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.

I went to Mezrab to see a ply with a friend and I absolutely loved it! It was a 2-person,…read morestorytelling play (so to speak) called The Whistler of Dreams and it was so captivating that the entire room quiet as we listened attentively the whole time. They take creative/performance arts pretty seriously and are very nice to their patrons. You can buy drinks to have during the show and people tend to hang out before and after plays so you'll have people to talk to even if you go alone. It's not fancy by any means but you are guaranteed a good, thought-provoking time.

Mezrab Cafe reflects Amsterdam's unique cultural sense and how it thinks outside the box…read more The cafe is a cultural center with musical performances & workshops, but it's mostly known for its storytelling nights. Held a couple of times a month and some nights are all in Dutch and many are in English. About 4-5 seasoned storytellers recant their funny, poignant, sad & heartfelt experiences and a few newcomers are invited to give it a try afterwards. The stories revolve around a theme that is picked from the last storytellers night audience. It's a unique experience as it's a mix between reading poetry and stand-up comedy. In fact some of the storytellers have a comedy background, so they make natural and engaging talkers. The atmosphere is very relaxed and the audiences are very friendly and supportive of the performers. It's always packed and they have a bar with beer, wine and soft drinks, so you can mingle and hangout between and after the performances. You also have to try their thick, hearty, delicious soups..Entrance is free so Mezrab is an affordable, popular, enriching night out. In the Eastern Docklands section of town. Tram 26 and a short walk easily gets you there. Please watch our vid for a better impression: https://youtu.be/GAHv9sUQ1k0

Do you know the Vondelpark's best kept secret? Well-hidden underneath the bridge there's an bomb…read moreshelter from the last century called de Vondelbunker. And the Nederlanders wouldn't be famous for their Dutchness, their pragmatical suchness, if they didn't find a new useful use for such a place. If you fancy an alternative evening with music, poetry, games or movies (check the website www.schijnheilig.org), this is the place to be. And because imho the first review for this place is actually supposed to be in Dutch I excel myself to at least write a decent summary: Geen zin in beschaafdheid en dikkedakken? Liever gezellig drankjes doen en lekker ouwehoeren met mensen van de Amsterdamsche alternatieve scène? Dus ga gewoon naar de Vondelbunker.

i visited De Vondelbunker on a trip to Amsterdam in 2016…read more if you can find this thing & enjoy a show here, let me tell you something: 1. you are one cool motherfucker 2. you're prolly the only tourist there it is HARD to find, even with the address, but so worth it. approach the bridge from inside Vondelpark. the entrance is along the NE foundation of the bridge. you won't hear shit - it's a bunker! - but look for people trickling in & out.

Absolutely a must-see experience in Amsterdam if you get the chance…read more It was very meaningful and enlightening in terms of filling out the whole narrative of what the Frank family's experience was like. Going through Otto Frank's offices and then into the secret annex helped me visualize and empathize in a way that wasn't possible before. They had interviews with Otto Frank after his wife and daughters had been killed and they are heartbreaking. Also fearing more about the Dutch friends who helped the Franks from the outside was deeply moving. The audio tour is well put together and perfectly paced, you go through the whole thing in about an hour. The biggest challenge is purchasing tickets. They are released by the Anne Frank House website on every Tuesday at 10 a.m. Amsterdam time online for the NEXT SIX WEEKS. Due to popularity you have to select a date and time to enter and arrive within 15 minutes of the time. NO WALK-ins. Always sold out. They also will have you check in your bag if it's larger than a certain size. NO PHOTOGRSPHY ALLOWED INSIDE. I'm super grateful to have been able to experience this, and hope for many others to do the same. Highly recommend!

I went into the Anne Frank House expecting something deeply moving, and while the history behind it…read moreis undeniably powerful, the experience itself felt more lackluster than I anticipated. The biggest issue for me was how crowded it was. The space is very small, which makes sense given the history, but paired with the constant flow of people, it created a "cattle line" feel that really took away from the experience. You're shuffled through room to room without much time to pause, reflect, or fully take in where you are. It felt more rushed than reverent. The museum itself is very minimal, which I understand is intentional, but combined with the crowding, it made it harder to connect emotionally. I was hoping for something more immersive or at least a bit more space to absorb the significance of it all. That said, the historical importance is undeniable. Standing in the actual place where Anne Frank and her family hid still carries weight, and the final section with excerpts from her diary was the most impactful part. Overall, I'm glad I went because of its significance, but the overcrowding and rushed flow made it difficult to fully appreciate the experience. I'd still recommend visiting, just be prepared for a tight, busy environment and manage expectations going in. Also pre-book in advance (far in advance)

Tropenmuseum (tropics or tropical museum) deals with Dutch colonial history. There were also…read moreexhibits related to plastics and the practice of giving gifts. They recommend booking online, though it is not mandatory. Free with the I amsterdam card. Easy to get to. The 7 and 19 trams stop here. There's about 2-4 hours of content. Almost everything was in English.

How many pass by daily on bicycle, on foot, public transport, and never stop in? I have the answer:…read moretoo many. This is a spectacular museum that does a far better job about telling stories than most. In particular, much of it reflects on early Dutch explorers infiltrating and "liberating" small countries all over the world, bringing in their religion, their eradication of local ways of living--in a word, colonization. It includes their systematic use of slavery as well. Imagine that, a country that is wiling to take a real hard look at itself and admit its mistakes and the lives it cost, then goes about telling that story so its not forgotten. Who does that? Much of that is the permanent exhibits. We also enjoyed a temporary exhibit that tells of the growing fashion culture in Africa complete with samples of the clothes, video interviews with the designers and examples of fabrics now being created locally. Everyone will have their list of things to see and do when they're visiting the city. This should be among one of the afternoons in my opinion. Very highly recommended.

Touring the original Heineken brewery and learning how their beer is made was a delight. There is a…read moresmall walk-through history exhibit in the old grain silo area that describes Heineken's origins and how the business grew. I appreciated the honest look at the company's humble beginnings. Every great business venture has to start somewhere. The most critical lesson: success is rarely an overnight feat. It takes years of dedication, effort, and learning. Learning not just from your mistakes, but from other people who've gone before you. My experience featured a "Brew You" immersive attraction that puts you in the brew chamber and production line. The bottling line is (not really) transformed into a roller coaster, ending in a taste of the Heineken signature beer. There's a brewery-style bar where you can hang out and enjoy your beer. I opted to go up to the rooftop. You get a few more options for your drink and you get to enjoy views of the Amsterdam skyline. I liked their rooftop and will happily go up there again. I can see it from my hotel.

This brewery tour was so much fun. It was interactive, informational, and educational…read more A really big and spacious campus. We learned all about the history of Heineken, what goes into the process to make the beer, and so much more. At the end of the tour we were treated to complimentary pours. There were fun activities as well as a gift shop. We had a blast.

The Amsterdam Museum is a small museum that covers some portions of Amsterdam's history. I'd say no…read moremore than 2-3 hours of content. There is some good stuff there, but what the museum covers is somewhat arbitrary. One full room deals with a plane crash that happened in the 90s, while the museum has almost nothing about the canals. Half the museum is about slavery in Suriname and nearby areas. Almost everything is in English. The Amsterdam Museum has moved to a temporary location at Amstel 51. It's inside a building called "The Heritage", which also houses other museums. While walking to the museum, you'll see signs for "The Heritage", though you probably won't see any signs for "Amsterdam Museum".

We spent about 2 hours on a self-guided tour of this museum, with an audio guide…read more There were 3 floors to visit. We climbed many stairways during the tour. There is an elevator, but only in one section of the building. We used it to exit. The museum is divided by time period. Each time period is housed in 1 or more rooms. Taking your time to watch the videos, listen to the commentaries and read the placards will be the most immersive way to learn the most here.

From the owner: concertzaal / theaterzaal ruimte voor events en expo's…read morerepetitielokalen, kantoorruimtes