Magic MCP vs Rijksmuseum
A side-by-side look at the Magic MCP and Rijksmuseum MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
Verdict: choose Magic MCP for architecture & design work as a local process; choose Rijksmuseum for art & culture as a local process. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
Which MCP server should you choose?
Choose Magic MCP when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Architecture & Design domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- Its auth model fits you: API key required.
- You have the keys it needs:
TWENTY_FIRST_API_KEY, API_KEY_21ST.
Choose Rijksmuseum when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Art & Culture domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- You want tools like
rijks_search, rijks_object, rijks_object_image.
Feature & specification comparison
Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | Architecture & Design | Art & Culture |
| Quality signal | 53/100 · Good | 53/100 · Good |
| Install command | Confirmed | Confirmed |
| Transport | Local subprocess (stdio) | Local subprocess (stdio) |
| Auth | API key required | Not declared |
| Pricing | Paid service | Not declared |
| Required env vars | TWENTY_FIRST_API_KEYAPI_KEY_21ST | None listed |
| Verified owner | Community listing | Community listing |
| GitHub stars | 6,209 | 0 |
| Directory activity | 16 views 1 installs 0 upvotes | 2 views 0 installs 0 upvotes |
| Tools | Not listed | 3 |
| Full listing | View Magic MCP | View Rijksmuseum |
Tools & capabilities
Magic MCP tools
No tool names declared yet. Check the project README from the listing page.
Rijksmuseum tools 3
rijks_searchSearch the Rijksmuseum's ~800,000-object collection — Dutch Golden Age paintings, prints, drawings, photographs, Delftware, Asian art — by title, maker, object type, material, technique or object number, and get back real records: title, maker, date, materials, curatorial description, rights and a IIIF image URL. AUTHORITATIVE for what the Dutch national museum holds and how it catalogues it. Keyless. There is no free-text `q`: filters are field-scoped, and titles are catalogued in Dutch. Example: rijks_search({ creator: "Rembrandt", type: "painting", limit: 5 }).rijks_objectOne Rijksmuseum object in full: title, maker, date, object type, materials, place, depicted subjects, the museum's own curatorial description, object number, rights statement and image URL. Accepts the numeric object id, its id.rijksmuseum.nl URI, or a museum object number such as "SK-C-5" (resolved for you). Keyless. Example: rijks_object({ id: "200107928" }) → The Night Watch.rijks_object_imageImage URLs for one Rijksmuseum object: the IIIF Image API 3 service, full-resolution pixel dimensions, a full-size JPEG, a scaled JPEG at a width you choose, a thumbnail, and the object's rights statement (most of the collection is public domain). Says plainly when an object has no published image rather than returning a broken link. Keyless. Example: rijks_object_image({ id: "200107928", width: 1200 }).
Ready-to-paste client configs
Paste either block (or both) into your client config, e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json. We only show a config when the install command is confirmed.
Magic MCP
{
"mcpServers": {
"21st-dev-magic-mcp": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@21st-dev/cli@latest"
],
"env": {
"TWENTY_FIRST_API_KEY": "YOUR_TWENTY_FIRST_API_KEY_HERE",
"API_KEY_21ST": "YOUR_API_KEY_21ST_HERE"
}
}
}
}
Rijksmuseum
{
"mcpServers": {
"rijksmuseum": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@pipeworx/mcp-rijksmuseum"
]
}
}
}
Frequently asked questions
Magic MCP is categorized under Architecture & Design and uses a local stdio subprocess. Rijksmuseum belongs to Art & Culture and uses a local stdio subprocess. Pick Magic MCP for architecture & design work and Rijksmuseum for art & culture.
Copy the mcpServers block from the config section on this page into your client's config (for example claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json), then fully restart the client.
Magic MCP is listed as a paid service. Auth: api key required. Rijksmuseum has no declared pricing — check the project's own site. If a server needs environment variables such as API keys, define them under the env key in your client's MCP config.
Yes. MCP clients support multiple servers: add 21st-dev-magic-mcp and rijksmuseum as separate keys in the same mcpServers object, and your assistant will call tools from either one.
On AllMCPs, Magic MCP has a quality signal of 53/100 (Good) with 16 views, 1 installs and 6,209 GitHub stars. Rijksmuseum has 53/100 (Good) with 2 views, 0 installs and 0 GitHub stars.