Top 5 Museums in Amsterdam

Amsterdam is one of the most infamous and exciting capitals in the world and makes for a fantastic weekend break but there’s much more to this Dutch gem than the Red Light District and its liberal drug laws! Alongside the miles of canals and acres of beautiful parks in the city, you’ll find more than 50 museums to explore, so if you want to learn more about the city’s fascinating history and culture take a look at our list of the top 5 museums to visit during your Amsterdam break.

1.  **Anne Frank’s House**  
   

Everyone’s heard of the brave Jewish girl Anne Frank but her story becomes all the more poignant with a visit to the tiny rooms where she and her family hid for two years. Explore the exhibitions and take in the atmosphere before relaxing in the cafe or browsing the bookshop. (Entry €8.50 for adults and €4 for 10-17 year olds. We advise to pre-book your visit time online to avoid the long queues.)

Visible are the Science museum NEMO (green), replica of VOC ship Amsterdam , and Nederlands Scheepvaartmuseum (Netherlands Maritime Museum, the large building to the right). Photo by S Sepp.

2.  **NEMO**  
   

If you’re bringing the kids on your Amsterdam break, the NEMO science museum is an unmissable attraction. Four floors of hands-on science experiments, media labs, gadgets, murder mysteries and exciting activities for kids and adults fill the museum and it’s only €12.50 per person!

3.  **Rijksmuseum**  
   

The largest museum in the Netherlands is bursting with paintings by world-renowned artists such as Rembrandt, Vermeer and Jan Steen as well as silver and ceramics displays, old doll’s houses and exhibitions of Asian Art. If you like art museums, you could also check out the Stedelijk Museum.

4.  **Van Gogh Museum**  
   

Visit the largest collection of Van Gogh paintings on your visit to Amsterdam. The Van Gogh museum also houses paintings from several other 19th century artists such as Monet, Gauguin and Sisley. There are some temporary exhibitions which are also very impressive and well worth a visit.

5.  **Amsterdam Historical Museum**  
   

Housed in beautiful 15th century buildings, the Amsterdam Historical Museum is filled with temporary and permanent exhibits, artefacts and paintings to tell the story of how Amsterdam grew from a small medieval town to one of the richest cities in the world.