5 Amsterdam Museums You've Never Heard Of But Should Visit!

Amsterdam is a city that is world-famous for its great beauty and culture, so it is the perfect spot for independent travellers looking to explore and immerse themselves in the city’s unique atmosphere. It is home to popular tourist museums like the Rijksmuseum, Van Gough and Anne Frank’s House. Whilst these venues are all highly worth visiting and important places in the city, there are also a handful of quirky, lesser-visited places which will appeal to those who prefer to scratch beneath the surface and go off the beaten path.

Here are just a few of the more unusual museums you should check out on your next trip.

The Tulip Museum: Holland is famous for its spectacular tulips which burst into life in spring and inject colour and life to the entire country. Amsterdam’s Tulip Museum reveals the history of this joyful flower and the tulip craze which has played a key role in the country’s identity. It is located inside a cute tulip shop on Prinsengracht; usually it is very peaceful and quiet making it a lovely escape from the busy centre.

The Pianola Museum: Located in the cool Jordaan quarter of the city, the Pianola Museum is a small, quirky place filled with automatic pianos and over 25,000 music rolls. It is only open for a few hours on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays when the owner, Casper, talks guests through the history of this unique instrument and shows how it works. It is a great stop off whilst strolling the streets of Jordaan and you may even be lucky enough to catch a low-key concert.

Kattenkabinet: Kattenkabinet, or The Cat Museum, is a fantastic place for cat lovers that celebrates the role of our feline friends in art and culture throughout history. The gallery, located at Herengracht 497, features five rooms that are filled with all kinds of different art dedicated to cats. The brilliant idea came from Bob Meijer in tribute to his own ginger cat, John Pierpont Morgan, who sadly passed away in 1983 but lives on in spirit.

The Houseboat Museum: One of the major highlights of Amsterdam is the beautiful parade of houseboats that effortlessly glide down the picturesque canals. The Houseboat Museum on the Prinsengracht on the outskirts of Jordaan allows you to step foot on a gorgeous decorated houseboat and learn what living in a floating home is like.

Tassen Museum: Those with an interest in fashion will adore this venue, which houses the biggest collection of Western handbags in the world with examples dating back to the 15th century. Found on Herengracht in a splendid 17th century canal house, this cool spot will reveal the history of the handbag as well as showcase many of the most famous, iconic and classic bags to date.

How to Get There

Flights into Schipol Airport take under an hour from the UK and are available for cheap prices from a number of major carriers, including easyJet and British Airways. The quickest and easiest way to reach Amsterdam from here will be an airport taxi – SchipolAirport is 20 minutes outside the city centre. If you want to save cash, consider pre-booking a shared airport taxi. Schipol can be busy, so it is important to arrange transportation in advance.

Amsterdam is bursting at the seams with great culture; the above venues are a few hidden gems that any adventurous traveller will get a real kick out of visiting.

Author Plate

Lukas Johannes is a driver for Shuttle Direct, the number one provider of shared and private airport transfers all over Europe and northern Africa. If you’re looking for an affordable airport taxi, Schipol drivers are ready and waiting to ensure that you and your luggage get to and from the airport in Amsterdam swiftly and safely.