Amsterdam is one of the best destinations for museum lovers. This small city is home to more than 75 museums, attracting tourists from all over the world to see the great works of Vincent Van Gogh and Rembrandt van Rijn. And even if you are not an art enthusiast, there is always something to entertain the eye and make your experience visiting Amsterdam museums unforgettable and worthwhile. Alongside the majestic golden age paintings, you’ll find exciting modern art, press, film, theater, science, biology and photography museums.
There are also some interesting exhibits like the houseboat, tulip, erotic, cannabis or torture museums. Being an art-loving country, the Netherlands offer their residents an opportunity to visit the museums unlimitedly for one year by buying a Museum Card. Alternatively, if you are not Dutch citizen but you love museums, you can obtain the I Amsterdam City Card which offers you a unique way to explore Amsterdam. You get access to all major highlights, more than 70 museums, city-wide public transport, a canal cruise, bicycle rent, the possibility to skip lines and get exclusive discounts at restaurants, attractions and concerts. City Hotel Rembrandt Square is located in the heart of the city center of Amsterdam where all the museums are easily reachable by foot or public transport.
The Rijksmuseum,
Museumstraat 1, 1071 XX Amsterdam
The Rijksmuseum, which in English means “The State Museum”, is one of the most breathtaking museums in the world. During its existence, the museum has gone through many transformations and remains now, especially after its complete renovation, the attraction you should not miss during your trip to the Netherlands. Explore over 800 years of Dutch history and behold world famous masterpieces along with more than 8000 objects spread across 80 galleries.
Rembrandt’s best-known masterpiece, “The Night Watch”, which marked a turning point in the artist’s career, takes pride of place in its own eponymous gallery. The large-scale painting depicts guardsmen getting into formation, with a young girl in the foreground rumoured to be modelled on Rembrandt’s late wife. The opulent space is dedicated to Rembrandt’s vision and talent, complete with a frieze commemorating key moments in the artist’s life. You will also find several paintings by Vermeer, van Dyck and Jan Steen, a truly exceptional collection of the antique objects of the material Dutch culture, a vast collection of prints and drawings and classic photography.
(20 min journey)
Van Gogh Museum,
Museumplein 6, 1071 DJ Amsterdam
The Van Gogh is one of the best museums in Amsterdam for Impressionist lovers. Just a minute away from Rijksmuseum, located on the famous Museumplein, you will find the Van Gogh Museum. More than 200 paintings, letters and drawings await. Van Gogh’s work is organized chronologically into five periods, each representing a different period of his life and work: The Netherlands, Paris, Arles, Saint-Remy and Auvers-sur-Oise.
You will also have the chance to compare Van Gogh’s works with his French contemporaries like Paul Gauguin and Claude Monet. Some of the Van Gogh Museum highlights are The Potato Eaters, The Bedroom and Tulip Fields near The Hague by Claude Monet.
(20 min journey)
Anne Frank House,
Westermarkt 20, 1016 GV Amsterdam
Take a journey back in time to the darker period of WWII and the story told by a young Anne Frank during the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam. You will visit the room where Anne and her relatives were hiding for almost two years before being captured by the Nazi’s and will learn about her life, struggles and motives behind writing her famous diary. Of course, you will have the chance to see her diary as well.
Whether or not you’ve read her famous diary, the Anne Frank Museum is incredibly moving. Photos aren’t allowed inside. To get tickets to the Anne Frank House, you’ll need to purchase them online about two months ahead. Otherwise, you can have a look on the website for the online queue to see if there’s any left right before your visit.
(20 min journey)
Stedelijk Museum,
Museumplein 10, 1071 DJ Amsterdam
Looking for a modern art collection? Look no further. Stedelijk Museum offers amazing contemporary exhibitions as well as classics like Monet, Picasso and Chagall. 700 pieces strong, the “Stedelijk Base” permanent exhibition brings together paintings, furniture, jewelry, sculptures, everyday objects, accessories, photography, drawings, installations, video art, posters and interiors into one amazing integrated experience.
See famous pieces such as the As I Opened Fire by the American artist Roy Lichtenstein. The popular piece is derived from a comic book and features three panels, called a triptych, alongside exaggerated lettering, It features the use of primary colours and the narrative from the comic itself, albeit slightly altered. It is one of the best pieces you can find in this museum. A good lunchroom, museum restaurant, rich library and gadgets shop can complete your Amsterdam Stedelijk visit.
(20 min journey)
Jewish Historical Museum,
Nieuwe Amstelstraat 1, 1011 PL Amsterdam
Located in the heart of Amsterdam, just a few minutes away from the City Hotel Rembrandt Square, you will find the former Jewish quarter. At the Jewish Historical Museum, you will see more than 30.000 works of art, ceremonial and historical objects. These pieces are associated with the religion, culture and history of Jews and Judaism in the Netherlands and its former colonies. It provides a unique picture of past and present Dutch Jewish life in all its facets. The museum can show only 5% of its impressive and rich collection – the rest is archived or occasionally lent out to other museums.
In the same building, you will also find the Children’s Museum. It was home to the Hollanders, a Dutch Jewish family. The various rooms in the house reflect the family’s concerns and critical elements in Jewish tradition: that each person has a responsibility for the world in which they live and that everyone can contribute in their way. Younger visitors can explore everyday subjects such as food, study, memories and music. At the end of your visit, you can visit the café in the museum which sells kosher snacks, including bagels and cakes.
Purchase a Jewish Cultural Quarter ticket (valid for one month) and you can access the Jewish Historical Museum, the Children’s Museum, the Portuguese Synagogue and the Hollandsche Schouwburg (National Holocaust Memorial).
(500 meters away)
The Rembrandt House Museum,
Jodenbreestraat 4, 1011 NK Amsterdam
Do not miss the opportunity to visit the place where the famous artist created his masterpieces – see the inspiration behind his work and dive into the world of the genius painter. The Rembrandt House has been renovated and redecorated to replicate what it looked like during the time Rembrandt occupied it. The carefully selected antique furniture and decorations will give you a unique glimpse into the artist’s day-to-day life.
(800 meters away)
Moco Museum,
20,Honthorststraat, 1071 DE, Amsterdam
Would you like to see one of Amsterdam’s hippest and trendiest museums? Moco is exactly that. You can see the works of eccentric Andy Warhol, whimsical Salvador Dali, or contemporary street-art guru Banksy.
(20 min journey)
Historical Museum of Amsterdam,
Kalverstraat 92, 1012 PH Amsterdam
Set in a former orphanage, this museum will give you an engaging overview of Amsterdam’s origin story. It’s curation of art, household items, books, archeological artefacts, journals, reference papers, interactive displays and multimedia exhibits chronicles how this 1000-year-old trading city has maintained its culture of creativity and free-thinking through the millenia. Here you will find fine paintings including one Rembrandt, various extraordinary 17th C. group portraits of foremost citizens and other admirable artifacts. Additionally, the museum usually presents interesting temporary exhibits.
(900 meters away)
Hermitage Museum,
Amstel 51, 1018 EJ Amsterdam
The riverfront building itself, the Amstelhof, was built 1682 as a retirement home and now houses the Hermitage Amsterdam. You can get a taste of Russian refinement right in the heart of Amsterdam. The Hermitage Amsterdam is a satellite of the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg and displays a rotating selection of work from the Russian grand dame’s permanent collection. The relationship between the two museums highlights the historical links between Amsterdam and Russia, dating back to Tsar Peter the Great’s visit to the Netherlands at the end of the 17th century.
(450 meters away)
Nemo Science Museum,
Oosterdok 2, 1011 VX Amsterdam
NEMO Science Museum invites you to interact with science and technology in an informal and engaging setting. The five-story building itself is a landmark on the Oosterdok, jutting out of the water like the hull of a copper-green ship. The 19,000 artefacts show how technology has developed over the years, in an anthology of the first electrical home appliances and everything from the parlograph to the Walkman. On the outdoor roof terrace on top of the building, you’ll find a stunning view of Amsterdam, a lovely restaurant and the open-air “Energetica” exhibition with interactive sculptures and a cascading water feature. Let yourself be amazed by the world of science and technology. Contrary to other museums, here you must touch the collection and experiment with it.
(15 min journey)
National Maritime Museum,
Kattenburgerplein 1, 1018 KK Amsterdam
The Maritime Museum has endless entertainment for sea-faring families. On a swashbuckling tour of the East Indiaman Amsterdam ship, Rinus the Rat guides visitors through firing a cannon, scuttling through the hold and other hands-on activities that will give you an idea of what life was like aboard the real 18th-century ship all those years ago. The museum’s collection of 400,000 maritime objects, including paintings, models of ships, navigation instruments, and maps of the world, is one of the largest in the world. The museum has done a fantastic job with making interactive exhibits that allow you to look at their pieces up close without damaging the rare maps.
(15 min journey)
Eye Filmmuseum,
IJpromenade 1, 1031 KT Amsterdam
A landmark on the IJ, Eye Filmmuseum is an architectural wonder, designed to play with light, space, and movement in much the same way as film. Inside the slick, multi-faceted, white structure is an impressive compilation of movie posts, project equipment, almost 40,000 films and other objects that reflect Dutch film culture.
The EYE Film Institute offers visitors several interesting exhibitions while it’s cinemas project classic films from morning until late hours at night. Intelligent multimedia art installations and a striking way of presentation make this film museum a real attraction.
(20 min journey)
Tropenmuseum,
Linnaeusstraat 2, 1092 CK, Amsterdam
The architecture alone in this spectacular building makes it worth a visit. It took almost 10 years to build and was officially opened in 1926 by Queen Wilhelmina. The central atrium affords an expansive, light-drenched view of the museum’s various floors and exhibits. The permanent collection is an exploration of culture, where visitors can peruse beautiful artefacts from all over the world, each with its own story to tell.
(20 min journey)