For those that really know me, you know that I'm a "history" buff, and that I was two classes away…read morefrom minoring in history (My only regret in life). So that self interest alone led me here. To understand and respect the history of hemp, to investigate the Amsterdam culture about weed, and not because of the free vapor tasting at the end. Now that I've justified myself, let's talk about this "museum". And it really is a museum! The entrance fee is only €9. You pick up a little cheesy media translator box. You scan your language, and you're on your way. They start with the earliest proof that man even smoked ganja in the stone-age with carved inscriptions on tablets. Hence being "stoned". Okay, I made that up. But there are oil paintings showing the weed parties and that people really wanted to pose with a smoke. One of my favorite things for me was seeing the pipes of the past; how extravagant they carved wooden pipes. As well as the old medicinal bottles that contain cannibal ingredients. I can go on and on. It was interesting! Wait, what was I talking about? Oh yeah, so the tour is in two different sections. Meaning, the first part of the tour ends in the Sensi Seed store. Part two was down the street about 3 meters away. This had more examples and history about the use of hemp strands over the centuries. Gifts to bring home. Then that free vapor sample thingy. Minus a star for 2 out of 3 staff members with snooty attitudes. If ya hate your job, just smoke geez! Oh well, it didn't dampen my tour. Now ONTO THE RED LIGHTS!!!!

I know nothing about hash/hemp except that it smells like skunk. They say weed makes you hungry,…read morephilosophical, relaxed, funny and you think everything's so important and funny. Well, I don't need this stuff then. I'm not pro-weed but I'm also not anti-weed. I'm anti-people doing stupid things and blaming it on stuff. So, anywho... This is located in the Red Light District - think porn stores, live shows and pot. People coming in and out of this museum seem interestingly chill. They're pretty much hippies. Why is this illegal in most parts of the US again? They have all sorts of varieties - how they come up with names for each kind is beyond me. they have shampoo, lotions, drinks, seeds, etc. There are lots of restaurants, cafes and pastry shops in this area in case you get contact high...like me. every. single. damn. day. I. was. in Amsterdam.

Not a traditional "museum" by any stretch, but with Amsterdam being the city boasting the world's…read moremost museums, I can see how the claim is made with places like this. It's a really nice spot, and the guy who runs it is extremely open and friendly with a wealth of information. He truly lives for this! If you arrive before it opens, you'll see people gathered around the door entrance, and you're there wondering what kind of place this really is. Doesn't look big from the outside at all, and looks like a shop more than a museum. Once you get inside the small space, you're greeted with black lighting above which illuminates all of the fluorescent artwork. There are paintings and sculptures with bright colors across the spectrum. Then you walk down these steps into the dark basement and see his special rock collection with the makeup of the rocks highlighted under the black lighting. Reminded me of geology class. Cool place, quick 30 minute experience.

Fluorescence is LIFE…read more Me and my wife did this tour in March 2018. This museum opened my eyes to another world of Fluorescence. Fluorescence is pretty much a living organism. It takes energy, consumes it, produces the brightest colors you would ever see. The vibes in this place are exceptional. The location is very close to the Ann Frank Museum. Its just 5 Euros & they let you use a really trippy bathroom for free. The couple who are the owner are in their 70s but their energy and will to give back to the world, still keeps them coming back to the museum everyday. They do this without the help of a young person or receptionist to handle your reservations. Remember that before, giving a bad review and saying they cancelled your reservation. We did not have reservation but they let us in, because they could. I would advise to call them in advance, they are doing their best in their capacity to handle the online reservations. They not only let us in, but allowed us to stay for as long as we want, despite of the small space and huge crowd. Nik explained in detail, about the physics behind this & inspired me for the rest of the life to explore this amazing world. I have bought a black light even. The pigment he uses, makes his paint way more brighter than you would find anywhere else. Some of the artifacts on the first floor are for sale as well, and can spin your head around. We bought what we could. I forgot my wallet and the lady was kind enough to keep it open extra time, so i could pick it. Although the museum closes at 7 but if you are interested Nik can talk to you the whole day about it.

First of all, if you appreciate museums at all, this is a must-see place in Amsterdam!!…read more Yesterday morning we lined up at about 8:50 before museum opening at 9. We had purchased tickets online ahead of time and figured the earlier the better. We spent 3.5 hours here and made sure to see every aspect, spending more or less time in exhibits depending on our interest. The gift shop is extensive and worth a look around as well. There's a restaurant and cafe as well which look great. Getting a map as you enter is helpful. The museum is subdivided by floor (0 through 3), and time period, with 1900-2000 on the top floor. There's a coat check if you wish on the 0 floor, alongside the bathrooms. May I mention that I love that most public bathrooms here are stalls with floor-to-ceiling doors?! The privacy is much nicer, and the doorknob indicates vacant/occupied so you don't have people looking at your feet to decide if it's empty. lol. We experienced the galleries basically in chronological order. The special collections are cool in that they are historical artifacts, lovingly preserved, such as old swords/guns, locks/keys, tea services, clothing and glassware, to name a few. My favorite artifact was a chessboard which had animal images subtly etched into the metal of each space. (See photo). We spent a good chunk of time in the 1300s galleries, where the sculptures, paintings, and artwork often depicted scenes from Jesus' life, Biblical stories, or morality themes. One sculpture was of the two thieves on Jesus' either side during the crucifixion, showing one of them with an angel above his shoulders because he was headed to heaven. The Great Hall in between the main wings of the museum is a gorgeous expansive space with high vaulted ceilings, and floor to ceiling stained glass windows along one wall, paying tribute to the great painters, philosophers, architects, and musicians of Europe. There's an entire room full of elaborate 5- foot tall dollhouses that women of high class households (in the 1650s) would spend time curating, collecting, and creating , as a pastime and perhaps to save their husbands' the expense of renovating their actual homes. They had area rugs, wallpaper, the works! The Rijksmuseum opened in 1885, and is a historical monument worthy of patronage. Highly recommend!!!

I'm lucky enough to live right by the Rijksmuseum, so I see it every day, and let me tell you--it…read morenever loses its magic. Whether you're here for the Dutch Masters or just the stunning architecture, it's a world-class experience. The Museumkaart is a must: If you're planning on visiting more than 3-4 museums in the NL, get the Museum Card. The cost savings are huge. Even with the card, you have to reserve your time slot online in advance. Don't show up hoping to wing it; the popular slots vanish fast. When you're exiting or walking through the tunnel that goes under the building, watch out for the bike path! It's a major, high-speed commuter route for locals. It's easy to get distracted by the beautiful arches, but those cyclists don't play. Look both ways before you step out! It's the crown jewel of the Museumplein for a reason. Don't miss it.

Included in the Zaanse Schans Card is entry to the Zaans Historical museum--they require you to put…read moreyour things in free lockers and hang your coats in free racks. You can get a free audio guide in your preferred language. From the museum to the biscuit/chocolate factory experience (a separate building connected by bridge) it takes about an hour. We enjoyed learning about all the different industries that have thrived in the Zaanse area. The interactive displays are interesting for families with children as well (especially ages 6 and up). You get a free biscuit sample--I tried coffee and my husband tried chocolate. The mechanized biscuit factory machinery display was impressive. I played the game at the end that tests whether you are good enough to be a Verkade girl--fast enough to pack at least 15 biscuit tins with 3 stacks of 3 biscuits, but only perfect ones, and as you fill each tin, the conveyor belt moves faster. It's a touchscreen and you move the biscuits with one finger. I tried just right handed or alternating right and left, but it's harder than it sounds. If you let too many good ones break by falling off the conveyor belt, game over. It was strangely gratifying. At the gift shop I bought some Verkade chocolates to bring back for coworkers. Fun museum overall!

Save your Euro,this is a Good location, good site.Surrounded by the most beatiful water,and…read moreWindmills, The cheese is great, the jams are great we tasted quite a bit.Unfortunately the other people in there, acted like they were having dinner and would not leave the lines. So unfortunately, the staff had to continue to tell people, to move on as they would sit there and try five pieces of cheese and literally walk in circles to basically eat everything in one sitting. The building is actually nice on the inside, but not really worth the cost of entry. We had a free entry due to tripadvisor credit. THANKS TripAdvisor !! That is the only reason I went other than that, I personally would have saved my euro €.. Zaans Museum

This was a great, life-affirming experience. The people whose bodies are featured all donated them,…read morewhich was good to know. (It's not the case for some other exhibits.) The exhibit features plastinated human bodies and organs and is organized by system. It really puts things in perspective--it is absolutely WILD to see how many blood vessels are in your feet, for example. Alongside the bodies and organs themselves are clear descriptions that include information about them--for instance, we can see a comparison of a healthy brain next to one that is affected by dementia. We can see what a joint replacement looks like inside the body. You can see the difference between a smoker's lungs and a non-smoker's lungs, the difference between a healthy liver and one with cirrhosis, and what the insides of arteries look like. It's really wild, and woven throughout are reminders of how our bodies and our choices can contribute to our happiness,

To call this "distasteful" would be an understatement. Controversy surrounds this freak show,…read moreparticularly with regard to questionable sourcing of human bodies, which are disrespectfully dusplayed often in odd positions and circumstances, with a few items placed to support claims that this has been done in the name of education. I highly doubt family members of "explosion man" or "drawer man" would appreciate the bodies of their loved ones being hacked up and displayed for the world to marvel at.

I've been chomping at the bit to write a review on this puppy. You know the saying "When in…read moreRome...", well, this stop falls into the category of "When in Amsterdam..." I don't typically find myself at sex museums, but this time, I figured what the hell. Located in the Red Light District, this charmer of a museum aims to strike visitors from the get go with a Dutch female mannequin perched upon a bicycle with a dildo pumping in out and out as she merrily pedals along. Oh what? You don't regularly see Dutch gals on bikes getting it as they roll along? I have to say it was a sour start to the visit. I had hoped the museum would take a moderate stance that didn't objectify women throughout every inch of the four-story building. However, my friend and I entered with an open mind (he seemed to be especially excited) and curious approach. The museum is organized into four small rooms that continue to wind upward floor after floor. One would expect even an Erotic Museum to have nameplates to describe the clay sculptures of Chinese women double-teaming a man sporting a golden, leg-like rod and papyrus covered with naked fairies you find yourself gazing upon. Unfortunately, their were no such nameplates - rather, they were described with simple plates like "China 1945" or "Madonna 1989". In addition to a lack of nameplates, there seems to be no particular organization or pattern from room to room (other than the dedicated S+M floor complete with a mannequin draped upon a chained chair perfect for perverted picture opps). I prefer my sex museums orderly and with rhythm. Maybe I'm a snobby museum-goer, but I'm not going to deny that I like to know what the hell I'm looking at and a building full of sex-related nicknacks isn't going to cut it. One last note, be sure to peek your head in the cartoony side room complete with ceramic mushrooms to sit upon and the.weirdest.fucking.film. you've ever seen. I believe this cartoon porn was created in America based on the English dialect. Imagine (yes, I said imagine - so play along): a cartoon female with only her breasts exposed and cats and other talking animals "putting it to her" or battling raging boners. Weird. Really weird. Like kinda sorta made my skin crawl watching it. But, I'm going to tell you to check it out, but only because it was THAT weird and I want to hear what you think of it.

This place is not particularly 'Erotic', and would not per se fall in the traditional category of…read more'Museum'. It is however exactly what you would imagine that dirty old man from across the streets basement looks like. The collection of artifacts and..things.. is eclectic, outrageous and humorous. Do not come here if you are of the conservative kind, expecting to see G rated paintings and statues. It's pretty much dicks and dildos galore, and most of the depicted scenes are pretty demented. The room full of black and white antiquated porn is interesting, but not nearly as great as the room filled with mushrooms. Take a seat on one of these huge mushrooms, maybe pop a magic one you bought earlier in the day and enjoy the most fucked up movie you will ever watch. It's a cartoon involving beastiality with cutesie characters if that says enough. I came here as a total joke and to kill some time one day, and actually had a pretty alright time here, considering. If you are visiting Amsterdam for say, three days, this is not the place you'd want to waste your time. However, if you are done 'windowshopping' around the neighborhood, or end up needing shelter for one of the Netherlands' famous downpours - go ahead and push your boundaries for a few minutes. Please try not to fall down the steps tho, with your touristy feet that aren't used to STEEP stairs. I don't know how Dutchies are the tallest folk on Earth and can stand the tiny-ness of everything in their country. Good thing I am fun-sized. Anyways, like I said; this place is not for the faint of heart - but if you have a cooky sense of humor you will be sure to share a few laughs with your buds. PS. Going here you might finally understand why us Dutchies are so keen on biking everywhere. I'm totally kidding of course.. Maybe.

The national maritime Museum is really kid friendly. After a day of dragging my child to historic…read moresites, I needed to find something that he would enjoy too. We had the I Amsterdam card and so this made good sense as a choice. We heard it was great for kids and it really was. Doris the diver is basically a play area for kids 2 to 7. There's also bathrooms right next to it that include changing tables, small sinks, and small toilets for littles. We spent most of our time exploring the replica of the Dutch East India company ship. My son and I had a great time walking around the ship and lowering our heads to crawl into tight spaces. My son especially liked the police system in the cargo hold and trying to find the drawings of the wrapin the cargo hold.The views here are nice and it was a fun place to explore on a sunny spring day.

One of the best museums illustrating the the Dutch colonial past. Along with a replica of an actual…read moreboat, you could explore with an amazing video transposing you back in time, it had artifacts, paintings, tapestries etc all with excellent audio explanations to accompany you. Really great find! Not to be missed when in Amsterdam

This place is fascinating! I definitely recommend taking the time and effort to come here if you're…read morein the area. Bear in mind that it's located in the hospital and is a bit of a drive. Also: pay for parking upstairs. You must pre-pay before leaving the car park. I found out the hard way!

I received a visit to Ripleys as a present for my birthday. Was looking forward to the visit, but…read moreread a lot about the crazy stuff they had here. Ripleys is situated in a small building at the dam in Amsterdam. A crazy busy place, although Ripleys was pretty quiet that day. Immediately when you enter the building you are welcomed by the staff and a hugh Michael Jackson portrait of cans is on the wall, as well as some other crazy stuff in the hallway. You can take a picture with several other stuff, like a wooden car and a huge Hulk statue. If you get your tickets online, you can just walk right up to the start of the museum. I loved all the corners with various stuff, the creepy corners with living paintings, torture devices, shrunken heads, etc. There are also some neat photo ops, like the cooking pot, an alien lab and some other stuff. Also pretty neat is the hallway with a turning galaxy where you get a serious mindf*ck and your body is under the impression it is being pulled at. At the end you enter the restaurant/cafe that was pretty quiet that day. Mind you, the snacks and drinks are pretty pricy (probably like everywhere in Amsterdam). Overall, still a reminder if you are in Amsterdam and are tired of the Madam Tussaud's, Tulips, Van Goghmuseum and all the other touristy things.

We traveled from the US (Richmond, VA) to Amsterdam for 10 days on a family vacation. We decided to…read morestop here due to their inviting advertisement of having 5 floors of unique and sometimes just plain weird collections. This museum is interesting enough to visit if you don't mind spending about 20.00 per person and getting a good work out (fair amount of stairs to climb, but all floors are handicap accessible). We have been to several of these museums and this one was slightly more entertaining (probably because it was larger). I recommend allotting about 2 hours if you want to take in all of the exhibits. It's ok to take photos and touch the exhibits as well. We got there an hour before closing and had to rush through all five floors rather quickly. Exhibits ranging from a giant Transformer robot to a statue of the worlds tallest man (approx 8'9") that moves from sitting to standing make for Good times and fun photo opportunities. Informative as well as entertaining, so this can work for the young and old. The last exhibit before we left was a simulated interactive 5D experience that. If you have any physical ailments you may want to sit this one out as the seats do love about rather frequently. There is a huge sign with the disclaimers, so you can make that decision for yourself. I didn't think it was that bad and my kids gave it mixed reviews (18 &16 yrs old), but younger kids may find it more enjoyable. Ideal location as there are lots of food places and other attractions nearby.