Art and culture
What we do in this guide is list places of interest closest to your apartment. Your regular Amsterdam guidebooks will tell you about all the other places. By the way: everything of interest is within a mile distance from your apartment. This is our selection, of what we like best.
Museums
- Museum Card - Whether you’re in the Netherlands for a longer period, or intend to do lots of museums during your visit, consider a Museumkaart as your key to unlocking the Amsterdam and the Netherlands. For just €35 (€17.50 for students) and a €4.95 one-time administration fee, this card is your ticket to discovering the rich history, culture, and sites that the Netherlands has to offer. Good for one full year, this card allows heavily discounted and often free access into some 400 of the castles and museums located throughout the country. You can purchase a Museumkaart online at the official website and at the major museums.
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Hermitage
- Nieuwe Herengracht 14, tel. 0205308755. The St. Petersburg Hermitage opened an annex in the Amstelhof, which was a nursing home for over three hundred years. The grand opening was 20 June 2009. Attracted over a million visitors in the first year. -
Onze Lieve Heer op Zolder
- Museum Amstelkring - Oudezijdsvoorburgwal 40, tel. 0206246604. "Our Lord in the Attic." Not many tourists make it here. A secret catholic church hidden in the attic of a canal house originating from the 17th century, at a time catholicism was illegal in Holland. Where in the world can you find that? And it is all original. Strongly recommended!
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City Archives (Stadsarchief)
- Vijzelstraat 32 tel. 0207882090. Here they keep track of the history of the city. You can see nice pictures, old letters and the treasures of the city in the former huge safe of the old bank, built by de Bazel in an amazing art deco style. The extremely interesting building reflects the wealth brought to the Netherlands by its colonies. Best bookshop with books about Amsterdam in town. Nice cozy cafe 'de Bazel.'
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Rembrandthuis
- Jodenbreestraat 4, tel. 0205200400. Just a 4 minute walk from your bed. All the etches are waiting for you! Check for special exhibitions.
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Amsterdam Historic Museum
- Kalverstraat 92 tel. 0205231822. This somewhat forgotten Museum gives a good impression of the old days in Amsterdam and how it evolved into what it is now. Do not forget to walk through the gallery with all portraits of the important 'Regenten' from the 17th century; actually it is a street and you do not have to enter the museum to see this part.
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Hortus Botanicus
- Plantage Middenlaan 2a, tel. 0206258411. Visit this 18th century garden and look at the old trees and plants they brought back from all over the world since the 17th century. The place is very quiet and a 5 minute walk from your apartment.
- Oude Kerk - Oudekerksplein. The oldest church in Amsterdam is a forgotten jewel. Have a look at the beautiful glass stained windows and wood paintings. You are now in the heart of the old city, and the red light district at the same time.
- Royal Palace - Dam Square. A fantastic Italian style renaissance building, a bit oversized for the city center of Amsterdam. See where queen Beatrix throws state banquets and visit the Vierschaar, the court where in the 17th century criminals where sentenced to death and executed later at... yes: Nieuwmarkt square, three minutes from your apartment!
- Waalse Kerk - Walenpleintje 157. Built as church for French speaking people in the 17th century, this venue offers nice Baroque concerts. A 3 minute walk.
- Nieuwe Kerk - Dam Square. This church offers interesting exhibitions. It is the place to marry when you are the first in line to become king or queen. On 2-2-2002 king-to-be Willem-Alexander married his Maxima. The world was watching as finally something happened in the Netherlands. Look where they said 'yes' to each other. When you are not so much into royalty, visit while there is a concert on the famous organ.
- Beurs van Berlage - Damrak 213, tel. 0205217520. Built as an early 20th century trade market by the well known architect Berlage it is now a concert hall and exhibition building. Look what they offer or climb the tower. They also offer tours around this nice art deco building.
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Scheepvaartmuseum
- Kattenburgerplein 1, tel. 0205232222. Closed for renovation.
- Zuiderkerk - This church is in the backyard of your apartment. It will remind you it is there with its bells, which happily sleep at night as you do, or should do. You can also climb the tower in the summer from Wednesday - Saturday from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. Take a closer look at those bells and see where they can play the carillon by hand. On top of the tower you can go outside and see the city at your feet. Try to find your apartment!
Theatres, concerts, movies
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Concertgebouw
- Concertgebouwplein 2, tel. 66718345. This concert hall (built in 1888) is world renowned for its acoustics, and offers a music packed program of 650 concerts a year. Enjoy the Concertgebouworkest, other Dutch orchestras and international soloists and divas, too! Check for regular free lunch concerts: most Wednesdays at 12:30 PM. Be sure to be there well in advance, as it can be quite busy.
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Tuschinski Movie Theater
- Reguliersbreestraat 26/28/34, tel. 09001458. One of the most beautiful movie theaters in the world with acres of art-deco murals, silk wall-hangings and tropical wood inlay, nine hundred art nouveau lamps of stained glass and bronze, furniture designed for the lounges of ocean liners, hand-knotted carpeting, and a Wurlitzer theater organ with 5,000 pipes. Take the VIP arrangement in Thuschinski 1 and enjoy this art-deco miracle in style and sit where the Queen sits when she goes to the movies.
- Engelbewaarder - Kloveniersburgwal 59, a number of houses down from the Korenbloemen apartment. Nice local café with jazz sessions on late Sunday afternoons.
- Muziektheater (The Opera) - Waterlooplein 22, tel. 0206255455. A four minute stroll. Most easy to find is the entrance from the Amstel river side. Check the program in the building while picking up your copy of the AUB Uitkrant. The muziektheater offers very good operas (renowned worldwide for the modern "mise en scene" by Pierre Audi) and ballets. When sold out you still have a reasonable chance of getting a ticket by standing in line at 6 p.m. as they will sell off the tickets that are not being picked up from 7.30 p.m. onwards, you get a number in the queue.
- Muziekgebouw aan het IJ - Piet Heinkade 1, tel 0207882010. This archictural wonder on the waterfront of the IJ offers nice modern music and Jazz music. A must for its architecture and its modern music. Enjoy your lunch or coffee in the marvelous Star Ferry restaurant downstairs with a great view on the port of Amsterdam.
- Boom Chicago - Leideseplein 12, tel. 0204230101. Always a big hit on Dutch culture. English spoken comedy show.
Legend
- We like it
- That's Cool
- Super cool
