solar Catamaran

6.East Side Gallery Spree Cruise in a Solar Catamaran

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 1,086 reviews · 2 hours · from $28

Spend two hours on a solar-powered catamaran from Jannowitzbrücke to Treptow Park and back. You’ll see the East Side Gallery from the river, pass Oberbaumbrücke, Kater Blau, houseboats, and Insel der Jugend. German crew, English audio guide, onboard café and toilet.

“It was quite easy to order the tickets online for the 2 1/2 hour journey. The catamaran looked quite new, and was in excellent condition. The cafe and toilet were much appreciated. We sat on the right side, outside, which was quiet and comfortable. The narration was interesting, though a bit quick for me to translate completely for my husband. We really enjoyed seeing Treptower Park, the funky houseboats, and the beautiful riverside properties. The price was reasonable. The launch place was easy to find as it is quite near the Jannowitzbrücke. We would recommend this boat trip.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Zurich: City Tour with Lake Cruise + Optional FIFA Museum - Starting near Zurich HB
City Tours, Cruises & Boat Tours, Museum Tours in Switzerland, Museum Tours in Zurich, Museums Around the World, Tour Reviews, Tours

Zurich: City Tour with Lake Cruise + Optional FIFA Museum

7.City Tour with Lake Cruise + Optional FIFA Museum

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 729 reviews · 3.5 - 5 hours · from $57

Start near Zurich HB for a guided bus tour past Bahnhofstrasse, Zürichberg, the university district, and major churches. Walk through the Old Town, then take a one-hour lake cruise with an app-based audio guide. Add the self-guided FIFA Museum visit if you want a longer day.

“Thank you to the guide Verena for helping us get into the sold out Lindt Home of Chocolate Museum as an add on to this tour.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Combo Ticket: Van Gogh Museum Ticket and 1-Hour Canal Cruise - Seeing Amsterdam from the canal
1-Hour Experiences, Combo Museum Tickets, Cruises & Boat Tours, Museum Tours in Amsterdam, Museum Tours in the Netherlands, Museums Around the World, Tickets, Tour Reviews, Van Gogh Museum Tours

Combo Ticket: Van Gogh Museum Ticket and 1-Hour Canal Cruise

8.Combo Ticket: Van Gogh Museum Ticket and 1-Hour Canal Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 676 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $45

Visit the Van Gogh Museum at a reserved time, then arrange a one-hour Lovers Canal Cruise from a Tours & Tickets office. You explore independently, with 200-plus paintings, 500 drawings, Van Gogh’s letters, and a GPS audio guide in 19 languages on the boat.

“There was no tour guide (how can you call it à tour then?) for the Van Gogh museum (and I had to say we we’re disappointed that some of his most famous works weren’t on display), and the boat tour had to be arranged separately clear across town. The boat (Lover operated) was an oven and the windows had so much glare that pictures were hard to take. Viator should do better packaging such an offering.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Amsterdam: Canal Cruise from Anne Frank Museum - The Nine Streets and Herengracht
Cruises & Boat Tours, Museum Tours in Amsterdam, Museum Tours in the Netherlands, Museums Around the World, Tour Reviews

Amsterdam: Canal Cruise from Anne Frank Museum

9.Canal Cruise from Anne Frank Museum

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 563 reviews · from $18Best value

Cruise Amsterdam’s canals from Smidtje Canal Café near the Anne Frank House or from Central Station. Your skipper points out the Jordaan, Nine Streets, Magere Brug, museums, and the IJ. The heated boat has a toilet, WiFi, live commentary, and an open rear deck for photos.

“Thoroughly enjoyed the tour of the Amsterdam canals our Captain/guide was very knowledgeable and his English was great”

Check availability →Read our full review

From Hurghada: Pyramids and Egyptian Museum Tour & Boat Ride - The Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square
Cruises & Boat Tours, Egyptian Museum Tours, Giza Pyramids Tours, Museum Tours in Egypt, Museum Tours in Giza, Museums Around the World, Tour Reviews, Tours

From Hurghada: Pyramids and Egyptian Museum Tour & Boat Ride

10.Pyramids and Egyptian Museum Tour & Boat Ride

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 381 reviews · 16 hours · from $100

Travel from Hurghada to Cairo with an English-speaking Egyptologist, visit the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, take a 30-minute Nile boat ride, eat lunch, and explore the Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, Valley Temple, and ancient royal monuments. Guides include Ragab, Noura, Mostafa Salah, and Ahmed Rabea.

“Noura was a very good guide She knew very much about the history in the museum and about the pyramides”

Check availability →Read our full review

Paris: Grèvin Wax Museum and Seine River Cruise Tickets - The museum’s practical details matter
Cruises & Boat Tours, Museum Tours in France, Museum Tours in Paris, Museums Around the World, Tickets, Tour Reviews, Wax Museum Tickets

Paris: Grèvin Wax Museum and Seine River Cruise Tickets

11.Grèvin Wax Museum and Seine River Cruise Tickets

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 282 reviews · 1 day · from $47

Meet more than 200 wax figures at Paris’s Grévin Museum, then use your same-day ticket for a Bateaux Parisiens cruise from the Eiffel Tower. You get audio commentary in 14 languages, but must allow extra time for museum queues and travel between the two sites.

“Musée grevin jolie mais pas ouf et je n’ai pas su faire la Seine avec l’attente du musée grevin etc. Et je n’ai pas pu être remboursé.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Paris: Picasso Museum Ticket & Optional Seine River Cruise - Entering the 17th-century Hôtel Salé
Cruises & Boat Tours, Museum Tours in France, Museum Tours in Paris, Museums Around the World, Picasso Museum Tours, Tickets, Tour Reviews

Paris: Picasso Museum Ticket & Optional Seine River Cruise

Amsterdam: Red Light Secrets Museum and 1-Hour Canal Cruise - Inside Red Light Secrets Museum
1-Hour Experiences, Cruises & Boat Tours, Museum Tours in the Netherlands, Museums Around the World, Tour Reviews

Amsterdam: Red Light Secrets Museum and 1-Hour Canal Cruise

13.Red Light Secrets Museum and 1-Hour Canal Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 224 reviews · from $31

Visit Amsterdam’s Red Light Secrets Museum, sit behind a working-style window, then cruise the Canal Belt past gabled houses, churches, and Skinny Bridge. Your museum entry uses a fixed time slot, while the one-hour boat ride requires a separate reservation at Damrak 26.

“Well programmed and very friendly and quick solving problems skills team members.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Amsterdam: Moco Museum Entry Ticket and Canal Cruise - Moco Museum at Honthorststraat 20
Cruises & Boat Tours, Museum Tours in Amsterdam, Museum Tours in the Netherlands, Museums Around the World, Tickets, Tour Reviews

Amsterdam: Moco Museum Entry Ticket and Canal Cruise

14.Moco Museum Entry Ticket and Canal Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 218 reviews · 1 day · from $32

Visit Moco Museum at Honthorststraat 20 during your reserved time slot, then cruise Amsterdam’s Canal Belt for one hour. See Banksy, Dalí, Lichtenstein, the Jordaan, De Wallen, Skinny Bridge, and more. The cruise includes GPS audio commentary in 19 languages.

Check availability →Read our full review

Amsterdam: Canal Cruise and Moco Museum Combined Ticket - Start at Moco Museum on Honthorststraat
Cruises & Boat Tours, Museum Tours in Amsterdam, Museum Tours in the Netherlands, Museums Around the World, Tickets, Tour Reviews

Amsterdam: Canal Cruise and Moco Museum Combined Ticket

15.Canal Cruise and Moco Museum Combined Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 186 reviews · 1 day · from $47

Visit Moco Museum at your assigned time, then take an open-ticket Blue Boat cruise along Amsterdam’s canals. You’ll see merchant houses, Westerkerk, Magere Brug, the IJ, and major museums, with audio commentary in 19 languages. The cruise lasts 75 minutes; the museum visit takes about an hour.

“j ai aimais le thème de l expo. musee original.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Scroll to Top

Explore the museums

Pick a collection, a city or a kind of ticket.