Museums
With more than 50 museums, compact Amsterdam packs a big cultural punch. From long-established institutions famous around the globe to lesser-known hidden treasures, the permanent and temporary collections here offer art, history, the unexpected and the unusual. In recent years, photography and multimedia exhibitions have also been booming.
World-renowned bastions of art and history
First-time visitors will likely want to visit some Amsterdam's most famous museums. The Rijksmuseum houses masterpieces of Golden Age glory. Marvel at Vincent's visible brush strokes and his uneasy life at the Van Gogh Museum. The exceptionally moving story told at the Anne Frank House is somber yet inspirational. The recently renovated Hermitage Amsterdam features the fortunes of Czarist Russia. See how the city's most famous resident lived at the Rembrandthuis. And be one of the first inside the new state-of-the-art space for modern and contemporary art when the acclaimed Stedelijk Museum reopens at the end of 2009.
Amsterdam's hidden treasures
Tired of pushing past people to see Golden Age paintings? Amsterdam's smaller museums are hidden cultural treasures. Have a penchant for purses? Consider the Tassenmuseum (Bag Museum). Museum Het Schip is a stunning example of Amsterdam School architecture, while Museum Willet-Holthuysen is the only fully restored canal house that's open to the public daily.
Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder (also called Museum Amstelkring), within walking distance of Central Station, is tucked away in the attic of a building. Founded in the Protestant-dominated 17th century, this secret chapel would host Catholic mass.
The Jewish Historical Museum (JHM) displays objects and artifacts related to the religion, culture and history of Jews in the Netherlands. Part of the museum is designed especially for children, where they can learn about the life of a typical Dutch Jewish family. Here it's explained why Jews should not eat certain products and why it is sometimes more acceptable to make noise than to be silent.
Photography and multimedia boom
In recent years, photography and multimedia exhibitions have risen steadily. Foam_Fotografiemuseum Amsterdam (photography museum known as 'Foam'), has a constant flow of daring and inspiring exhibitions throughout the year. A smaller museum that takes about an hour to explore, it's the perfect place to show up uninformed of the agenda, allowing the curators to surprise you.
The same could be said of Huis Marseille, another photography museum located in a stately canal house. The courtyard gardens often feature some of the collection.
Montevideo, the Dutch Institute for Media Art, has compiled an impressive collection since its inception in 1978. This includes both video and media art, and its permanent collection features some of the first experimental works of well-known national and international talents, as well as emerging artists.
Biblical Museum Amsterdam
Amsterdam's Biblical Museum (Bijbels Museum) illustrates life in biblical times with archaeological discoveries and other artefacts. Clay tablets and fragments of papyrus and.. Read more... »
De Nieuwe Kerk
De Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam is famous for its much talked-about exhibitions. With hundreds of thousands of visitors every year, the church is one of the most highly attended.. Read more... »
Diamond Museum Amsterdam
The Amsterdam Diamond Museum (Diamant Museum) takes you on a journey that began 3 billion years ago, 200 kilometres under the surface of the earth, and which ends with the.. Read more... »
Hermitage Amsterdam
The Hermitage museum on the Amstel river is the Dutch branch of the Hermitage in Saint Petersburg (Russia). The entrance is located at the front of the 17th century 4000 m2.. Read more... »
Museum Van Loon
Museum Van Loon is the residence of Amsterdam's Van Loon family. Willem van Loon was one of the founders of the Dutch East India Company (the V.O.C.) The museum is housed in a.. Read more... »
Rembrandthuis
What was Rembrandt's life like? Where did Holland's most renowned artist etch and paint his masterpieces? Where did the most dramatic events of his life take place? Find out at.. Read more... »
Van Gogh Museum
Amsterdam's Van Gogh Museum houses the largest collection of paintings by Vincent van Gogh in the world. It provides the opportunity to keep track of the artist's developments,.. Read more... »
Dutch Resistance Museum
Amsterdam's Resistance Museum (Versetzmuseum) details the history of the Dutch Resistance in World War II, following occupation by Germany in 1940. Visitors will experience the.. Read more... »
Museum Our Lord in the Attic
Our Lord in the Attic is one of the oldest and most remarkable museums in Amsterdam. Behind the characteristic facade of the canal house lies a 17th-century home and a completely.. Read more... »
Willet-Holthuysen Museum
The Willet-Holthuysen museum in Amsterdam had an interesting start. In 1895 Mrs Willet-Holthuysen bequeathed her 17th-century canal house to the city of Amsterdam in her will, on.. Read more... »
- Tell a friend
- 1 - Museum Our Lord in the Attic
- 2 - Museum of Bags and Purses
- 3 - Tropical Museum Amsterdam
- 4 - Amsterdam Historical Museum
- 5 - Hermitage Amsterdam
- 6 - Museum Het Schip - Amsterdam School
- 7 - Rembrandthuis
- 8 - Willet-Holthuysen Museum
- 9 - Museum Van Loon
- 10 - Dutch Resistance Museum
- 11 - Diamond Museum Amsterdam
- 12 - Van Gogh Museum