Amsterdam - Sights and attractions

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A trip to Amsterdam is a perfect weekend get-away. With a plethora of museums, Anne Franks house, the wonderful canals and of course the red light district, you will never lose interest. Amsterdam is the largest city in the Netherlands. It was founded as a fishing village near a dam in the Amstel river in the thirteenth century. Today amsterdam is known for its stunning architecture, great art collections and culture. The best time to visit Amsterdam is between May and September.

Top 10 things to do in Amsterdam!

Here you'll find the Top 10 things to do in Amsterdam, including various famous landmarks, sights and attractions of Amsterdam. You can find all kind of interesting facts and information about some of the city's most remarkable landmarks.

Van Gogh Museum

A visit to the Van Gogh Museum is a unique experience. The museum contains the largest collection of paintings by Vincent van Gogh in the world. It provides the opportunity to keep track of the artist's developments, or compare his paintings to works by other artists from the 19th century in the collection. The museum also holds an extensive offer of exhibitions on various subjects from 19th-century art history. Read more...

Rijksmuseum

The rijksmuseum is a popular attraction in Amsterdam. From the late 16th century, the Netherlands was a republic. In other words, there was no royal house that amassed an international collection, such as in Spain (Philips II) or Russia (Catharine the Great). Art buyers were citizens. They made purchases mostly in their home country, and not so much abroad. The Rijksmuseum collection is based on these private collections. The main building of the Rijksmuseum, built in 1885 by Pierre Cuypers, is expected to reopen in 2012/13.

Houseboat Museum

The Houseboat Museum is situated on the "Hendrika Maria", a former freighter, built in 1914. Up and till the 1960s the boat primarily transported sand and gravel, after which time it was converted into a houseboat; whilst maintaining its outward historic appearance. The "Hendrika Maria" has housed people for more than twenty years now. In fact, nowadays it looks like the owners have just popped out to the shops.

The Anne Frank House

The former hiding place, where Anne Frank wrote her diary, is now a well-known museum. The museum tells the history of the eight people in hiding and those who helped them during the war. Anne Frank's diary is among the original objects on display. Read more...

Sexmuseum Amsterdam

The world's first and oldest sex museum, the "Venustempel" in Amsterdam is one of our top 10 things to in Amsterdam. This sight is a leading museum on the theme of sensual love with an extensive collection of erotic pictures, paintings, objects, recordings, photographs and even attractions. All of the exhibits have been gathered together personally by the owners and can be viewed in their 17th century property on the Damrak.

The Amsterdam Historical Museum

The Amsterdam Historical Museum reflects the tolerance, enterprising spirit and individuality of a city that for centuries has attracted people from the four corners of the earth. The Antwerp merchants and the Sephardic Jews in the 17th century, the farmers from Friesland in the north of the country and Brabant in the south in the 19th century, and the workers from the Mediterranean countries in the 20th century - they've all contributed to the story of a unique international city. In the Amsterdam Historical Museum you'll share their experiences. Read more...

Dutch Resistance Museum

The Dutch Resistance Museum, chosen as the best historical museum of the Netherlands, tells the story of the Dutch people in Word War II. How did Dutch people respond to the Nazi occupation? Who resisted? Why, and how?

Theo Thijssen Museum

The Theo Thijssen Museum is dedicated to the writer, teacher, trade unionist and social democratic politician Theo Thijssen (1879-1943). The collection includes manuscripts, first editions, photographs, drawings, video and audio equipment and personal belongings of Thijssen.

Madame Tussauds

Marie Grosholz, later known as Madame Tussauds, was born in Strasbourg (France) on 7th December 1761. Marie becomes an apprentice with Dr Curtius and produces her first wax figure in 1778: the famous writer and philosopher Francois-Marie Arouet Voltaire. In 1971 a renewed Madame Tussauds Amsterdam opens its doors in the Kalverstraat. It has thereby become the first site outside of England since 1817.

The Rembrandt House Museum

The house where Rembrandt lived between 1639 and 1658 is a museum: Museum het Rembrandthuis or the Rembrandt House Museum. The building was constructed in 1606 and 1607 in what was then known as the Sint Anthonisbreestraat. The street did not come to be called the Jodenbreestraat until later. The house was built on two lots in the eastern part of the city. Many rich merchants and artists settled in this new part of town. The house can clearly be seen on a bird’s eye view map dating from 1625 (fig.1). It is a substantial two-storey dwelling house with a stepped gable.