Despite being famously hedonistic, Amsterdam is a great cultural capital, boasting dozens of museums. Ranging from showcasing the Dutch masters to modern art, from film to science, Amsterdam museums have something to offer nearly every visitor to the city.
For a relatively small city, it’s pretty incredible how many museums it has to offer! This “over-sized village” is truly an artistic and cultural powerhouse, and has been for centuries. Try choosing just one of Amsterdam’s museums below – it’s hard to just stick to one!
Some of them are Insta gold! All you have to do is snap up a photograph and pair it with your favorite Amsterdam quotes and captions before you rack up all those likes on IG.
But serious if you are in Amsterdam for a day or a week make sure that you squeeze as many of these museums into your itinerary as you can! I mean visiting the Amsterdam museums is one of the coolest things to do in Amsterdam.
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Where To Stay In Amsterdam?
Most people spend a lot of time trying to figure out their accommodation in Amsterdam but if your purpose is to explore the Amsterdam museums then the best place to stay is in Museumplein. Most of the famous museums are located here and there are other things to do in the area. Here are some great options that you should consider if you are in a hurry.
- Luxury – Amsterdam Marriott Hotel & Conservatorium Hotel
- Mid-Range – Hotel Van Gogh
- Budget – Stayokay Hostel Vondelpark
The Most Famous Amsterdam Museums At Museumplein
1. Rijksmuseum
⭐️ Rating: 4.7/5 (11,710 Reviews) Price: $26 per person Duration: Valid for 1 day 📍Meeting Point: Rijksmuseum Details: Read more on Get Your Guide Now!
Address: Museumstraat 1, 1071 XX Amsterdam
Timings: Open everyday from 9am to 5pm
The Rijksmuseum is a must visit on a trip to Amsterdam.
“Had a wonderful time at the museum. Easy access thanks to Get Your Guide app. Recommended”
Blake (read more reviews now!)
It’s world famous collection showcases the work of the Dutch masters from the 17th century including but not limited to Rembrandt, Vermeer, Frans Hals, and Jan Steen.
On you visit, don’t miss Rembrandt’s iconic Nachtwacht (Night Watch) or The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Tulp. During peak tourist season I’d recommend buying your tickets online ahead of time, and downloading the Rijksmuseum app so you can have your own guided tour through the museum.
The best part about this museum is that they have loads of activities for kids. There are even trails which the kids can follow. They have to spot iconic paintings in the building. There’s even a café in the building that you can sit at and have a snack if you want a break midway through exploring the museum.
Pro Tip: Instead of paying for the audio guide, download the Rijksmuseum app. You can follow the tour from there for free.
2. Van Gogh Museum
⭐️ Rating: 4.7/5 (19,954 Reviews) Price: $25 per person Duration: Valid for 1 day 📍Meeting Point: Van Gogh Museum Details: Read more on Get Your Guide Now!
Address: Museumplein 6, 1071 DJ Amsterdam
Timings: Open everyday from 9am to 6pm
It goes without saying, this Amsterdam museum houses the works of the great Vincent Van Gogh.
“Van Gogh museum was great. The audio tour was a great help to understand what I was looking at.”
Sylvia (read more reviews now!)
The museum is organized chronologically by Van Gogh’s life.As you follow the route you’ll see how Van Gogh developed not only as an artist but also as a person, and learn about he came to meet his tragic end.
Many of Van Gogh’s famous pieces are housed in this museum such as the Potato Eaters, Sunflowers and Almond Blossom, but don’t expect to find Starry Night here (you’ll find that in NYC’s MoMa). Avoid long lines here by purchasing your ticket ahead of time.
3. Stedelijk Museum
⭐️ Rating: 4.4/5 (981 Reviews) Price: $25 per person Duration: Valid for 1 day 📍Meeting Point: Stedelijk Details: Read more on Get Your Guide Now!
Address: Museumplein 10, 1071 DJ Amsterdam
Timings: Open everyday from 10am to 6pm
“One of the best modern art museums I’ve been to in the world!”
Ashley (read more reviews now!)
A third mammoth museum awaits you in Museumplein, the Stedelijk, or city museum. This Amsterdam museum is less frequented by tourists who typically stick to Van Gogh or Rijksmuseum, but is well worth a visit if you are a modern art lover.
The Stedelijk houses rotating exhibitions from artists and designers alike, and is a hotspot for creatives in the city.
The iconic bathtub shape of the building is rather hard to miss. One things that I loved about this museum in Amsterdam is the fact that all the artwork was not cluttered together. Instead the white expanses of white wall had the artwork spaced out. This made it super easy to concentrate on each item at a time.
Museums In Amsterdam On Film Or Photography
4. Foam
⭐️ Rating: 3.9/5 (56 Reviews) Price: $14 per person Duration: Valid for one day 📍Meeting Point: FOAM Museum Details: Read more on Get Your Guide Now!
Address: Keizersgracht 609, 1017 DS Amsterdam
Timings: Sun-Wed: 10am – 6pm, Thur-Sat: 10am – 9pm
“Was a good museum with some interesting pieces in it.”
Ashley (read more reviews now!)
FOAM is all about photography, and in addition to being a museum, is an international photography organization which focuses on developing budding photographic talent. Located on the Keizersgracht in the city center, FOAM is a great museum to stop by if you’re looking for an hour of culture in the heart of the city.
5. Eye Film Museum
Address: IJpromenade 1, 1031 KT Amsterdam
Timings: Open everyday from 10am to 7pm
Located in Amsterdam Noord, the EYE Film Museum is one of the icons of this neighborhood. This film museum has rotating exhibitions (think Martin Scorcese, Stanley Kubrick, Alfred Hitchcock) in addition to its permanent collection.
It also houses a cinema and a cafe looking out over the Ij (body of water) between the museum and Central Station. To reach EYE, you’ll need to take a (free) ferry from behind Central Station.
Museums In Amsterdam If Your Travel With Kids
6. Nemo Science Museum
⭐️ Rating: 4.4/5 (1,007 Reviews) Price: $20 per person Duration: Valid for 1 day 📍Meeting Point: NEMO Science Museum Details: Read more on Get Your Guide Now!
Address: Oosterdok 2, 1011 VX Amsterdam
Timings: Open everyday from 10am to 5:30pm
“Super interesting museum for kids and adults! To see everything you need to spend a day there.”
Oleksandra (read more reviews now!)
I say this museum is for people with kids, but to be honest, it’s fun for all ages – you’re never too old to be amazed by science! NEMO has permanent exhibitions educating visitors on a plethora of science topics, from light and sound to the universe and how your brain works.
If you visit NEMO on a sunny day, be sure to grab lunch on the roof where you can sit outside and take in sweeping views of the city… and no, this Amsterdam museum is not named after the Disney movie.
Note: Now I think its important to note that this is one of the museums in Amsterdam that is super popular with kids because the exhibits are geared towards them. (Not that an adult will not have fun at the exhibit!) This means that the place is swarming with kids especially if you visit on a holiday. If you don’t want to be surrounded by a number of kids all the time then this may not be one of the museums in Amsterdam for you.
Museums In Amsterdam If You’re A Sucker For History
7. Scheepvaart Museum (National Maritime Museum)
⭐️ Rating: 4.5/5 (299 Reviews) Price: $ per person Duration: 📍Meeting Point: Details: Read more on Get Your Guide Now!
Address: Kattenburgerplein 1, 1018 KK Amsterdam
Timings: Tuesday to Sunday: 10am to 5pm. Monday closed.
Take a step back into the Dutch Golden Age and learn about how the Dutch traveled the world by ship, expanding their empire through their unique trading skills.
“There is simply so much to do and see here that you’ll need to allow yourself a full day really. There were also interesting interactive things on the ‘docked’ sailing ship for the children to do down in the hold. Over all a highlight for visitors to Amsterdam and an asset to the city!”
Anonymous (read more reviews now!)
This Amsterdam museum is housed in an arsenal building dating back to 1656 when Amsterdam was the largest port and trading market place in the world.
You’ll see the museum’s most famous piece from the outside already when you arrive – the East Indiaman Amsterdam, a nearly exact replica of the Dutch ship that set sail to the “Far East” in the 17th and 18th centuries.
8. Hermitage Museum
Address: Amstel 51, 1018 DR Amsterdam
Timings: Open everyday from 10am to 5pm
The Amsterdam Hermitage Museum is a sister museum to the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Russia, and features exhibitions from the St. Petersburg. It also houses rotating collections from other museums, mostly focusing on classical artists.
Seated on the Amstel River just a short walk from Rembrantsplein, you’ll find a new collection every time you visit.
9. Anne Frank House
See where Anne Frank went into hiding and wrote the pages of her famous diary. Learn about her life and step back in time to the Annex which has been authentically maintained, and learn about the family who hid her, and learn about how it was to be in Amsterdam during WWII. Be sure to buy your tickets ahead of time online.
This museum consistently has many hours’ long waiting times to get in. You can even take a walking tour through her life in the city.
10. The Royal Palace Of Amsterdam
⭐️ Rating: 4.6/5 (4143 Reviews) Price: $14 per person Duration: Valid for 1 day 📍Meeting Point: The Royal Palace of Amsterdam Details: Read more on Get Your Guide Now!
Located on the Dam Square, the Royal Palace of Amsterdam holds an important place in Dutch history. It is super easy to get to and is open on all days of the week except when the palace is in use for official purposes. Yes! You heard that right. The Royal Palace of Amsterdam is currently still in use by the royal family.
If you have a museumkaart then you can just scan your card and walk in. Its super quick. The museumkaart is great for almost all the Amsterdam museums.
If you have to buy a ticket on the other hand, make sure that you book in advance. We had museum cards but unfortunately we had to book a ticket for my mum so we stood in line for half an hour. This was at the start of spring so it was still just the start of tourist season.
“I couldn’t recommend this enough! The audio guide is easy to follow and detailed, you can also go at your own pace and take all the time you like to stroll between rooms. Great experience.”
Eabhaha (read more reviews now!)
The inside of the Royal palace is a museum with a lot of information about the history of the Netherlands. Each of the rooms is decorated uniquely and each king has added a bit to the unique style of the building. This makes it one of the cool indoor activities in the city.
There are so many gorgeous museums in Amsterdam that you can’t visit them all in a single trip. We have been heading back to Amsterdam at frequent intervals just to see more of them.
Which Amsterdam museum have you visited? Leave your answer in the comments below!
About The Author
Gabby is a native Californian who has called the Netherlands home since 2010. Switching from sunny to grey skies hasn’t been easy, but she’s come to love her second home in Amsterdam.
Besides living as an expat in Europe, she loves traveling and enjoys it best when she can combine it with exploring the outdoors and being active.
She’s got an opinion about everywhere she’s gone, and isn’t afraid to tell you the good, the bad and the ugly.
To read more from her, visit her blog Boarding Call or follow her on Facebook
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** Photographs and pictures have been provided by the author for use in this post and do not belong to Globetrove.
