Discover 17 unusual museums in Amsterdam

Looking for alternative and unique museums in Amsterdam? Queue at the Anne Frank House or Rijksmuseum a bit too long for you? No need to panic, because Trot Op! just listed seventeen of the most unusual museums in Amsterdam: the perfect list to check off on your next city trip.

You wouldn’t say it given the hordes of drunken Dutchmen loudly getting in my way here every weekend, but compared to Amsterdam, my own Antwerp is a glorified provincial town. Having to admit this is somewhat painful, but as far as I know I’m not blind and reality is what it is. Amsterdam is both charming and innovative, is bathing in an anything-goes atmosphere and offers visitors seemingly endless possibilities in just about every conceivable area. In short, it’s a city with a name and a level of attraction we can only dream of in Belgium, and getting on a clunky tourist boat on the Bruges Canals isn’t really going to make any difference. You can do that in Amsterdam as well, and there you won’t be done with it in about ten minutes.

“Amsterdam is a city with a name and a level of attraction we can only dream of in Belgium.”

The outcome of this ever rising popularity is that the Dutch capital is perpetually busy. Every halfwit with a backpack and a passport wants to go on a city trip to Amsterdam these days. As a result, it’s become one of the only cities in Europe where, at the end of the day, there’s actually an acute excess of tourists. This is not only noticeable in the streets, but in the most important museums in Amsterdam as well. Those who want to visit the Anne Frank House usually have to buy a ticket a week in advance, and you won’t exactly be walking around by your lonesome in the Rijksmuseum either. You simply can’t always get what you want in this life.

 

Discover 17 unusual museums in Amsterdam

Fortunately, the range of Amsterdam attractions is so versatile and everything is spread throughout the whole city to such an extent, you don’t even have to be in the busiest neighbourhoods or museums to enjoy an extremely pleasant weekend. Let’s be honest: by now you’ve seen all you need to see of Rembrandt’s Night Watch, and there are so many sweaty morons stumbling about in the Red Light District chances are real you’ll accidentily get shoved into some random canal before finding something actually fun to do there. This is why I decided to list a bunch of more unusual museums in Amsterdam for you – I simply live to give. According to Wikipedia the city has no less than 117 museums. I selected seventeen of the most peculiar ones and then put them into a handy and – if I say so myself – bafflingly entertaining list. So today no Anne Frank House, no Rijksmuseum, no Rembrandt House, no Van Gogh Museum, no NEMO Science Museum and no Madame Tussauds: visit those in your free time; you’ll know where to find them. On offer instead: seventeen of the strangest, most alternative and most unusual museums in Amsterdam. Enjoy!

 

 

1. The Cat Cabinet: an Amsterdam Museum full of cats

You know what would immediately take a lot of insufferably boring museums to a much higher level? Let some random animals run loose in it: everybody happy! A fine idea indeed, they thought at the Cat Cabinet, and they immediately put their money where their mouth was. All of the art in this old townhouse is related to cats: from cat statues, cat paintings and a mourning register for your dead furry friend to a mummified Egyptian cat under a bell jar. In addition, there are two living specimens roaming about, who seem to serve as fluffy museum wardens. They nap on tables and chairs, look bored when you take your umpteenth picture of them, and act like the whole house is theirs — and it probably is. You’ll get through the collection itself fairly quickly, so most visitors spend their time playing with the slightly contemptuous looking cats instead. There are worse places to be on a Saturday afternoon. Don’t forget to check out the pretty garden.

The Cat Cabinet: Herengracht 497.  Price: €12.50 (€3 discount with I amsterdam City Card).

 

2. STRAAT: the world’s biggest street art museum is in Amsterdam

Centre of Amsterdam a bit too crowded? Jump on a ferry behind the Central Station (towards Buiksloterweg) and cross the water. You’ll end up in the much quieter but no less interesting Amsterdam Noord (read my article on that lovely area here). There you’ll find the NDSM Wharf: one of the city’s most unique sites. Once the largest shipyard in the world, now a creative hub full of startups, associations and a popular restaurant. The same location is home to STRAAT: an impressive street art museum in a massive old ship hangar. Although you could ask yourself the question whether street art in a museum can still be considered street art (they actually pose the question here as well) the answer seems to be irrelevant looking at the end product. More than 150 monumental works by the biggest names in the industry are housed here. Some of them are true masterpieces, and this is exactly what I miss in a lot of modern art today. Everyone is so focused on delivering an – often deceptively shallow – message, they regularly forget to make something actually worth seeing. The result is often semi-intellectual clutter for your average hipster to pretend to stare at it in deep thought. Street artists still know how to amaze with the sheer beauty of their art. Not to be missed.

STRAAT Museum Amsterdam: NSDM-Plein 1. Price: €19.50 (at the moment free with the I amsterdam City Card – last checked: August 2025).

 

3. NXT Museum: a museum about New Media Art

NXT is also located in Amsterdam North: a museum focused on what they call New Media Art. Everything you see here is set up via digital installations. The result is trippy to say the least: strange Chinese games that philosophize about identity, the material world and the question of whether a soul can suffer in hell when there is no body left to feel the pain (yeah that one was heavy);  impressive LED projections of your moving self and entire rooms that seem to spin around in psychedelic colors and patterns. Very unique and refreshing experience, especially compared to the average standard museum. Contractually I’m not allowed to write about it, but a visit to another typical Amsterdam attraction (you know which one) before you walk in here doesn’t seem like the worst idea.

NXT Museum Amsterdam: Asterweg 22. Price: €24.75 (€18.50 with the I amsterdam City Card). 

 

4. Museum Vrolik: browsing through human anatomy

From Amsterdam North we travel all the way to the south of the city, where the AMC hospital is located. There you’ll find Museum Vrolik next to the hospital’s main entrance: the anatomical museum of the University of Amsterdam. It was named after Gerard and Willem Vrolik, who were professors of anatomy here in the 19th century, piling up an amazing mountain of human remains in their cellar in the process (for research purposes only: no worries). After their deaths, this collection was donated to the university by the probably slightly troubled benefactor who found it, where they promptly turned it into a small museum. The exhibition is not exactly for everyone. You’ll see specimens in formaldehyde of just about every part of the human body, but there are also a lot of examples of physical abnormalities and disorders on display. This is a bit morbid to walk through, but very fascinating nonetheless. Don’t go if you’re a hypochondriac, or you’ll immediately have a whole laundry list of new diseases to add to your imaginary list. PS: Amsterdam South is a nice area to do some cycling. Check out my article here.

Museum Vrolik: Meibergdreef 15, just enter the main entrance of the hospital. Price €11 (no discount). 

 

5. Micropia: learn all about the noble microbe

Speaking of diseases: you often pick them up from bacteria and other microorganisms. Still, microbes are essential for anyone who doesn’t want to immediately drop dead on the spot. You can learn all about microbes and other creepy crawlers in Micropia. This is a museum in the Artis Zoo – one of the oldest and most beautiful attractions in Amsterdam – for which you can buy a separate ticket. It‘s a modern and interactive exhibition, teaching you about all the tiny things crawling on your face on a daily basis. You can even scan yourself to get a more or less correct estimate of the actual number (it’s in the billions by the way, just so you know). Furthermore, you’ll discover the unreal places microbes can survive in while you can’t, there’s a catalog of just about all kinds of poop in the world to marvel at and you can help digital patients get rid of their infections through an interactive game. Feeling lucky? Then wait at the kiss-o-meter for some long-legged Dutch blonde to pass by and try and steal a kiss from her to see how many microbes you guys can exchange. Confidence is key.

ARTIS-Micropia: Plantage Kerklaan 38-40. Price: €17.50 (free with the I amsterdam City Card). People with a subscription to the Antwerp Zoo can enter Artis for free at all times.

 

6. Electric Ladyland: a fluorescent basement experience in Amsterdam

Electric Ladyland is a tiny museum full of fluorescent art named after the Jimi Hendrix album. You’ll find it in Nick’s basement: a good-natured American who reminded me of Leo from That 70’s Show in all of the best ways. For five measly euros, you can listen to the man passionately talk for an hour – and this is surprisingly interesting. Half of the basement was converted into a psychedelic luminous cave full of buttons to press. There are also lots of stones and minerals on display. At first sight this seems about as boring as it gets, until Nick shines a blacklight and a UV lamp on them and the whole thing comes to life in a wild color storm. Nature sometimes – look at me – comes up with wonderful, magical things. Nick is quite proud of his collection and considers it his life’s work. Always pleasant to listen to someone talking about a true passion.

Electric Ladyland: Tweede Leliedwarsstraat 5. Price: €5 (kids under 12 get in for free). By appointment only. 

 

7. The Museum of the Mind: a trip into someone else’s brain

The Museum of the Mind is hidden in the beautiful Hermitage building, and focuses on so-called Outsider Art. This is art by people who want nothing to do with the established artistic world or movements and just do their own thing without prior knowledge or education. Not infrequently, these are also people with certain obsessions or mental issues. The museum doesn’t have a permanent collection. Running when I was there: For the Love of Art. In this exhibition the artists try to show their chaotic inner world to the outside. The art ranges from colourful Pokemon-like figurines to wild drawings full of conspiracy theories and a seemingly endless pile of filled-in medical forms from a woman who kept track of her physical and mental state three times a day. It’s not Rembrandt or Vermeer and you won’t understand half of it, but it’s still an interesting visit, be it just to put yourself into someone else’s maelstrom mind for a second.

Museum of the Mind: Outsider Art, Amstel 51. Price: €17.50 (free with the I amsterdam City Card). 

 

8. Museum Tot Zover: a museum about death

Museum Tot Zover is a small but fun museum located in a cemetery outside the city centre. It focuses on normalising death and the rituals that accompany it. The collection provides insight into how different cultures and religions deal with their dead, and showcases old and new ways of grieving. This ranges from portraits of dead family members and death masks to, for example, a modern design chair made from the ground up bones of a relative. This way you can always have a sit on granny’s lap, even years after the poor old girl went six feet under. In the last room of the exhibition, a single coffin is waiting for you in the dark – there’s no better metaphor for life itself. You can crawl right in to test out how it would feel. Close the lid and there’s only silence left: surprisingly soothing experience.

Museum Tot Zover: Kruislaan 124. Price: €10 (free with the I amsterdam City Card).

 

9. Our House: submerge yourself in the history of electronic music

You know what else would make the average museum way more interesting? Put on a nice tune once in a while. Our House is a new and completely unique museum on the history of house, techno and other electronic music styles. The museum is located in a club that still welcomes party-goers at night. A ticket is not exactly cheap, but you get a lot in return. A drink of your choice to start, but also two interactive light and music shows: a solid trip down memory lane for everyone who was young in the nineties. In between you can work on your own DJ skills on all kinds of digital installations, you can create beats on a soundboard on the wall and you can admire different artifacts from the industry (such as the helmets worn by The Chemical Brothers and Deadmau5). The whole show lasts just under an hour and a half and is more than worth the money.

Update 2025: Our House apparently went bankrupt last year and there is no news yet about a possible restart. The website is still online but please don’t buy tickets until further notice.

 

10. Red Light Secrets: a glimpse of life in Amsterdam’s Red Light District

Red Light Secrets is an interesting museum in the Wallen, teaching you about the history and daily reality of the world’s most famous red light district. A museum about sex so to speak, but much less trivial than the somewhat childish Sex Museum a little further down the road. The building used to serve as a brothel, and this atmosphere was kept very intact. Through all kinds of rooms, you’ll walk through the life of a sex worker, and in the end you too will experience what it feels like to sit behind a window luring clients – not the most pleasant feeling by the way. Meanwhile, on the info boards and through an audio guide voiced by a (very funny and talkative) Russian prostitute – you’ll learn a myriad of interesting facts of the trade. For example: did you know the average customer only takes about six minutes to “finish”? Easy money you’ll say, until you read most girls run ten hour shifts. At the end of the tour you can leave a note with one of your own sexual confessions on the wall. There are absolutely hilarious ones to be found – and whatever your kink is, you’ll feel pretty normal after a couple of reads. Feel free to post your own anecdotes in the comments below.

Red Light Secrets: Oudezijds Achterburgwal 60H. Price €14.50.

 

11. The Mice House: a free miniature world for the kids

Het Muizenhuis is a series of picture books for children, made by Karina Schaapman – and they are quite popular in The Netherlands. The main characters are two mice named Sam and Julia. All the pictures in the books were first put together in real life using miniature sets and plush mice, before being photographed for the story. All of these little sets, houses and mice are now on display in a shop with the same name in Amsterdam. Obviously this is a store and not a real museum, but there are so many little details to discover, you can easily spend an hour here. Admission is completely free and kids will receive a paper with a checklist so they can go and find some specific mice. Very pleasant option on a rainy day when you have a couple of difficult kids to entertain. The girls behind the counter are super nice by the way.

Het Muizenhuis: Muntplein 8. Price: free.

 

12. The Houseboat Museum: get a look at life on the water

The Amsterdam canals are full of houseboats of all shapes and sizes. Life on the water can seem quite idyllic at first, but the costs are actually quite daunting. A decent-sized boat is not cheap by itself, and a permanent mooring place in one of the more popular spots can cost you more than a large house on the countryside. Still curious about life on these boats? Visit the Houseboat Museum on Prinsengracht. This was originally a cargo ship from the early 20^th century, but it was later remodelled and made habitable. Unfortunately the interior designer on duty was Austin Powers’ colourblind cousin, because you won’t quickly find a more sixties flower power looking décor than this. All your questions about living on a boat will be answered here. What would it cost you? What kind of creatures lurk in the canals? Is the toilet flushed straight into the water? You’ll get through the whole thing quickly, but since admission is free with an I amsterdam City Card, why wouldn’t you have a look?

House Boat Museum Amsterdam: Prinsengracht 296K. Price: €9.5 (€8 before noon. Free with the I amsterdam City Card).

 

13. The Amsterdam Pipe Museum: get hyped about pipes

For Dutch speakers who’ve just come from the Red Light District, the “Pijpmuseum” might have the most disappointing name in history (if you know why, your language skills are on point), but the Amsterdam Pipe Museum is actually quite interesting. In a beautiful historic canal house, you’ll get a personal tour from a very enthusiastic volunteer. He’ll tell you all about what is probably the largest pipe collection on the planet. The oldest pipe in the world is showcased here (2500 years old) and there are some real works of art on display. You’ll also learn a couple of interesting facts. Did you know for example that before Columbus, apparently nobody smoked in all of the old world? Tobacco was introduced to Europe, Asia and Africa only when it was brought back from the Americas. Thanks Obama!

Amsterdam Pipe Museum: Prinsengracht 488. Price: €15 or free (with a small contribution) with the I amsterdam City Card.

 

14. Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder: a secret church in the Red Light District

Did you know there’s a whole church hidden in the attic room of an old canal house in the middle of the Red Light District (they could probably use some Hail Marys here, yes)? It dates from the 17^th century and is surprisingly large. In these days, Amsterdam was led by the Protestants. Public Catholic church services were officially banned, but because The Netherlands was slightly more tolerant than most of the rest of Europe, they were secretly allowed anyway. This was one of the clandestine hidden churches where Catholics could attend mass without being harassed. Impressive building in which, in addition to the attic church, there are a number of well-preserved living rooms, kitchens and bedrooms to explore as well.

Museum Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder: Oudezijds Voorburgwal 38. Price: €16.95 or fre with the I amsterdam City Card

 

15. The Black Archives: teach yourself about The Netherlands’ black history

The Black Archives is – as the name suggests – an archive, but also serves as a cultural centre and an exhibition space showcasing the black history of The Netherlands. When I was there, Facing Blackness was running, documenting how people of colour were (and sometimes still are) represented in Dutch books and media. This makes for some sobering images. There were plenty of relatively recent (children’s) books on display with titles I won’t even write down here (the Dutch equivalent of some very hard R’s). They also built a cardboard tower full of extracts from (mainly Belgian) comic books, in which the many African stereotypes were blurred. Unfortunately this made for a tower of considerable height, and none of us probably even noticed while reading these comics as a kid. The entire debate concerning Black Pete is of course documented as well. Not the most comfortable exhibition, but one that is very needed.

The Black Archives: Zeeburgerdijk 21. Prijs: €10 (geen karting). 

 

16. The Amsterdam Torture Museum: a treasure trove for the connoisseur

Amsterdam, like a number of other cities, has its own Torture Museum. In this case it’s a small and dark exhibition in a building on the waterside. You can enjoy a rich collection of torture instruments here, while at the same time getting some tips on how to actually put them to use (don’t, though). Everything is quite rudimentary and you’ll get through it in about 30 minutes, but for those of you building a sex dungeon, it could prove to be quite interesting. The final word before you go out again does give food for thought.  “Torture has never been eradicated. Even in Western democracies, the executioner’s work continued to exist. How many people today are calling for the reintroduction of the death penalty? Would today’s audience really be so different from the mob that used to cheer on the executioner?” A pertinent question. To be honest, the Torture Museum in Bruges is larger and they use convincing wax figures to make the whole thing a bit more realistic. Knowledge is power.

Torture Museum Amsterdam: Singel 449. Price: €9.5 (no discount).

 

17. The Amsterdam Cheese Museum: literally just a cheese shop

To finish things off, I’ll be talking about a museum that isn’t actually a museum. The Amsterdam Cheese Museum is no more than a cheesemonger’s devious ruse to lure people to his business. There’s no extensive exhibition on the how and why of cheese making, but a minimal display in the basement of a shop you first have to get through. Since the exhibition is free and you can also taste some samples along the way,  this shouldn’t be whined about as long as you know what to expect. It’s not the Rijksmuseum, but at least they’re not ripping you off. Every smart business decision that doesn’t hurt anyone should be respected. Two houses away you’ll find the Amsterdam Tulip Museum, which most likely suffers from the same flaw.

The Amsterdam Cheese Museum: Prinsengracht 112. Price: completely free.

 

Unusual museums in Amsterdam: hotels & tours

**Disclaimer: There are a number of (useful) affiliate links in this article. This means that if you book a hotel or tour through a referral on this page, I’ll receive a small compensation for it. It won’t cost you even an extra cent, so why hesitate? Thank you in advance!**

During my weekend in Amsterdam I stayed at Pension Homeland, which I would very much recommend. It’s located on a former navy site, a five-minute bike ride away from the Amsterdam Central Station. This used to be the building for the sailors to sleep in. From the outside it doesn’t look like the hippest place, but indoors everything was kept in vintage sixties style. My room was a small but cosy apartment and there’s also a restaurant, a café and even a microbrewery to enjoy. The site itself is an oasis of peace surrounded by water, just one kilometre from the busiest part of the city. There’s also a sauna floating in the dock. Keep your trunks on though: everyone on the water can see you.

Here are some other hotels and hostels in different parts of Amsterdam I recommend:

–Bunk Hotel Amsterdam: unique venue in a former church in Amsterdam North, at a walking distance of the ferry to the city centre. It’s a seamless combination of a hostel and a hotel, offering the choice between booking a pod in a dormitory separated by light-blocking curtains, or a standard hotel room. “Standard” is just a word in this case. All the rooms are individual units cleverly stacked atop each other beneath the wooden church vault like Lego blocks.
–Heart of Amsterdam: great hostel in the middle of the Red Light District (perfect for anyone looking for a party). There are cheap individual dorm beds as well as private rooms for up to eight people available.
–ClinkMama: very hip hostel a bit further from the Wallen (but still smack in the middle of the old town). They also have both private rooms and dorm beds available.
–Conscious Hotel Westerpark: located in the park bearing the same name. It’s just a couple of minutes by bike from the central station. The hotel is all about sustainability, offers beautiful rooms looking out over the park, a cosy restaurant and a little shop full of Amsterdam goodies.

Looking for other fun tours or activities in Amsterdam? Surf to GetYourGuide for the best overview and book your favourites straight away. Here are some of my favourites:

-go for a boat tour (including food and drinks) in a small group
-book a cannabis-tour in a smoke friendly cloud boat
-rent your own boat
-go for a guided tour in the Red Light District
-book a food tour through the Jordaan district
-follow Anne Frank’s last walk through Amsterdam and get a virtual look at her house (as the actual one will most likely be fully booked)
-a day trip to Zaanse Schans and Volendam.

Flying in from outside the EU and need some mobile data? I’ve been using Airalo e-sims for years. They offer cheap and easy data in almost every country on the planet. Install the sim at home and activate it after landing: that’s it.

For this article, Trot Op! worked with the lovely people at I amsterdam. For more information about Amsterdam as a destination and for all the discounts you can enjoy with the I amsterdam City Card, click here.

So dear friends: this was my top thirteen of the most unusual museums in Amsterdam. Good for a solid weekend I think. Have I forgotten some interesting entries? Don’t agree with my list? Do you have venues to add? Let me know in the comments below.

Looking for alternative destinations near Amsterdam? Then read all about Haarlem and Hilversum, the Castles & Gardens region or nearby Flevoland. Want to go on holiday elsewhere in the Netherlands? Read my posts on Noordwijk, North Brabant, Friesland Schouwen-Duiveland, Eindhoven, Utrecht, the Wadden Islands and South-Limburg.