Top Museums in Amsterdam (Netherlands)

guest post by Redseven Leisure

A city full of quirks and diversity, Amsterdam is one of the most intriguing destinations in Europe. When it comes to what’s worth checking out in the city, there is much more worth visiting than the usual coffee bar and late night club antics. A cultural hub, the city offers a range of museum delights from small quirky ones to some of the most famous in Europe to make it a truly alternative experience for those on an Amsterdam stag weekend. Here’s a selection of the best;

Van Gogh Museum

Visiting this museum is an absolute must when it comes to visiting Amsterdam. One of the most famous artists of our time, Vincent Van Gogh, was a troubled man which in turn, provided us with some magical works of art that set the precedent for many artists to come.

With one of the largest collections of paintings in the world, this museum will take you through different stages of Van Gogh’s life, where he lived and what influenced him, along with his greatest works.

Even if art isn’t your thing, you will be able to appreciate one of the greatest artists of our time.

House of Bols Cocktail and Genever Experience

Take a break from the more serious museums and wander in to mixology heaven. Situated in Museumplien Square, this museum takes you through an interactive self-guided tour teaching you about Lucas Bols (the oldest distilled brand in the world) and cocktails through tastes, aromas, film and sound in The Hall of Tastes and the World of Cocktails Lounge.

Finally, you’ll finish in the Mirror Bar where you’ll be able to see skilled professional bartenders in action.

On Friday evening it stays open until 10pm so this could be a great one to visit before heading out for the night.

Op-Art Museum

Home of the first speed boat bank robbery, the Op-Art Museum is a beautiful old canal building worth a look from the outside even if you don’t make it inside. Mainly displaying optical illusions through printmaking, photography, painting and drawing, this museum displays works of art in a different way. An interactive museum where you can touch most of the exhibits, you will experience deception with interesting contradictions and paradoxes that tend to stir things up in one’s mind.

This is an easy one to visit after you’ve been to the Van Gogh museum as the museums are only 100 metres apart.

Vodka Museum

This is the perfect museum for a boy's night out or a stag weekend which combines fun with learning! Take a tour around the museum learning everything there is to know about vodka from its history to its production along with the different types of vodka. Of course, you’ll get to learn all about the taste of it too!

At the end of the tour, you can sit and enjoy a free drink in their Fashionable Bar.

Electric Ladyland- the First Museum of Flourescent Art

The only museum of its kind in the world, this is an extremely unique museum to visit, although not the best choice when suffering from a hangover or having visited the Vodka Museum!

The museum consists of a large room made up entirely of fluorescent lights where you, become part of the art. This form of participatory art takes you on a guided tour of their extensive collections of fluorescent mineral from all over the world. Certain rocks, when under specific wavelengths of ultra violet light create wonderful luminous colours and fluorescent phenomena. This is surely worth a visit!

Heineken Experience

This is a winner for evenings such as a stag party as there are not many men who don’t enjoy a beer. This museum takes you through the history of Heineken, the process of how the beer is brewed along with other interactive games and beer tasting. You’ll even get to make your very own personalised bottle of beer followed by finishing off the tour with a nice free cold beer.