Amsterdam Museum Guide
What does Van Gogh, cheese and sex all have in common? Aside from what sounds like a delightful evening, they are all excellent museums to visit in Amsterdam, the bustling capital of the Netherlands.
This slice of city perfection is filled to the brim with museums - over 50 to be more exact - ranging from classic art to history and culture. And cheese. Now, I know museums aren’t known for their thrilling nature and many travelers share the “I’m not a museum person” sentiment. If that sounds familiar, I hear you - I was in the “anything but a museum” crowd as well. In fact, the only time I wandered in was to escape a rogue rainstorm or if it was considered a mandatory stop, like visiting the Louvre in Paris. Over time, however, I grew to actually enjoy museums. Perhaps its the general act of aging that did me in, but I now seek museums out and relish in the opportunity to learn about an array of topics.
To my fellow travelers seeking to visit Amsterdam, may I strongly suggest shrugging out of the “I don’t like museum” coat, if you’re wearing it, and instead putting on the “let’s look at cool stuff” cap. You won’t regret it - Amsterdam is a city full of surprises and interesting finds, I promise.
Below are a few of my favorite museums to add to your itinerary. From large to small, well-known to under the radar and elegant to raunchy, there is something for everyone. The most cost-effective way to explore is with an Iamsterdam Card, which you can learn more about at the end. Down that way you’ll also find a map to best plan your route.
Table of Contents:
Foam Museum
Rijksmuseum
Kattenkabinet
Moco Museum
Sexmuseum
Rembrandt House Museum
Van Gogh Museum
Cheese Museum
Anne Frank House
Jewish Cultural Quarter
National Holocaust Memorial
Hortus Botanicus
Iamsterdam Card
Museum Map
Foam is a museum dedicated to modern photography, often featuring young up-and-coming artists. Their dynamic exhibits, which feature a diverse range of subjects and perspectives, focus on how we visually interpret reality. Exhibits are rotated every 2-4 months.
Focus: Photography
Visit Time: 1-2 hours
Cost: €12.50/adult (free with Iamsterdam card)
Where: Keizersgracht 609
“Human Nature” by Lucas Foglia
“Part and Whole” by Theo Simpson (center right)
“Back to the Future,” exhibit by Nicolai Howalt
“Militia Company of District VIII under the Command of Captain Roelof Bicker” by Bartholomeus van der Helst, c. 1640-43
As the city’s largest and arguably most popular museum, Rijksmuseum covers 800 years of history with over 8,000+ paintings and artifacts on display (though they have a casual million or so pieces at their disposal). It's most famous pieces include The Milkmaid (Johannes Vermeer, c. 1660), The Night Watch (Rembrandt, c. 1642) and The Threatened Swan (Jan Asselijn, c. 1650). Make sure to also explore the Gallery of Honour, the stained glass in the Great Hall and the classic Cyprus Library.
Focus: Paintings, Art History
Visit Length: 2-3 hours
Cost: €19/adult (free with Iamsterdam Card)
Where: Museumstraat 1
Cat lovers, rejoice, you have just stumbled upon the museum of your dreams! Kattenkabinet (cat in cabinet?) is a museum dedicated exclusively to the celebration of all things cat related. It all begin when a man sought to preserve the memory of his beloved feline friend, John Pierpont Morgan (strangely named after the banker), who passed after 17 years of meowing. Today, the space has grown into a comically serious presentation of cat-centric artwork and history. A museum dedicated to cats couldn’t very well not have any, so there are naturally four of them wandering about.
Focus: Art …and cats
Visit Length: 1 hour
Cost: €10/adult
Where: Herengracht 497
To add a splash of color to your day, look no further than Moco, a bright mansion of modern and contemporary art featuring famous artists such as Andy Warhol, Banksy and Yayoi Kusama. In particular, I enjoyed the ironic (and often humorous) work of Banksy, whose art challenges societal ideals and politics. I left thinking a little deeper about the strange world we’ve built and live in, and laughing at it, too. Of all the museums, I’d say this is the most appealing to anti-museum travelers and the one I’d most recommend checking out.
Focus: Modern Art
Visit Length: 1-1.5 hours
Cost: €19.50/adult (free with Iamsterdam card)
Where: Honthorststraat 20
MOCO Museum with “Love is in the Air (Flower Thrower)” by Banksy in window
Roy Lichtenstein’s 3D room installation based on his “Bedroom at Arles” (1992) based on Van Gogh’s “Bedroom in Arles” (1888)
From Roy Lichtenstein’s “Brushstrokes” exhibit
Squished between a busy pasta bar and ATM, the Sex Museum’s exterior is unassuming - as is its other name, The Temple of Venus. Once inside, visitors will find an interesting array of historic artifacts of the phallic and overt variety. Fear not, this isn’t a building dedicated to pornography and dirty deeds, but you can expect to see many unique and, well, sexual things. Have you ever seen a chastity belt? Or nudes from the 1850s? Or a seven-foot tall penis? Here you can! The museum is tastefully done, or near as close as a sex museum can be.
Focus: Culture and History
Visit Length: 1 hour
Cost: €9/adult
Where: Damrak 18
Artist, teacher and entrepreneur, he was a dynamic fellow, that Rembrandt. From 1639-56, he lived and worked in this house, creating art that was commissioned by wealthy clients and making a killing doing so. Eventually business died down and he continued to live beyond his means leaving him bankrupt. He moved from the home but many moons later, after someone realized he’d lived there, it was salvaged and restored to what it would have looked like in the 17th century. Today, it serves as a historical building and art museum dedicated to Rembrandt’s life and work.
Focus: Art History
Visit Length: 1 hour
Cost: €15/adult (free with Iamsterdam Card)
Where: Jodenbreestraat 4
“Bust of an Old Man with Flowing Beard” by Rembrandt, 1630
You simply can’t visit Amsterdam without Gogh-ing to this famous museum. With 200 paintings and 500 drawings, it contains the largest Vincent van Gogh collection in the world. Through this artwork and nearly 700 letters (primarily to his brother, Theo), his fascinating - and tragic - life story unfolds. In addition to a delightful smorgasbord of his masterpieces and lesser known works, there are paintings by his colleagues sprinkled throughout.
Focus: Paintings
Visit Length: 2-3 hours
Cost: €19/adult (free with Iamsterdam Card)
Where: Museumplein 6
Hard to miss and even harder to resist, this small gem covers the history of cheesemaking in the Netherlands - complete with samples. It’s not an official museum, nor does it take very long to get through, but it sure is a fun stop. You can also dress up like a traditional cheesemaker, which I of course did without hesitation. On the way out, snag some of the country’s famous Gouda!
Focus: Cheese, obviously
Visit Length: 30 minutes
Cost: Free!
Where: Prinsengracht 112
If you see a large line in the middle of what seems like nowhere, then you have successfully arrived at the Anne Frank House. Here visitors experience a young girl’s life during the holocaust through stories, short films, photos and artifacts, including her original diary. In addition to visiting the house that she hid in, there is a museum next door.
Focus: History
Visit Length: 2-3 hours
Cost: €14/adult
Where: Prinsengracht 263-67
Portuguese Synagogue
Within the old Jewish neighborhood is the Jewish Cultural Quarter. Here you will find the lovely Portuguese Synagogue, built in 1675, and the enlightening Jewish Historical Museum. The former is more of a walk-about to admire the architecture while the latter highlights the history of Dutch Jewish culture. Through artifacts, paintings and films, visitors learn about the traditions and history of Jews in the Netherlands, as well as their plight during the second World War.
Focus: Culture and History
Visit Length: 1-2 hours
Cost: €17/adult (free with Iamsterdam Card)
Where: Nieuwe Amstelstraat 1
Inside the Portuguese Synagogue
Maria Austria photography exhibit at the Jewish Historical Museum
Hebrew texts displayed in the Portuguese Synagogue
This former theater-turned-deportation-center is now a memorial to the thousands of Jewish people forced to leave Holland, many of whom died in concentration camps. This museum does more than inform; it is a place that stirs deep emotion in visitors. It holds personal stories and accounts, items and artifacts of victims and art installations to honor their memory. Be aware that this place has many names, which can be confusing: National Holocaust Memorial, National Holocaust Museum, Holocaust Memorial & Dutch Theater and Hollandsche Schouwburg.
Focus: History
Visit Length: 1 hour
Cost: Included with Jewish Cultural Quarter admission or free with Iamsterdam Card
Where: Plantage Middenlaan 27
“In Memoriam” by Willem Volkersz
Not a traditional museum but, as you may have gathered, Amsterdam often throws “traditional” out the window. Created in 1638, the Hortus includes an outdoor garden and five greenhouses. Of these, the beautiful Palm Greenhouse is my personal favorite. With its beautiful Victorian design and collection of greenery, I could’ve stayed for hours. Another gem is the Three Climate Greenhouse, which has a canopy walk that offers a different perspective.
Focus: Horticulture
Visit Length: 1-2 hours
Cost: €9.75/adult (free with Iamsterdam Card)
Where: Plantage Middenlaan 2a
What is it?
The Iamsterdam Card is essentially an all-access pass to Amsterdam, or darn near close to all-access. Visitors can purchase a card for a certain amount of hours (see below for time increments and 2021 rates) during which they can explore over 70 museums and attractions, utilize public transportation and more.
If you plan to visit at least 3-4 museums during your stay, it will pay for itself. As to not cram everything in one day or go overboard on the museum front (an easy thing to do), I recommend the 48 hour pass, or longer if you have more time, of course. To purchase yours, visit Iamsterdam.
Of important note:
It is good for one-time use at each museum
It is activated upon first use and expires depending on the time increment chosen
While some museums don’t require a reservation, they are highly encouraged. For a few, you must book a time slot in advance (i.e. Van Gogh Museum)
You can order your card online and have it delivered or you can to pick it up upon arrival in Amsterdam at a visitor center
It includes one canal cruise - how fun!
The card includes public transportation (GVB bus, tram metro) within the city, but not to/from the airport
Prices & Options:
24 hours
€65
48 hours
€85
72 hours
€105
96 hours
€120
120 hours
€130
Ready to make your own route? View my Amsterdam museum map with all these locations.