Attractions
Anne Frank House
The house where Anne Frank wrote her famous diary is now a museum dedicated to her memory. Frank and her family hid from the Nazis for two years in an attic of the house, before they were found and sent to the concentration camps. The permanent exhibition includes the original diary, and temporary exhibits examine related issues.
Address: Prinsengracht 267.
Telephone: (020) 556 7105.
Website:www.annefrank.org
Transport: From Central Station, take tram 13 or 17 or bus 142, 170 and 172 to Westerkerk.
Hours of operation: Daily, 9am–7pm, Saturdays close at 9pm. From 15 March to 14 September 9am–9pm, Saturdays close at 10pm. Closes at 10pm in July and August. Closed on Yom Kippur.
Admission: Adults – €8.50, Children (ages 10 – 17) – €4, Children age 9 and under are free. Admission with European Youth Card – €4.
Van Gogh Museum
Hundreds of Vincent van Gogh’s paintings and drawings are on display at Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum. The museum showcases van Gogh’s own work, other artists’ work and a feature about the museum’s progress. The new wing of temporary exhibitions is designed by Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa and opened in 1999.
Address: Paulus Potterstraat 7.
Telephone: (020) 570 5200.
Email:info@vangoghmuseum.nl.
Website:www.vangoghmuseum.nl
Getting there: From Central Station, take Tram 2 or 5 to Van Baerlestraat stop.
Hours of operation: Daily, 10am – 6pm, Fridays close at 10pm.
Admission: Adults – €14, Children (age 17 and younger) are free.
The Rijksmuseum
Thousands of paintings and artifacts adorn the walls of the Rijksmuseum. The massive museum opened in 1885 and has an excellent collection of 17th-century Dutch masters such as Rembrandt, Vermeer and Jan Steen. Exhibits include displays of prints, Dutch history and Rembrandt’s famous masterpiece the Night Watch. The main building is in the midst of renovations and is expected to open again in 2013. The museum also has a beautiful garden with fountains, sculptures, colourful flowers and a collection portraying 500 years of Dutch architecture. With the museum’s enormous size, it’s a great idea to get a map or take an audio tour to find your way around.
Address: Jan Luijkenstraat 1.
Website: www.rijksmuseum.nl
Getting there: From Central Station, take tram 2 or 5 to Hobbemastraat.
Hours of operation: Daily, 9am – 6pm. Last entry 5:30pm. Closed 1 January.
Admission: €12.50. Children age 18 and under are free.
Stedelijk Museum of Modern Art
Amsterdam’s best place to see modern art is the Stedelijk Museum of Modern Art, which focuses on art in the second half of the 20th century. The museum has permanent exhibits on De Stijl, Cobra, Nouveau Realisme and Pop Art.
Address: Paulus Potterstraat 13.
Telephone: (020) 573 2911.
Email:info@stedelijk.nl.
Website:www.stedelijk.nl.
Getting there: From Central Station, take Tram 2 or 5 to Van Baerlestraat stop, or take bus 170 or 172 to Hobbemastraat or Museumplein stops.
Hours of operation: Closed Mondays. Daily, 10am–5pm. Closes at 10pm on Thursdays.
Admission: Adults – €10, Students (ages 13-18) - €5, Children ages 12 and under are free. Other discounts available.
Rembrandt House
The house where Rembrandt lived between 1639 and 1658 is now a museum displaying a collection of his work. A reconstructed 17th-century studio houses the temporary exhibits and paintings made by Rembrandt’s teacher.
Address: Jodenbreestraat 4.
Telephone: (020) 520 0400.
Email:museum@rembrandthuis.nl
Website:www.rembrandthuis.nl
Getting there: 15-minute walk from Central Station.
Hours of operation: Daily, 10am–5pm. Closed 1 January.
Admission: Adults – €10, Children (ages 6 – 17) – €3. Free with Museum Card or I Amsterdam City Card.
Amsterdam Historical Museum
The Amsterdam Historical Museum tracks the city’s development beginning with its birth as a medieval settlement. Exhibits explore the city’s history through the centuries, with displays of Dutch Master paintings, earthenware and archaeological discoveries. Your ticket also lets you in to the Civic Guards Gallery, a glass-roofed building with portraits of Amsterdam’s Civic Guards from the past few centuries.
Address: Kalverstraat 92.
Telephone: (020) 523 1822.
Email:info@ahm.amsterdam.nl.
Website:www.amsterdammuseum.nl
Getting there: A ten-minute walk from Central Station, Take tram 1, 2, or 5 to Spui or tram 4, 9, 14, 16, 24 or 25 to Rokin.
Hours of operation: Monday through Friday 10am–5pm, Weekends and national holidays 11am–5pm. Closed 1 January, 30 April, 25 December.
Admission: Adults – €10, Children (ages 6 to 18) €5.
Red Light District (De Wallen)
Take a stroll through Amsterdam’s iconic Red Light District and its chaotic, colourful atmosphere. Nearby areas of interest include Waterlooplein, with City Hall and Muziek Theatre, and Nieuwmarkt Square, the destination of many Portuguese Jewish refugees fleeing the Spanish Inquisition.
Our Dear Lord in the Attic (Museum Amstelkring)
The lower floors of this Catholic church are now a museum housing church artifacts and paintings. The church survived Holland’s Alteration period, when Protestantism was made the country’s official religion. Catholic churches struggled during this time and many had to rely on undercover operations to survive. The church became a museum in 1888 and is located near the Red Light District.
Address: Oudezijds Voorburgwal 40.
Telephone: (0)20 624 6604.
Email:info@opsolder.nl
Website:www.opsolder.nl
Getting there: A seven-minute walk from Central Station.
Hours of operation: Monday through Saturday, 10am–5pm, opens at 1pm on Sundays and public holidays. Closed 1 January and 30 April.
Admission: Adults – €8, Children (ages 6 – 18) – €4.
The Dutch Resistance Museum (Verzetsmuseum)
This museum examines the Dutch Resistance Movement’s activities during World War II. Exhibits include false documents and weaponry used in their fight against the Nazis.
Address: Plantage Kerklaan 61.
Telephone: (0)20 620 2535.
Email:info@verzetsmuseum.org
Website:www.verzetsmuseum.org
Getting there: From Central Station, take tram 9.
Hours of operation: Closed 1 January, 30 April and 25 December. Tuesday through Friday 10am–5pm, Saturday through Monday and public holidays 11am–5pm.
Admission: Adults – €7.50, Children (ages 7–15) – €4.
The Royal Palace (Koninklijk Paleis)
Despite the palace’s name, the Netherland's royal family live in The Hague. The Royal Palace is mostly used for functions. Originally Amsterdam’s city hall, the building was built in 1648. King Louis Napoleon converted the building into a palace in 1808. The furnishings still date back to this era. Guided tours are a great way to explore the palace, but they need to be booked two weeks ahead of time.
Address: Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 147, Dam Square.
Website:www.paleisamsterdam.nl
Getting there: Either a ten-minute walk or board any tram from Central Station to the Dam station.
Hours of operation: Daily, 12pm–5pm. Closed Mondays and Fridays in November, January and February.
Admission: €7.50. Children are €6.50.
Waterland Neeltje Jans
Waterland Neeltje Jans is a water park with attractions, marine animals and an exhibit about the world-famous Delta Works. There is a waterslide, water playground, storm surge barrier, whale world exhibition and a hurricane simulator.
Address: Eiland Neeltje Jans, Faelweg 5.
Telephone: (0)111 655 655.
Email:info@neeltjejans.nl
Website:www.neeltjejans.nl
Getting there: Bus 133.
Hours of operation: Closed some days of the week in winter, open 10am–5pm year round.
Admission: €19.
Royal Delftware Factory
One of the most famous Dutch products is the distinctive blue and white pottery made by Royal Delftware. When Chinese porcelain returned from the East with Dutch East India Company traders, it made quite an impression on the Dutch, resulting in the trademark designs of Royal Delftware. The factory in Delft, Koninklijke Porceleyene Fles, has operated since the 17th century. It is Delft’s last earthenware factory. If you visit the factory, you can see the museum and showroom, as well as painting demonstrations. You can even try your own hand in painting workshops. It’s located near The Hague, only 30 miles south of Amsterdam.
Address: Rotterdamseweg 196, Delft.
