Netherlands · MUSEUMS
On a grey afternoon a museum is not a backup, it is the plan. The 15 below cover the Golden Age collections, the modern rooms and the odd ones nobody warns you about, with entry prices and which tickets skip the queue.
Enter Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum at a selected time and follow Vincent’s life through more than 200 paintings, 500 drawings, and 750 letters. You can explore permanent and temporary exhibitions at your own pace, then add a handheld guide in 11 languages. Allow at least 1.5 hours, and book early for the best time slots.
“its was very busy but we still managed to get a good look around at the paintings and displays”
Visit Moco Museum on Amsterdam’s Museumplein for more than 100 works by Banksy, Warhol, Haring, Basquiat, Kusama, Hirst, KAWS, Murakami, and others. You can move at your own pace, use the free audio guide in six languages, and spend time in digital rooms and light installations. Plan on one to one and a half hours.
“I like the museum, it was interesting. it's worthy! great exhibitions.”
Step into The Upside Down Amsterdam for 25 playful rooms built for optical illusions, laughter, and social media photos. Ride a metro upside down, pose in a private jet, dance in a silent disco, and finish with a freakshake at the café. English and Dutch hosts are on hand, and digital photo downloads are included.
“I loved everything, from the excellent customer service from the host at the entrance to the fancy areas for pictures. loved the fact that you can download all your pictures. and the staffs were ready to assist where possible”
Visit Red Light Secrets Museum of Prostitution in a former brothel on Oudezijds Achterburgwal. Your audio guide, available in six languages, follows real sex-worker stories through working rooms, window displays, Amsterdam’s legal framework, and the lively Confession Wall. Allow about 15 to 30 minutes, and note that entry is for ages 16 and over.
“Very interesting. Great to learn about all the history and facts.”
Visit Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Amsterdam at your own pace with fast-track entry. See odd objects, record-holding displays, optical illusions, a Space Tunnel, and a seven-meter robot made from car parts. Finish in the 500-square-meter lounge with a drink and views over Dam Square. Plan on roughly 1.5 to 3 hours if you stop to read and try the hands-on exhibits.
“loved this experience.staff were very helpful and friendly . would defined recommend x”
Visit the Van Gogh Museum at your reserved time, then take a 75-minute canal cruise from the Hard Rock Café or Heineken Experience docks. You get museum admission and cruise audio commentary, but the Van Gogh multimedia guide costs extra. The covered boats run in most weather, and kids receive a free story booklet and audio tale.
“I enjoy the museum wasn’t as big as I thought but still was there for over 2 hours and glad you can go at what every pace you like The canal cruise was amazing so many hidden knowledge along the route and happy it was a long tour definitely moneys worthy”
Visit Rembrandt House Museum on Jodenbreestraat with a one-day entry ticket and multimedia tour. Walk through his home, studio, collection room, and etching attic, then watch demonstrations of paint making and printmaking. The audio guide is available in seven languages, and the museum’s 2026 Rembrandt’s Masterclass exhibition runs from January 30 to May 25.
“It is full of knowledge about rembrandt. Very fascinated me”
Book a timed visit to the Van Gogh Museum, then see Amsterdam from the water on a one-hour Lovers canal cruise. You will encounter works such as Sunflowers and Almond Blossoms, followed by canals, bridges, churches, houseboats, and the Magere Brug. Museum entry is timed, while cruise departures run from several central locations.
“Enjoyed the museum exhibition and cafe/shop. Fairly busy around the more well-known artworks but still able to get up close with a short wait. Canal boat tour was great with a very good tour guide and Captain, Simon, who was very knowledgeable. Great to have headsets included on the boat for extra information too. Would have been a good idea to have a drink with us as it got quite hot.”
Use your mobile voucher for fast-track entry to NEMO Science Museum, a five-level hands-on museum near Amsterdam Central Station. Test bridges, lightning, illusions, dams, and more. Children can run experiments in lab coats, while adults can enjoy the science, demonstrations, rooftop restaurant, and city views. Plan at least three hours, or most of a day.
“I absolutely LOVED it here. So many cool and interactive exhibits and activists. Definitely a must-do for science nerds or families. Beautiful views of the harbour and city from the roof-top cafe. Well worth it.”
Visit STRAAT Museum in Amsterdam Noord for a self-guided day of enormous murals, sculptures, and installations by more than 170 street artists. Read artist panels, scan QR codes, visit the STRAAT Gallery, and view the warehouse from the panoramic deck. The museum is wheelchair accessible, with a café, gift shop, and free ferry nearby.
“The displays were amazing well worth the visit, very cool venue perfect way to display street art. highly recommended for anyone who is into street art or just art in general, the only thing that was missing was music to enhance the experience.”
Meet your English-speaking guide across from the Rijksmuseum, enter the Van Gogh Museum with reserved access, and follow the artist’s path from dark Dutch paintings to bright French works. Guides such as Anna, Monique, Cecile, Pedro, and Carola bring useful art context and personal stories. Your ticket remains valid after the 2.5-hour tour.
“The tour guide was very knowledgeable and did a great job of telling the story of Vincent Van Gogh and placing all of the paintings in an historical context!”
Visit Moco Museum in Villa Alsberg at Amsterdam’s Museumplein and explore Banksy’s Laugh Now exhibition, contemporary art, and interactive visual rooms. Your ticket includes all exhibitions and a free audio guide in six languages. Plan about one hour, though you may stay longer. Children under six enter free.
“I always visit when I'm in Amsterdam. It's always changing the exhibitions. Such a fun museum to pass an hour.”
Spend a full day exploring the Stedelijk Museum on Amsterdam’s Museumplein. Your mobile ticket covers the permanent collection, most temporary exhibitions, and a Dutch or English audio guide. Expect works by Mondrian, Matisse, Picasso, Chagall, Warhol, Kusama, Rietveld, and Dumas, plus modern design and Amsterdamse School pieces.
“Interesting! It’s the kind of art, you love or you hate! Unfortunatelly, I had no time ti see Marina Abramovic experience!”
Spend about two and a half hours at Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum with a guide and no more than eight people. Expect reserved entry, stories about Theo, Gauguin, Van Gogh’s studio, and works such as *The Potato Eaters*, *The Bedroom*, *Sunflowers*, and *Wheat Field with Crows*. Private upgrades are available.
“We had a great time with Victoria. Her passion for Vincent Van Gogh and his art really shined through and it made for an excellent tour. We would definitely recommend to others traveling in Amsterdam.”
Visit Amsterdam’s three-floor Cannabis Museum for about 45 minutes of hands-on exhibits, live plants, hemp products, cannabis history, an audio tour, and science displays. You’ll see a microscope and testing machine, learn how cannabis spread from Central Asia to Amsterdam, and receive a goodie bag plus 10% off in the shop.
“Just brilliant ! Good fun and you get to try the gravity bong at the end and chat to a friendly expert . Loved it .”
Pick a canal, a gallery or a polder.
