Amsterdam has an amazing collection of museums, ranging from masterpieces of art to porn, vodka and cannabis. The most popular ones can get very crowded in the summer peak season, so it’s worth exploring advance tickets or getting there off-peak (eg. very early in the morning). Some of the quality museums that you can’t miss:
Anne Frank House
The haunting words of a young Jewish girl who tried to survive in a terrifying time have moved millions of people around the world since her famous diary was published following the World War II. Visiting the girl’s hiding place from the Nazi terror will give you an unforgettable experience.
Rijksmuseum
This museum houses the largest and some of the most important collection of 17th century Dutch art. Opening its doors in 1885, Rijksmuseum’s collection consists of around one million artifacts. The museum exhibits Rembrandt’s work and that of his pupils. It also houses works from painters such as Vermeer, Van der Helst, Ferdinand Bol, Frans Hals, Van Ruysdael,Albert Cuijp, and Paulus Potter.
Van Gogh Museum
There is an Amsterdam museum dedicated to Van Gogh’s early work. The famous painter, who lived in the city for some time, was a Post-Impressionist artist whose paintings had a significant influence on the 20th century art because of their emotional impact and his use of very vivid colors.
Stedelijk Museum
Stedelijk Museum stands next to the Van Gogh museum. This is the city’s largest museum of modern art. The permanent collection includes works from such artists as Piet Mondriaan, Kazimir Malevich, and Karel Appel.
Sex Museum
You will find in this museum a fascinating collection of erotic art throughout history and some other entertaining exhibits. It has everything from a gallery of sexual fetishes to a wide-ranging collection of manuscripts and literature that highlight various illustrations of erotica and padded booths screening porno films. The museum is very explicit, yet informative.
Hash Marihuana Hemp Museum
The fairly small Hash Marihuana Hemp Museum gives some interesting information the history of cannabis. Next to this alternative attraction is a seed bank where you can purchase quality cannabis seeds.
Amsterdam has many other museums ranging from small museums like the Verzetsmuseum and the Rembrandthuis, to the very large ones such as the Tropenmuseum, Joods Historisch Museum, and Amsterdam Historisch Museum.
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