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Amsterdam Culture & history

Our most recommended Amsterdam Culture & history

Amsterdam: Zaanse Schans, Volendam, and Marken Day Trip

1. Amsterdam: Zaanse Schans, Volendam, and Marken Day Trip

Enjoy the picturesque Dutch countryside on a day trip by comfortable bus. Encounter the famous windmills, and learn about Dutch traditional crafts.Take advantage of free WiFi on board the bus as you travel. Discover the unique village of Zaanse Schans. Stroll around at your leisure and admire the well-preserved historic windmills and houses. Explore the fishing village of Volendam, visit a cheese shop still making cheese using a traditional Dutch method, and join a demonstration about Volendam cheese. Enjoy lunch at a traditional fish restaurant at your own expense, before exploring more of Volendam. Select the all-inclusive tour option for more activities including a boat ride to Marken, a visit to an operating windmill, and a clog-making demonstration.

Amsterdam: Rijksmuseum Entrance Ticket

2. Amsterdam: Rijksmuseum Entrance Ticket

Treat yourself to a wonderful day in one of Amsterdam’s grandest museums, the Rijksmuseum, located in the heart of the city. The Rijksmuseum's internationally revered collection features some of the nation’s most famous works, including historic art by Rembrandt, Frans Hals, Van Gogh, and others. Visitors can admire Rembrandt’s ‘The Night Watch’, which takes pride of place in a beautifully lit hall allowing visitors to enjoy every tiny detail. Gaze also upon 'The Jewish Bride'. This last painting reduced Vincent van Gogh to tears who, upon visiting the Rijksmuseum shortly after it opened, wrote in a letter that he would gladly give up ten years of his life to sit in front of the painting for two weeks, eating only a stale crust of bread. Visitors can expect much more than just paintings by Dutch Masters from the Golden Age. The Rijksmuseum’s expansive, evocative collection also includes Delftware, sculptures, archaeological artifacts, clothing, Asian art, prints, items from Dutch maritime history, and many other culturally significant objects, all combining to vividly retell 800 years of Dutch history within a global context. And naturally, the collection isn't frozen in time – new items such as a Mondrian-inspired dress by Yves Saint Laurent dating from 1965 can also be seen. The largest research and restoration project ever for 'The Night Watch' has started. This is happening live in the museum and you can be part of it and support the project with a donation.

Amsterdam: Van Gogh Museum Ticket

3. Amsterdam: Van Gogh Museum Ticket

As one of Amsterdam's most popular attractions, the Van Gogh Museum draws over a million visitors each year. With this ticket, discover over 200 paintings, 500 drawings, and more than 750 letters from Van Gogh at your own pace. Access a wide range of permanent and temporary exhibitions.  Home to the world’s largest collection of Vincent van Gogh’s paintings, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam transports visitors on a fascinating journey through the life of the artist and his contemporaries. The museum introduces the complete story: the artist, the context, Van Gogh’s personal ambitions, his emotions, the myths that surround him, and his influence right up until this very day. The Van Gogh Museum’s collection includes world-famous paintings such as Sunflowers, Almond Blossom, and The Potato Eaters.  The museum also organizes 3 temporary exhibitions every year. The Van Gogh Museum is open 365 days a year. Tickets are available online only. Don’t miss out, book in advance. Visitors can discover more about Van Gogh and his contemporaries with the multimedia guide, available in 11 languages. With more time to enjoy inside the museum, you can dive straight into the fantastic collections on display.

Amsterdam's Weirdest Museum: Believe It or Not!

4. Amsterdam's Weirdest Museum: Believe It or Not!

Go on a journey of discovery at Ripley's Believe It or Not! Amsterdam and enter Ripley's Pop Culture Gallery to see a collection of amazing art made of bizarre and unusual materials. Admire a Bugatti carved out of wood and a 7-meter long robot made of car parts. Discover curiosities from ancient cultures. See real shrunken heads from the Amazon and an authentic spacesuit from Russia. There's even a miniature version of the Bible that was carried on board Apollo 14. Take photos of remarkable people from around the world and come face to face with the 2.7-meter tall Robert Wadlow. Gasp in awe at the "Lizard Man" who underwent body modification to look like a real lizard. You are also invited to immerse yourself in Dutch culture. Enter a replica of a traditional windmill or try on some huge clogs. Bring your imagination to life in the themed rooms and learn more curious facts about this amazing city at the museum.

Amsterdam: Madame Tussauds Ticket

5. Amsterdam: Madame Tussauds Ticket

Sparkle amid the stars with this ticket to Madame Tussauds in the heart of Amsterdam. Drink a cup of coffee with George Clooney, get your picture taken with members of the Dutch Royal family and pick up your paintbrush alongside world-famous artists such as Van Gogh and Rembrandt. If you are you dreaming about a career as a real TV-host, come and discover your presentation skills at the new TV studio by reading the autocue. Or is music more your thing? How about recording a duet with Adele in the recording studio, or joining DJs Afrojack, Armin van Buuren, Tiësto, Hardwell or Martin Garrix in the DJ booth. Immerse yourself into this amazing interactive world. You’ll never see as many stars in Amsterdam as at Madame Tussauds Amsterdam.

Amsterdam: AMAZE Immersive Audiovisual Experience Ticket

6. Amsterdam: AMAZE Immersive Audiovisual Experience Ticket

Pre-book your entrance ticket and step into the immersive and multi-sensory experience that is AMAZE. Explore 7 rooms containing interactive shows of lights, lasers, sound, smoke, new media art, visuals, and other special effects to stimulate your mind. Enhance your experience with a cocktail of your choice. Discover state-of-the-art technology from event organizers with over 30 years of experience in the events and music industry. The AMAZE experience is brought to you by the founders of Dutch Dance, ID&T (Sensation, Tomorrowland). Escape from reality and encounter interactive areas which elicit a range of emotions, from the relaxing to the intense. Go on a journey that reconnects you to your inner self. Interact with your surroundings via the many sensors and cameras to enhance the immersion of your experience.

Amsterdam: The Upside Down Museum Entrance Ticket

7. Amsterdam: The Upside Down Museum Entrance Ticket

Swirl into an upside down world, where you will see The Netherlands in a new contemporary way. With 25 immersive settings, you will have the chance to create the most amazing social media content upside down. Grab your friends and dive into a Dutch Ice Bath, or ride the metro upside down. Dance to the rhythm of your own silent disco beat in an upside down club, fly away in a true private jet, and jump into a voice-activated LED-light pit with a jacuzzi. There is even more to discover in the interactive social media experience. After you've created mind-blowing content, relax in an Instagrammable upside café, whilst enjoying colorful sandwiches and sweets. Sip on a famous freakshake before heading home.

Amsterdam: Life of Anne Frank and World War II Walking Tour

8. Amsterdam: Life of Anne Frank and World War II Walking Tour

Find out more about Anne Frank on a small-group or private guided walking tour of Amsterdam, led by an expert guide. Discover the city’s centuries-old Jewish Quarter in a small group setting while your guide weaves in anecdotes about Anne Frank's life and World War II. You will hear all about Anne Frank’s family dynamics, their move from Germany, their time in hiding, and her father’s life after the war. Start the tour outside the Portuguese Synagogue, a 17th-century Sephardic construction that still functions as a synagogue today. Find out about the background of the original Jewish neighborhood and how it developed over the centuries. Your guide will share stories of Anne Frank’s love of writing, the conditions she lived through in 1930s and 1940s Amsterdam, and how her diary became so famous. You will also hear about the Dutch Resistance during the Second World War and see where secret hiding places were located. Over the course of the tour, you will walk by the Jewish Historical Museum, stop at the Auschwitz Monument and see the outside of the Anne Frank House façade.

Amsterdam: WONDR - Immersive Experience Entry Ticket

9. Amsterdam: WONDR - Immersive Experience Entry Ticket

When was the last time you did something for the first time? Or that you laughed so much your stomach hurt? Take a break from adult life and reconnect with the child that lives inside you in a place that's all about letting go and having fun. This interactive experience is a mix of all the great stuff believed to make people happy: confetti showers? Check. A pool of soft and sweet marshmallows? Got it. A bouncy castle like you always wish you had? Yup. Claw machines, karaoke booths, a thousand disco balls, and a giant ball pit? Check, check, check. WONDR has all the ingredients necessary for a day of big smiles and unforgettable memories. And after you've experienced it all? Sit back and relax in the new Galaxy Café, where you can enjoy the most delicious treats and glitzy cocktails while looking through all the fun and cute snapshots mailed to you from your experience.

Amsterdam: Amsterdam Dungeon Entrance Ticket

10. Amsterdam: Amsterdam Dungeon Entrance Ticket

The Amsterdam Dungeon is an uniquely thrilling attraction that will whisk you way back into the Netherlands’ most perilous past. See, hear, feel and (ahem) smell the chillingly amusing characters of the ‘bad old days’ as they come to life before you. Will you lose yourself in fear or in mirth? Whichever way, it’s not looking good for your underwear. Multiple different shows and a team of ten professional actors will give an unforgettable performance which will be terrifying and hilarious at the same time, depending on your tolerance for fear. Some of the attractions include figuring your way out of a dark labyrinth, witnessing a witch burn, encountering the ghost of a tortured woman and being tried by a Spanish Inquisitor. Discover the newest show 'The Flying Dutchman' in which a cursed legend comes to life. Will you survive his revenge? In 1651, you find yourself in a rough bar in the Amsterdam of old. 10 years after the legendary ship The Flying Dutchman disappeared, a sinister bar owner awaits the return of the cursed captain who is out for revenge.

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Frequently asked questions about Amsterdam Culture & history

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What people are saying about Amsterdam

Overall rating

4.5 / 5

based on 32,101 reviews

You have to take into account that the distances between the different sights (castle, country house Marie-Antoinette, small and large trianon) are quite large, so allow enough time!

Amazing experience. We were looking forward to have fun and we did. We took lots of pictures and had so much fun.

A must do when in Amsterdam. Tony and Merriam were our great host. They are very knowledgeable and entertaining.

Very interesting visit and excellent guide (Kiran)!! All family loved it!

We loved all the art work. Amazing experience. Definitely recommend.