Reopening of Amsterdam Rijksmuseum delayed to 2O1O

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Amsterdam's renowned Rijksmuseum, home to some of the most famous works by Rembrandt and other Dutch masters and which is undergoing restoration, will not reopen until 2010, two years later than planned.

Delays had arisen due to the need for extra building permits after some initial designs had been modified, the Dutch culture ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

"The delay should not bring any extra costs," it added.

In a face-lift resembling modernizations at Paris' Louvre and Gare d'Orsay museums, the Rijksmuseum, one of the Netherlands' major tourist attractions, will get a giant underground entrance hall.

The museum's Web site has put the cost at 272 million euros ($350 million).

During the renovation, works by Rembrandt and other Dutch masters such as Frans Hals and Vermeer have remained on view in a side wing.