8 Things to Do Off the Beaten Track in Amsterdam
Interesting Places in Amsterdam Only Locals Know
Within the city of Amsterdam, you’ll find some of the biggest tourist attractions in the Netherlands, but you’ll also find a great many weird, wild, and unusual things to see and do in the city. If you want to get off the beaten path and into some of the quirkiest parts of Amsterdam, there are plenty of opportunities.
You can check out a museum of pain, filled with Medieval torture devices, see cats on a boat, or eat dinner inside an old illegal TV studio. Whatever you’re into, learn about some of the crazy, exciting places in Amsterdam that you can visit.
1. Electric Ladyland
Glorious fluorescent artwork
Good for: Families, Budget, Unusual
Electric Ladyland is the first museum in the world dedicated to fluorescent art. Located in the Jordaan neighborhood of Amsterdam, this small and unique museum is filled with items both natural and manufactured that react under ultraviolet light.
Electric Ladyland isn’t a regular museum; it’s an interactive experience. The first part of your guided tour explores a fluorescent environment of neon-glowing artwork and sculpture. In contrast, the second half of the tour focuses on fluorescence within the natural world. You’ll see gems, crystals, minerals, and other naturally occurring instances of gorgeously glowing fluorescent material. Note that visiting the museum is by appointment only, so check their website to book in advance. Read more
Location: Tweede Leliedwarsstraat 5, 1015 TB Amsterdam, Netherlands
Open: Wednesday–Saturday from 2 pm to 6 pm (closed Sunday–Tuesday)
Phone: +31 (0)20 420 3776
Electric Ladyland
2. ARTIS - Micropia
The fascinating world of microscopic creatures
Good for: Families, Unusual
Micropia is a museum that focuses on the important role that microbes play in our daily lives, with the goal of educating the public and establishing a positive view of microbiology. The museum is located near famous landmarks like the Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam.
Within Micropia, you’ll see exhibits containing living microbes, interactive exhibits, and virtual and physical representations of microbes. Unique collections include one that focuses on the microbes that are good for our health and wellbeing, as well as exhibitions like “Mouth to Mouth”, which explore the microbes that are exchanged when two people kiss. Read more
Location: Plantage Kerklaan 38-40, 1018 CZ Amsterdam, Netherlands
Open: Daily from 10 am to 5 pm
Phone: +31 (0)20 523 3670
ARTIS - Micropia
3. Hash, Marihuana and Hemp Museum
The history of cannabis cultivation
Good for: History, Unusual
The Hash, Marihuana, and Hemp Museum explores cannabis and its many uses throughout history, from modern medicine to historical and spiritual uses. The museum is located in the De Wallen area (red light district) of Amsterdam within a historical canal house.
The museum exhibits include a live cannabis garden showcasing the different growth stages of the plant, as well as an extensive collection of smoking accessories such as pipes and bongs. You’ll also find displays of cannabis artwork and exhibits showing the many historical uses of hemp, such as ship ropes, linens, and even an antique Bible made from hemp. Read more
Location: Oudezijds Achterburgwal 148, 1012 DV Amsterdam, Netherlands
Open: Monday–Thursday from noon to 8 pm, Friday–Sunday from 10 am to 10 pm
Phone: +31 (0)20 624 8926
Hash, Marihuana and Hemp Museum
4. Amsterdam Tulip Museum
A rainbow of diverse tulip species
Good for: Families, Unusual
The Amsterdam Tulip Museum explores the history of Holland’s favorite flower, the tulip. The small specialty museum is located in Amsterdam, close to the landmark Anne Frank House.
Within the museum, you’ll find 6 rooms covering the science and varieties of the flower itself, as well as its historical journey from the Ottoman Empire to the Netherlands. There are also exhibits on the fascinating tulip mania that gripped the region in the 16th and 17th centuries. Within the museum’s gift shop, you’ll find flower-themed treasures and a large collection of bulbs to purchase for your own garden. Read more
Location: Prinsengracht 116, 1015 EA Amsterdam, Netherlands
Open: Daily from 10 am to 6 pm
Phone: +31 (0)20 421 0095
Amsterdam Tulip Museum
5. Pancake Boat
Delicious pancakes while cruising canals
Good for: Families, Food, Unusual
The Pancake Boat is, fortunately, not a boat made of actual pancakes. Instead, it’s a much better and sweeter option, a vessel that serves delicious pancakes while you cruise along the water for a fun sightseeing tour around Amsterdam.
You can book a variety of tours aboard the breakfast-themed Pancake Boat, with multiple options for sightseeing around the city in various lengths of time. Aboard the boat, you’ll enjoy all you can eat pancakes, with a huge variety of customizable toppings.
Location: Ms. van Riemsdijkweg 33, 1033 RC Amsterdam, Netherlands
Open: Hours vary by event
Phone: +31 (0)20 636 8817
Pancake Boat
6. The Torture Museum
The gruesome, grisly history of torture
Good for: History, Unusual
The Torture Museum is a fascinating place that’s not for the faint of heart. It displays a collection of over 40 instruments of pain, with most dating to the Middle Ages when their use as devices of justice was common. The museum is located in near Amsterdam’s Bloemenmarkt flower market, on the Singel canal.
Exhibits within The Torture Museum range from well-known devices like the rack, iron maiden, and guillotine, to lesser-known instruments such as the flute of shame (used to punish bad musicians), Skold’s bridle (for silencing gossiping housewives), and the breaking wheel (enough said about that). Each display includes signs and illustrations describing how the devices were used throughout history. Read more
Location: Singel 449, 1012 WP Amsterdam, Netherlands
Open: Daily from 10 am to 11 pm
Phone: +31 (0)20 320 6642
The Torture Museum
7. The Embassy of the Free Mind
Immerse yourself in free-thinking culture
Good for: History, Unusual
The Embassy of the Free Mind is a museum and library focusing on the European culture of free-thinking throughout history, with a focus on the intellectual connection between God, the cosmos, and humans. The museum is housed within the House with the Heads, a historic canal house built in 1622.
The museum’s library holds over 25,000 books on topics ranging from Hermetica and mysticism to Western esotericism, kabbalah, and freemasonry. Personalized and general tours of the museum are available, as well as thematic tours, art tours, and a free audio tour. Read more
Location: Keizersgracht 123, 1015 CJ Amsterdam, Netherlands
Open: Wednesday–Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm, Sunday from 11 am to 6 pm (closed Mondays and Tuesdays)
Phone: +31 (0)20 625 8079
The Embassy of the Free Mind
8. Hortus Botanicus
Vast botanical gardens to sooth the soul
Good for: Couples, Families, Unusual
Hortus Botanicus is one of the oldest botanical gardens globally, located in the Plantage district within Amsterdam. The garden’s origins trace back to the 17th century, as a medicinal herb garden created for use by the city’s physicians and apothecaries.
Today Hortus Botanicus is a lovely place for nature lovers to explore, housing a diverse collection of plant life, includes greenhouses, tropical hothouses, and expansive gardens to stroll through. There’s even a cafe for when hunger calls. Garden collections include some scarce and endangered species of plants and trees, including the Wollemi Pine, the Ginkgo tree, and one of the oldest trees in the Netherlands. Read more
Location: Plantage Middenlaan 2a, 1018 DD Amsterdam, Netherlands
Open: Daily from 10 am to 5 pm
Phone: +31 (0)20 625 9021
Hortus Botanicus
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