Once a convent then an orphanage, this musuem highlights the city’s development. If you’re into history there are some interesting paintings and art works. The focus is on the Golden Age of Amsterdam. A recent special exhibition covered the history of women in the home. This musuem is perhaps one of the least popular, so you won’t have to wait in line.
Address: Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 359
1012 RM Amsterdam
Phone: 020-523-1822
Visit here for an eerie sensation of what it was like for the Frank Family to hide in an attic during World War II. The original furnishings were destroyed by the Nazis, but the place is haunted by the ghosts of Anne and her family. Excellent, but small display of historical information. If you haven’t read the “Diary of Anne Frank,” get a copy here, available in many languages.
The Cannabis College, on the Oudezijdes Achterburghwal, in Amsterdam’s Red Light District, is a clearing house and archive of accurate cannabis related information. Focusing on the thousands of uses of cannabis (besides recreation), the volunteers here are extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of this amazing plant. There are displays with hundreds of samples of cannabis related products including clothes, cosmetics, food, and much more. There are two electronically controlled vaporizers for you to try this healthier method of cannabis ingestion.
Downstairs there’s a working indoor marijuana garden, complete with growers on hand to answer your growing related questions. There is a €2.50 donation to view the garden, otherwise the rest of the College is free to browse. We encourage all who visit to donate something to this worthy cause.
This is a serious museum charting 8,000 years of history with excellent displays and exhibits, including some live plants. Small admission price is worth it, especially to rid yourself of American brainwashing.
Opened as a museum in 1987, this four building complex is comprised of four synagogues built by Ashkenazi Jews during the 1600’s and 1700’s. The museum is filled with displays of the long history of Jews in Holland.
The master of Dutch painting lived here from 1639 to 1660, teaching lessons in the attic, living on the ground floors with his wife and son. The displays of his art here are well worth the visit and include self-portraits, nude studies and religious scenes and some landscapes.
The Stedelijk Musuem was originally built in 1890 to house a collection of art given to the city by Sophia de Bruyn. In 1938 it was turned into the National Museum of Modern Art and has exhibits by such masters as Picasso, Mondriaan, Cezanne, Monet and Matisse. Exhibits are also displayed of new art including sculptures, paintings, prints, drawings, video, photography, etc.
The Tuchinski Theater was built in 1921 by Abram Icek Tuschinsky as a work of love. He supervised every square inch of the details in this Art Deco masterpiece, which has just finished a huge restoration project. The interior is breathtaking once again, and worth the price of admission to see!
The world’s largest collection of Van Gogh’s paintings, drawings and over 900 letters Vincent wrote during his lifetime are housed in this modern building opened in 1973. An extensive addition to the museum was completed the summer of 1999. Other exhibits are shown as well, usually dealing with his contemporaries’ artwork.
1. Must do’s: Get a good map with an index, rent a bike, visit a museum, take a canal boat cruise, see the Vondelpark, see a classical or jazz concert at the Concertgebouw, explore the Leidseplein’s many restaurants, pubs and music venues, have a beer at the Rembrandtplein and watch the passing show, check out the posters for events of interest, try some Indonesian food (or Dutch food if you prefer less spice). Take a walk through the Red Light District and see what they left out of that sex education class in junior high. If you’ve ever smoked marijuana, or always wanted to try, just visit any establishment that calls itself a coffeeshop (not a cafe), and ask to see the menu (hippies need not be reminded, that’s why they came!). Visit the countryside to see the farms, flowers, windmills and dikes.