The most important museums of Amsterdam are located on het Museumplein (Museum Square), located at the southern side of the Rijksmuseum. It was created in the last quarter of the 19th century on the grounds of the former World Exposition. The northern part of the square is bordered by the very large Rijksmuseum. In front of the Rijksmuseum on the square itself is a long, rectangular, pond. This is transformed into an ice rink in winter. The western part of the square is bordered by the Van Gogh Museum, Stedelijk Museum, House of Bols Cocktail & Genever Experience and Coster Diamonds. The southern border of the Museum Square is the Van Baerlestraat, which is a major thoroughfare in this part of Amsterdam. The Concertgebouw is situated across this street from the square. To the east of the square are situated a number of large houses, one of which contains the American consulate. A parking garage can be found underneath the square, as well as a supermarket. Het Museumplein is covered almost entirely with a lawn, except for the northern part of the square which is covered with gravel. The current appearance of the square was realized in 1999, when the square was remodeled. The square itself is the most prominent site in Amsterdam for festivals and outdoor concerts, especially in the summer. Plans were made in 2008 to remodel the square again, because many inhabitants of Amsterdam are not happy with its current appearance.
The Rijksmuseum possesses the largest and most important collection of classical Dutch art. It opened in 1885. Its collection consists of nearly one million objects. The artist most associated with Amsterdam is Rembrandt, whose work, and the work of his pupils, is displayed in the Rijksmuseum. Rembrandt’s masterpiece the Nightwatch is one of top pieces of art of the museum. It also houses paintings from artists like Van der Helst, Vermeer, Frans Hals, Ferdinand Bol, Albert Cuijp, Van Ruysdael and Paulus Potter. Aside from paintings, the collection consists of a large variety of decorative art. This ranges from Delftware to giant dollhouses from the 17th century. The architect of the gothic revival building was P.J.H. Cuypers. At present, the museum is being expanded, renovated, and a new main entrance for the museum created. Only one wing of the Rijksmuseum is currently open to the public, with a selection of master pieces on display. The full museum will re-open in 2012 or 2013.
Van Gogh lived in Amsterdam for a short while, so there is a museum dedicated to his early work. The museum is housed in one of the few modern buildings in this area of Amsterdam. The building was designed by Gerrit Rietveld. This building is where the permanent collection is displayed. A new building was added to the museum in 1999. This building, known as the performance wing, was designed by Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa. Its purpose is to house temporary exhibitions of the museum. Some of Van Gogh’s most famous paintings, like the Aardappeleters (The Potato Eaters) and Zonnenbloemen, are present in the collection. The Van Gogh museum is the most visited museum in Amsterdam.
Next to the Van Gogh museum stands the Stedelijk Museum. This is Amsterdam’s largest museum concerning modern art. The museum opened its doors at around the same time the Museum Square was created. The permanent collection consists of works of art from artists like Piet Mondriaan, Karel Appel, and Kazimir Malevich. This museum is also currently being renovated and expanded. The main entrance will be relocated from the Paulus Potterstraat to the Museum Square itself. It will be open again to public in 2009.
Amsterdam contains many other museums throughout the city. They range from small museums such as the Verzetsmuseum, the Anne Frank House, and the Rembrandthuis, to the very large, like the Tropenmuseum, Amsterdams Historisch Museum, and Joods Historisch Museum.
Centrum
Allard Pierson Museum, Oude Turfmarkt 127 (Old Side, tram: Mint Square), +31 20 525 25 56. M-F 10AM-5PM, Sa-Su 1PM-5PM. The Allard Pierson Museum is the archaeological museum of the University of Amsterdam . The ancient civilizations of Egypt, Cyprus, the Greek World, Etruria and the Roman Empire are revived in this museum. Art-objects and utensils, dating from 4000 B.C. till 500 A.D. give a good impression of everyday-life, mythology and religion in Antiquity. €6.50.
Amsterdams Historisch Museum (New Side), Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 357 or Kalverstraat 92, +31 20 523 18 22. M-F 10AM-5PM, Sa-Su 11AM-5PM. The city’s historical museum.. €6.
Hash, Marihuana and Hemp Museum, Oudezijds Achterburgwal 148 (Old Side), +31 20 624 89 26. 10AM-11PM daily. Opened for over twenty years, the Hash Museum is dedicated to debunking the lies and demonization about one of our most useful plants, the hemp plant. Although small, busy and seriously overpriced, it is a well-done museum where people go to get informed. €9.
Hermitage Amsterdam, Amstel 51 (Old Jewish Quarter), +31 20 530 87 55. Recently opened and an annex to the famous Hermitage museum in st Petersburg (Russia). This museum hosts exhibitions with paintings and other cultural artifacts from the vaults of its Russian parent.
Museum Amstelkring, Oudezijds Voorburgwal 40 (Old Side, inside the Red Light District). M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su 1PM-5PM. Most locals don’t recognize the official name, but will know what you mean if you say “Our Lord in the Attic.” This is a Catholic church stuffed into the upper stories of a house built in 1663, when Catholics were persecuted and had to disguise their churches. It’s a beautiful place to visit, and amazing to see how they fit worshippers, an organ, and an altar into such a narrow place. €7.
NEMO, Oosterdok 2 (Old Jewish Quarter), +31 20 531 32 33. NEMO is the biggest science centre in the Netherlands; an educational attraction where you can discover a world of science and technology in an entertaining way. NEMO takes you on a voyage of discovery between fantasy and reality. You will discover how scientific phenomena influence your daily life. You will learn about technology and engineering, ICT and bio- and behavioral sciences. This is a great place to take kids and is best for those ages 11 and below – teenagers will probably get bored. €11.50.
Rembrandt House, Jodenbreestraat 4 (Old Jewish Quarter), +31 20 520 04 00. 10AM-5PM daily. This is where the artist Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn and his wife, Saskia, lived between 1639 and 1658. The house is a reconstruction of the painter’s life at that time and provides interesting insight. You will be able to see 260 of his 290 etchings, find out about how they were created, see where he worked and explore the nooks and crannies of this fascinating building. €8.
Royal Palace, Dam Square, +31 20 620 40 60. Tu-Su noon-5PM, M closed. This former City Hall (built in 1651) has recently been completely renovated and is now open again. It is mainly used for diplomatic receptions and to welcome visiting heads of state, not as a royal residence. €7.50.
Sexmuseum, Damrak 18, +31 20 622 83 76. 9AM-10PM daily. The largest and most prestigious museum for sex art and sex history in the Netherlands. It shows a lot of sex oddities. Only ages 16 and up are allowed entry. €3.
Torture Museum, Singel 449, +31 20 320 66 42. This museum depicts the history of different torturous techniques used over the centuries.
Canal Belt
Anne Frank House (Anne Frankhuis), Prinsengracht 267, +31 20 556 71 00. The house where the Jewish girl Anne Frank wrote her diary while hiding with her family from the Nazis. Don’t let the long line (or maybe a very short line if you’re lucky) discourage you; it moves quickly and the experience inside the hiding places on the top floors is moving. The museum lacks any exhibits to explain the historical context at the time of Anne’s diary, however. Go in the early evening around 5PM to avoid any lines, or alternatively skip the lines entirely by reserving tickets from the official website. The Anne Frank House is open later during the summer. Museumkaart and iAmsterdam Card not valid. €8.50.
Cat Cabinet (Kattenkabinet), Herengracht 497, +31 20 626 53 78. A cat museum. Housed in a beautiful restored palatial home in an upscale area street – very Masterpiece Theater. It was opened by the homeowner after his favourite cat died… and he still lives in the home. Lots of cat-related art, and two real felines. The exhibition is spread across the first floor of the house. €5.
Museum Willet-Holthuysen, Herengracht 605, +31 20 523 18 22. €6.
Plantage
Verzetsmuseum (Dutch Resistance Museum), Plantage Kerklaan 61D, +31 20 620 25 35. Award-winning museum showing what Amsterdam and Holland were like during Nazi occupation.
Amsterdam South
Diamond Museum, Paulus Potterstraat 8 (Opposite the ”’Van Gogh Museum”’), +31 20 305 53 00. This brand new exhibition about the history of diamond trade in Amsterdam.
Filmmuseum, Vondelpark 3 (Inside Vondelpark), +31 20 589 14 00. A non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and exhibition of contemporary and historical films. Multiple screenings daily. The Filmmuseum is in the Vondelpark, between park entrances Roemer Visscherstraat and Vondelstraat. Despite the name the “Filmmuseum” this is not a museum, rather just an alternative cinema funded by the government.
Rijksmuseum, Jan Luijkenstraat 1, +31 20 674 70 47. The largest and most prestigious museum for art and history in the Netherlands: works by Vermeer, Rembrandt, and other Dutch masters. The museum is being completely renovated, but the major masterpieces are still on show. This makes it easy to catch the highlights, but it also means that it gets packed, and the line just to get in can be lengthy. Open 9AM to 6PM, open until 10PM on Fridays. Admission €10 for adults, under 18 free, no discounts for students. In the garden is a small temporary exhibition on the renovation plans.
Stedelijk Museum, Paulus Potterstraat 13, +31 20 573 29 11. The Amsterdam municipal museum of modern art. The museum is under construction, the re-opening date is unknown, but they do have some projects throughout the city.
Van Gogh Museum, Paulus Potterstraat 7, +31 20 570 52 00. This museum is dedicated to Vincent van Gogh, a late 19th century Dutch painter. The museum is extremely popular so expect to wait in line to get in. In the museum are many, but not all, of Van Gogh’s works. The museum contains some famous painting like Sunflowers and Potato Eaters, but lack other such as Starry Night. Also, there are selected works of Monet exhibited there. Consider the audio tour at only € 4,00, in the language of your choice, will give you a much better understanding of Van Gogh’s life and his paintings. Entry is €12.50 for adults, no student nor group rates. Open late on Fridays.
Amsterdam East
Scheepvaart Museum. The Netherlands Maritime Museum is closed for complete renovation.
Tropenmuseum, Linnaeusstraat 2, +31 20 568 82 15. Ethnographic and cultural museum about Africa, Asia, and South America.
