One of the must see museums when visiting Amsterdam…read more We also enjoyed taking a break at the cafe located inside the Rijksmuseum.

I am so bummed!! After being there for 5 hours, I still failed to make it to the 1700-1800 and the…read more2000s zones!! This place is HUGE! I now understand why tourists would plan an entire day there. Unfortunately, I had 2 other stops that day that I couldn't miss, so I had no choice but left at 2pm. I am soo glad I made it to the main hall first to see Rembrandt's Night Watch (granted it was through a piece of glass due to the restoration process). I would've been devastated if I couldn't. Love the info cards for almost all of the major art pieces to explain in detail on how it was created. Some tips: Buy your ticket ahead of time. Get there 15 minutes before your entrance time to get in line and for bag check. No water inside the exhibits. The coat check is your only option if you don't show up right at when they open. The lockers filled up within minutes. Don't be fooled by the opened ones because that means the lock is broken. Definitely worth a stop at the gift shop. (Like I said above) Plan to spend the whole day there.

I am beyond amazed that I get to see the actual Sunflower painting!! O.M.G!…read more I'm not posting any artwork here, because I don't want to take away anyone's experience. If I could go back to Amsterdam, I would definitely go back to this museum again. Yellow is such a joyful color. After visiting the museum, it has a deeper meaning to me. I went through entire museum floor by floor, showroom by showroom. Every corner has something that amazes me. I also got a chance to see how Van Gogh actually looked like! My goodness. I couldn't believe my eyes. A few tips: 1- you must make a reservation online ahead of time. I saw many people got turned away while I was waiting in line for security check. 1b- it's okay to be in line 15 minutes before your supposed arrival time. 2-it's best to buy the audio tour ticket along with the entrance fee instead of buying it on site. It was sold out when I got there. 3-there is a book store on the top floor, and you can actually take home a blank Sunflower coloring sheet for free! It's on an easel at the corner by the window.

TIP - order tickets ahead in time online to make sure you can get in on the day/time you want…read more A beautiful looking museum. Lots of Van Gogh art works to view and take in. Self guided tour comes with a player with headphones to that you can learn about the different Van Gogh art periods and works of art. Overall the museum was okay. You see a lot of Van Gogh art but not much about his life and world around him. I preferred the Rembrandt House as it showed his home and living arrangements - it gave you glimpse of his life at that time. I think the Rijks Museum would be a better choice to see a variety of artists.

Pleasantly surprised by this museum experience! Pre booked the tickets online in combination with…read morea walking tour. You get to choose to an entry window and should arrive within 30 minutes of the time on your ticket. We arrived first thing today at opening time of 9 a.m. Three floors, a basement, and a gardenfull of pop art--you can enjoy it in an hour or so. Eye catching and thought provoking are two words that come to mind regarding the art displayed. The gallery curators did an excellent job using the since in the house that is now a gallery. They made use of every nook and cranny, which made the experience even more of an adventure. Well done! Really glad we checked it out!

Well, this is a pretty small museum, but it actually focuses on really modern artists, including…read moreBanksy. Sure, it might not be the Rijksmuseum, but it is still a pretty decent museum to visit, even though it is small. Mind you, the crowds do flock here, but at least you don't have to book ahead.

Fun history of Bols and the distilling of different flavors of alcoholic liqueurs…read more Self-guided tour with audio. After you pay for your ticket at the front desk, you put your jackets and loose items in a locker (free) and pickup an audio tour device and program it for your preferred language (easy). You get a yummy cocktail to savor at the end! And there's a fun gift shop to peruse, where we bought tulip glasses for the purpose of drinking Genever . We enjoyed the Espresso martini and Red Light Negroni at the bar at the end. Both were made skillfully and tasted delicious! The highlight of the experience, honestly, was meeting Lars (aka "Larson") and Julia at the front desk. They were hilarious with each other and delightful with us. They helped us package the 6 tulip glasses in paper within styrofoam boxes for sturdy protection during travel. They are the true stars of this operation.

I enjoy distillery tours when I travel. I browsed the list of attractions that accept the I…read moreAmsterdam card and came across Bols Amsterdam. It's located near Museumplein by all of the major museums which was so convenient. I was interested in doing a cocktail class with the tour, but wasn't sure if I could book the class with the I Amsterdam card. I sent an email through the website and a DM on Instagram and no one responded, which was disappointing. When I arrived, I inquired about it. They offered to let me upgrade my ticket, but I declined. Once I got checked in, I received a vial of a mystery flavored genever to taste at the end of the tour. The tour is self guided and it is truly a sensory experience. The tour starts with the history of Bols, then goes into the process of making genever. There are interactive elements throughout. It was really cool to see Lucas Bols' original recipe book from 1820. Towards the end of the tour, I tried the mystery genever in the sensory booth. I don't remember the flavor, but it was red and it was sweet. The sensory booth contains a camera that records your reaction as you're tasting it. At the end of the tour, guests are able to enjoy a complimentary cocktail. The bar area was really cool. They have a flair booth where you can learn how to spin and throw cocktail bottles. They also had house music playing which created a fun vibe. The bartender that made my drink was Serchan (pronounced "Sar-John"). He was so nice and let me sample a couple of genevers. I ordered the First Aid cocktail. It was citrus forward and refreshing! He also printed out a receipt with the cocktail recipe. I threw some cash in the tip jar and learned that they accept cash in any currency! This was a fun experience! Any activity where I can have a delicious cocktail and learn something new is right up my alley.

You must get a reservation and they do go fast…read more Definitely worth a visit, expectation it to be busy. I don't usually don't get an audio guide but well worth it.

A must do if visiting Amsterdam…read more ***If you plan to go, you must order tickets ahead of time. Based on where you live, you will have to make sure you purchase tickets immediately as the "window" opens for the day/time that you want to go. I had to wake up at 1am west coast time to make sure I got my tickets before they sell out. Tickets are available EXACTLY 6 weeks at 10am Amsterdam time for the day/time you want. Plan ahead! There are two tickets, one for the general tour and one that adds a presentation before the self guided tour. If you can get it, I recommend getting tickets for the presentation. It's a good intro before doing the self guided tour. But if you can't get these tickets, the general self guided tour is fine and well done. For the self guided tour you get a translator (many languages available) to guide you through the tour. You point the translator at the small round numbered placard in the wall to trigger the translator for the room/exhibit. There is a lot of walking, stairs, and standing around so be prepared. Plan for about 1.5-2 hours to do the while tour. There also a gift shop and cafe at the end of the tour. The exhibit/museum itself is very well done. It's an informative and moving experience. Be respectful as it is a memorial. Highly recommend visiting. Be prepared and plan ahead when ordering tickets online 6 weeks ahead.

I was informed by several travel blogs that this is a tourist trap, but honestly, SO WHAT IF IT…read moreIS?? In my opinion, t's absolutely worth the time and money for a 90-minute Heineken experience! Not to mention, my husband and I each got 2 beers for free!! We had to wait a little bit to get in, even though it was a weekday. The lockers were almost full, but I heard that there was a coat check area. The tour guide was very interactive with the audience and we also had moments to sit down and watch a 360 degree video in an elevator. I didn't pay for the roof top extra access, because I wanted to spend more on souvenirs and customized beer bottles. Next time if I ever go back to Amsterdam, I would absolutely go back again just for the gift shop and the beer.

This is a classic experience that just have to do when you go to Amsterdam. Tickets are available…read moreonline as well as in person and there's plenty of tickets available for each time slots. The staff was friendly and after listening to something in the beginning you go through your own pace through the rest of the experience. You do get a small beer halfway through as well as one in their taproom. They also have a gift shop and rooftop bar!

If you're going to take in a modern art museum while in Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum is a good…read moreoption. Admission is €22.50, but if you're 18 and under - it's free! Two hours is a good amount of time to allow to explore the museum, from my experience. Prebook your time for an optimal, smooth experience. It's actually right by the Van Gogh museum so can make for a good accompaniment to that. Weekday mornings are best to avoid crowds. Grab one of their free audio tours when you walk in to get all the details on what you're seeing while walking through!

If you're into modern art and design, the Stedelijk is a must. The location is perfect--it's right…read moreon Museumplein, so it's close to everything and easy to work into a day of sightseeing. The museum is huge, and the collection is incredibly diverse, ranging from classic modernists like Mondrian and Picasso to wild contemporary installations. Definitely plan to spend at least 2 to 3 hours here if you want to see both the permanent collection and the rotating exhibitions without rushing. One of the highlights for me was the cafe (Fonda/Sandberg). It has a beautiful, airy design with lots of natural light, making it the perfect spot to recharge with a coffee after walking through the galleries. The "bathtub" architecture is just as cool on the inside as it is on the outside!

Cheese museum, you say? Well, I say heck yeah! Free admission? Even better. Free samples? Give them…read moreall to me. Educational and historical information on cheese? Yes! Interesting and awesome. We learned about Gouda, the tools used to make cheese now and in the days of olde. Tons of fun photo ops and props. And once again, the tastings. I swear we tried at least 15 different cheeses. Had the cheesiest time! A+.

I'll cut to the cheese and get straight to the gouda part, where the smells in this store are…read moredelicious (and slightly funky, as cheese can be) and there are plentiful cheese samples to try. Groow-yere cheese knowledge at the mini cheese museum downstairs or really just a small room decked out with cheese-making equipment and some plaques describing the production process. Edam if I go back to Amsterdam, I might make emmental note to drop by and try some cheese and grab a small block or two to go(at). They pack in prep for shipping in airport luggage too. Aye-siago before I hava-arti-me living these puns down :)

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.

If you are interested in learning about florescent minerals, history, and art then this place is…read moreenjoyable. Nick is a nice artist who invites you to learn more about the interesting glowing minerals. I really enjoyed this place and can't wait to put up my piece of art I bought from here!

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.