Museums in Amsterdam are among the main tourist attractions. The Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum and Stedelijk Museum are the most popular choices, but there are many, many more. Amsterdam has over fifty museums, which attract millions of visitors every year. Alongside the wealth of magestic Golden Age paintings, you'll find exciting modern art, press, film, theatre and photography museums and some unique Dutch treats like the Heineken Experience, the Ajax Museum and the Houseboat museum. And Amsterdam wouldn't be Amsterdam without the likes of the Sex, Erotic, Hash or Torture museums.
For kids there is the impressive NEMO; a hands-on, science and technology museum housed in an unmissable, boat-shaped building. The Shipping Museum is also worth a visit with its replica of a Dutch trading ship, docked at the front. Museums such as the Tropical museum and Jewish museum also include children's section. The Museum card is the ideal solution for museums and arts addicted, for tourists wishing to stay in Amsterdam longer, or visiting museums also in other Dutch cities. Exept for these well known museums, there is a number of art galleries in Amsterdam.
Rijksmuseum Amsterdam
The Rijksmuseum is the largest museum in the Netherlands, with more than a million visitors each year. The Rijksmuseum is a familiar Amsterdam landmark and possesses an unrivalled collection of Dutch art, from early religious works to the masterpieces of the Golden Age. Location: Stadhouderskade 42, The museum quarter.
Stedelijk Museum
Housing the municipal collection of modern art, this important museum
with wonderful collection of all biggest 20th C. artists, is going
through the difficult phase of reconstruction and enlargement. In the
period - August 28, 2010 - until January 9, 2011, temporary exhibit
will be open in its renovated old building in South Amsterdam. Location: Paulus Potterstraat 13
Van Gogh Museum
The museum houses some 200 paintings and 550 sketches showing Van Gogh in all his moods. These combined with hundreds of letters by Van Gogh to Theo, and selected works by his friends and contemporaries, form the core of the museum's collection. Location: Paulus Potterstraat 7, The museum quarter.
Amsterdam Historical Museum
The permanent exhibitions are housed around the complex's inner courtyards. Clear signposting allows the visitor to concentrate on a specific period of the Amsterdam's history. Location: Kalverstraat 92, Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 357, St Luciensteeg.
Anne Frank House
Anne Frank House in the center of Amsterdam is the hiding place where Anne Frank wrote her famous diary during World War II. The original of the diary is on display as part of the Anne Frank House's permanent exhibition. Location: Prinsengracht 267, Jordaan quarter near Westerkerk.
Houseboat museum
Ever wondered what it is like to live right on the canals of Amsterdam? This is your chance to visit a former sailing vessel, although the houseboat is no longer used as a home, it looks like the owner could pop back in at any moment.
Location: Prinsengracht, opposite 296
Amsterdam Tulip Museum
A friendly, small museum about the tulip - flower which is a symbol of the Netherlands, Amsterdam Tulip Museum is located just across the bridge from the Anne Frank House. You may see there interesting multimedia presentations about the history of tulip, its cultivation and the 17th century speculation with tulip bulbs – so called tulip mania. In the musum shop you may buy bulbs of rare tulips and many other decorative flowers. Location: Prinsengracht 112
Electric Tram Line Museum
One of the few museums on wheels in the world: visiting you make a ride because Electric Tram Line Museum operates historical trams on a separate tramway leading from Haarlemmermeerstation in South Amsterdam, through Amsterdamse Bos to Amstelveen. Some of the trains in the Museum's collection are from 1910, some younger, but they all are funny, slow and noisy. Great pleasure for kids. The line starts operating in spring after Eastern through summer until the end of October. Only on Sundays. Location: Haarlemmermeerstation, Amstelveenseweg 264
Bilderdijk Museum
Willem Bilderdijk has been an important Dutch poet, writer and thinker of the 19th century. At the age of six, he had an accident as a result of which, he had to stay at home for many years, until his adulthood. Love of books and studies he developed as a boy, marked his whole life. Today, Bilderdijk remains important as one of the thinkers who argued in his writings for the creation of the constitutional monarchy in the Netherlands, reinstating the Dynasty of Orange on the Dutch throne and against social revolution and liberalism. A small museum bestowed to him, preserves the memory of Bilderdijk - the person and that of his writings.
Fluorescent Art Museum
This small museum is also called Electric Ladyland, to honor American musician Jimmi Hendrix (after the title of one of his albums) and it is exhibiting art created with fluorescent materials, as well as fluorescent minerals completed by a worthy of note information. The Fluorescent Art Museum has been created by an American artist Nick Padalino in the Jordaan district of Amsterdam. This museum is really out of the ordinary. Location: Tweede Leliedwarsstraat 5
Museum Vrolik
A collection of abnormal embryos, skulls and bones, as well as other unusual anatomical human and zoological specimens. The museum has been made named after the collection founders - Gerardus Vrolik (1755-1859) and his son Willem Vrolik (1801-1863), both anatomy professors and scientific authorities in their times. The museum is now located in the modern Academic Medical Center hospital, out of the city center, in the South East,- Amsterdam new business and commerce area. Location: Meibergdreef 15 (Amsterdam Z.O.)
Museum Kromhout
Named after the owners of the famous Dutch shipyard and the producers of ship engines Museum Shipyard “’t Kromhout” is beautifully located at the waterfront, side be side with a working small shipyard. Consisting mainly of the collection of small ship engines produced by Kromhout, most of them hundred years old, nevertheless often maintained in a working condition, this museum will appeal to all people fascinated by shipbuilding, ship engines and industrial heritage in general. Location: Hoogte Kadijk 147
Multatuli Museum
The most important Dutch writer of the 19th century took his penname Multatuli (much experienced) from Roman poet Ovid. Born in Amsterdam in 1820 as Eduard Douwes Dekker, a son of ship captain, Multatuli achieved through his writings prominence lasting until our days. A small museum in the house of his birth, reminds his life and his writings.
Vodka Museum
The newest of Amsterdam museums, it is located on Damrak, almost in front of the Central Station. The Vodka Museum features a small, professionally organized exhibit about the history of Russian Vodka. The timeline is completed with some unique, interesting vodka bottles, as well as hundreds of sorts of vodka from Russia and other countries, ironically completed by some old anti-alcohol drinking posters from the Soviet era. And while the times have changed, an elegant Museum Bar makes the vodka consumption possible directly on the spot, in the museum. Location: Damrak 33
Pijpenkabinet – Pipe Museum
Thousands of pipes on show, carefully collected and presented in the beautiful interior of a 17th century's canal house at the Prinsengracht. The best collection of its kind in Europe, confirmed by the Dutch Museum Register, recognized as the national museum in its field by the Dutch Ministry of Culture. Location: Prinsengracht 488 (near Leidsestraat)
Museum Geelvinck Hinlopen Huis
In 1687, for the occasion of his marriage to the much younger Sara Hinlopen, the wealthy and influential merchant Albert Geelvinck built a canal mansion. Today the period rooms and the rich garden between the main house and its former carriage house on Keizersgracht is open for the public on Saturdays and Sundays 11:00 - 17:00. A guided tour will give you an impression of the life inside. Address: Keizersgracht 633
Jewish Historical Museum
The museum consists of four synagogues, the oldest dating back to 17th century and houses a rich collection. It shows the history, religion and culture of Jews in the Netherlands.
Location: Jonas Daniel Meijerplein 2-4
Coffee and Tea Museum
A small museum above the beautiful old shop selling freshly roasted coffee as well as tea, run for almost 150 years by the Geels family, located in a busy street on the very edge of the Red Light District. This dusty collection of old coffee trade artifacts has been organized by the passionate coffee and tea lovers. Since Coffee and Tea Museum is led by the volunteers, it is open only on Saturday afternoon. Interesting to see, especially for the coffee fanatics.
Museum Our Lord in the Attic
On the edge of the Red Light District, museum houses in the restored 17th-century canal house with two smaller houses to the rear. The lower floors of the building became a museum in 1888 and today contain refurbished rooms, as well as a collection of church silver, religious artefacts and paintings.
Location: Oudezijds Voorburgwal 40.
Hermitage in Amsterdam
A small dependence of the famous Hermitage museum of Saint Petersburg, Russia, organizes each year two interesting exhibitions. Check their website for the current show - if the subject does interest you, it will be certainly worth seeing, because these exhibits are usually intersting and well presented. The Hermitage Amsterdam has some big development plans linked to the adaptation of the Amstelhof – an old and beautiful building at the Amstel River. It should make of Hermitage dependence one of the biggest museums in Amsterdam. Location: building Neerlandia, Nieuwe Herengracht 14
Museum van Loon
An impressive patrician canal house at the very center of Amsterdam. Here is your unique possibility of entering such a house, still owned by the aristocratic Van Loon family, which decided to open it to the public. An interesting private museum documenting the life of the upper class in the city of Amsterdam.
Location: Keizersgracht 672
Allard Pierson museum
Allard Pierson Museum is Amsterdam's the only specialist archeological collection, now owned by the University. The museum contains Egyptian, Greek, Cypriot, Roman, Etruscan and Coptic artefacts.
Location: Oude Turfmarkt 127.
Civic Guards Gallery (Schuttersgalerij)
A gallery of the 17th century portraits of the important citizens of Amsterdam, both - men and women. These beautiful, painted by the Old Masters portraits, will give you an intense feeling of the life in the city at the time. The entry to the gallery is free.
Location: Kalverstraat 92 (deep in the curtyard)
Nederlands Scheepvaart Museum
Netherlands Maritime Museum holds the largest collection of boats in the world. Displays of real-size ships, models and maps give a chronological view of Dutch naval history. Location: Linnaeusstraat 2, quarter Plantage.
www.scheepvaartmuseum.nl
Tropenmuseum - Tropical Museum
One of the most intriguing Amsterdam's museums belongs to the Royal Institute for the Tropics, a foundation devoted to the study of the cultures of tropical areas around the world.
Location: Kattenburgerplein 1, quarter Plantage.
Museum Willet-Holthuysen
An impressive collection of furniture, silverware and paintings housed in a beautiful preserved 17th-century canalside mansion. How did a wealthy family live in an Amsterdam canal house? Find out in this 17-th century mansion.
Location: Herengracht 605, South-East of the city center, near the river Amstel.
Film museum
The collection of the film museum consists of thousands of movies, photos, posters and scripts of Dutch and international movies. Exclusive masterpieces of cinema history are show every day since the museum is often the only place which has the equipment to show them.
Location: Vondelpark 3
Rembrandt house museum
The house where Rembrandt lived from 1639 until 1659 is now the home of a large collections of his etchings and the very place where most of them where made. It also has a large collection of paintings of people who inspired him, like Pieter Lastman.
Location: Jodenbreestraat 4
NEMO
Right next the Central Station is the largest futuristic science center in the Netherlands, housed in a ship like building designed by Renzo Piano. Here you can be amazed by the world of science and technology. Contrary to other museums, here you must touch the collection and experiment with it.
Location: Oosterdok 2
www.e-nemo.nl
Nieuwe Kerk – New Church
This late Gothic church is the home of several unique exhibitions throughout the year. Each exhibition will show only masterpieces of a certain era or subject.
Location: Dam square
Madame Tussauds
No time to book a visit with princes Maxima? You can see her every day, right next to Kylie Minogue, Bono and Bob Marley. A bit of culture perhaps? Watch Rembrandt at work in his atelier. Life size and frighteningly lifelike.
Location: Dam square
FOAM – photography
Be inspired by the exhibitions in this museum for photography. Join the discussions, study and mingle with the professionals. Your holiday snaps will never be the same again.
Location: Keizersgracht 609
Bijbelsmuseum - Biblical museum
This museum shows visitors the world of the bible: religious objects, and even the smells from the bible stories. Clay tablets, and archaeological findings tell the tale of the origins of the Bible and it’s influence on Dutch society.
Location: Herengracht 366- 368
www.bijbelsmuseum.nl
Museum Het Schip – Amsterdam School of architecture
This is an excellent example of the Amsterdam School of Architecture from the beginning of the 20th century. “The ship” as the block is called, was designed by M. de Klerk, and it’s interior has now been carefully restored.
Location: Spaarndammerplantsoen 140
www.hetschip.nl
Verzetsmuseum - Resistance Museum – WWII
The main exhibition of this museum shows the work of the Dutch resistance during WWII, but it also makes the visitor think about the things we take for granted nowadays, like freedom.
Location: Plantage Kerklaan 61
www.verzetsmuseum.org
Hortus Botanicus - the Botanical Garden
This oasis in the centre of the city has always been called the jewel in the crown of Amsterdam. It was established in 1638 as an herb garden for Amsterdam doctors and chemists and has since developed into a living museum with plants from all continents.
Location: Plantage Midddenlaan 2a
www.dehortus.nl
Theo Thijssen Museum
An old small house, typical for the Jordaan area of Amsterdam accommodates on its ground floor a museum of the popular Dutch writer, author of popular in the Netherlands books for children - Theo Thijssen. The sympathetic, very small museum with a strong local character. Location: Eerste Leliedwarsstraat 16 (in the Jordaan).
Museum of Bags and Purses (Tassen Museum Hendrikje)
Tassen Museum Hendrikje or in English: Museum of Bags and Purses is a private museum of ladies handbags. This may seem not serious, but Hendrikje Ivo, an antique dealer from Amstelveen who established the collection, has today more than 3000 handbags. All the big designers’ names are beautifully presented, with Dior, Chanel and Versace, as well as hundreds of bags from the past, with the ones from the late Middle ages as the oldest. The museum has a café, with a lunchroom, perfectly maintained garden and a museum shop with… yes; you guessed it right, hundreds of design handbags. Location: Herengracht 573
Pianola Museum
A small museum of pianolas displays automatic pianos form the beginning of the 20th century, which were reproducing music using the carton rolls with a hole for each music note. Pianolas were very popular until 1930's. They had seemed to be an invention of the future. The later development of the phonographic industry made the pianolas obsolete. The museum has 15 original instruments and 20 000 paper music rolls. The Pianola Museum is located in the Jordaan, in a short walk distance from the Anne Frank Museum.
Location: Westerstraat 106.
Stadsarchief Amsterdam - Municipal Archives of Amsterdam
In the archives and their collections you can find out everything about the history of your relatives from Amsterdam, your house or the neighborhood you live in. The total length of the archives is about 35 km. The Standsarchief organizes exhibitions and screens documentary films about Amsterdam.
Location: Vijzelstraat 32
De Appel (The Apple) - Foundation for contemporary art
A prestigious foundation for contemporary art organizing exhibitions and performances. De Appel aims to discover and present to a larger public the newest of the new in modern art.
No permanent location. Office: Damrak 70
www.deappel.nl
ARCAM - Amsterdam Centre for Architecture
The ARCAM foundation aims to show the public all aspects of Amsterdam’s architecture – future, present and historical. It is housed in a unique building designed by René van Zuuk. You can find there different exhibitions throughout the year, and once a month a distinguished architect is invited to talk about his or her work.
Location: Prins Hendrikkade 600 (just in front of Nemo, low on the quayside).
Huis Marseille – photography
Every three month this foundation for photography organizes new exhibitions in this former house of a wealthy French merchant. All imaginary forms of photography are on display, with an emphasis on the visual quality.
Location: Keizersgracht 401
www.huismarseille.nl
Vakbondsmuseum - Trade Unions Museum
Situated in one of the finest trade union buildings, called de Burcht (Stronghold) by a Dutch claassic architect Hendrik Berlage, build in 1900 for the Dutch diamond workers, the museum is documenting trade unions history in the Netherlands.
Location: Henri Polaklaan 9
Persmuseum – Press museum
This museum guards over four centuries of journalistic heritage and has a large collection of newspapers and magazines, a unique collection of political images and an extensive library of the Dutch printer press.
Location: Zeeburgerkade 10
Ajax Museum
This history of Ajax football club, images of 100 years of football legends from these “Sons of the Gods”, one of the best know teams in the Netherlands and across the borders.
Location: Amsterdam ArenA, Arena Boulevard 29, Amsterdam ZO
www.ajax.nl
Brilmuseum – National Museum of Spectacles
In an old town house (dating from 1620), at one of the narrow streets in the very centre of Amsterdam, an interesting small museum has been located focused on just one object: the spectacles. If you are interested in the history of fashion or the spectacles in particular – this is your chance, because the collection is rich, the old house impressive and the Brilmuseum presentation remarkable. Location: Gasthiusmolensteeg 7
Sex museum
Another must when in Amsterdam: The Venustemple houses an extensive collection of erotic paintings, pictures, objects and recordings from different ages and cultures all over the world.
Location: Damrak 18
www.sexmuseumamsterdam.nl
Torture museum
This small and dark museum shows some of the most horrid inventions to torture and execute people. Complete with straps, spikes, weights and blades, these machines will make you thankful that they are no longer used in modern times.
Location: Singel 449
Erotic Museum
Located right in the hart of the red-light district, this museum reflects the history of the area. Five floors full of erotic enjoyment and artwork.
Location: OZ. Achterburgwal 54
Heineken Experience
No visit is complete without taking a peek in the breweries of the worlds best beer. Find out everything you wanted to know about the history of beer making and take a bottleride to see the process of beer making from beginning until the end.
Location: Stadhouderskade 78
www.heinekenexperience.com
Diamond Museum
A small and elegant museum organized by an important Amsterdam trader in these precious stones – Coster Diamonds. An interesting exhibit has been visualized by all modern multimedia means. Diamond Museum is conveniently located in a direct proximity of Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum.
Location: Paulus Potterstraat 8, The museum quarter.
De Kattenkabinet - The Cat Cabinet
A small private art museum, established by its founder William Meijer to memorize his cat. It may seem a joke, but the exhibited art works, all with obligatory cats as their subject, were chosen with a great care and are clearly out of the ordinary. Located in an old patrician canal house with a fully restored, richly decorated interior. Location: Herengracht 497
The Hash, Marijuana and Hemp Museum
This small museum located on two unattached venues at one of the old canals of the Red Light District, is one of the Amsterdam best kept secrets. On the outside, one of many attractions of the local tourist industry - inside an interesting collection of objects and artifacts, paintings and photographs related to cannabis but also to its more important cousin – the hemp plant and its multiple, non-hallucinogenic uses.
Remember: Museumkaart is designed to enter more than 400 museums in Holland!
Visit the Rijksmuseum and other Amsterdam's museums with your own Art Historian.
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