%crDutch Masters at the Rijksmuseum%cr and other Amsterdam, Netherlands Things to Do Tips

My first "Must See" tip here has to be the Rijksmuseum. Vermeer, Rembrandt, and Hals are the most exciting painters on view (for me, anyway), plus there's Delftware and doll houses. It was great to experience these paintings with my own eyes. The Vermeers especially were a real treat! Right now the museum is mostly closed for major renovations through 2008, but they've kept one wing open during this long process, and it's filled with Dutch masterpieces from the 17th century.

BONUS - this museum allows you to take pictures inside, without flash (of course). If only every museum did this! : )

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Phone: +31-20-6747047
Address: Stadhouderskade 42
Website: http://www.rijksmuseum.nl

A slow stroll through the colorful flower market is a lovely experience even if you don't want to buy anything. Of course there are all kinds of tulip bulbs for sale, and lots and lots of other plants, too. I would've bought a bunch of the flowering cactuses if I hadn't been getting on a plane the next day...

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Address: Singel

The Van Gogh Museum is a "Must See", although it was overcrowded, which made it not as enjoyable as it might have been. Still, I couldn't not go! Van Gogh's paintings are one floor up from the ground floor. They include the famous "Vase with Sunflowers", "The Potato Eaters", and "The Bedroom at Arles", among numerous others. There are three paintings he did in a Japanese style, which was a surprise to me.

There are also temporary exhibits one floor below ground level, and I was lucky enough to catch the last day of a Dante Gabriel Rossetti show when I was there.
The gal at the infomation desk was really helpful in telling us how the tram system worked, too.

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Phone: +31-20-5705252
Address: Paulus Potterstraat 7
Website: http://www.vangoghmuseum.nl

"Hortus Botanicus"... sounds like a spell that Harry Potter would say, waving his wand around.

The Botanical Garden makes a very pleasant change of pace from museums and sight-seeing. Most of the plants were collected a few centuries ago by the Dutch East India Company, and some are at risk of becoming extinct now. Don't miss the Palm House.

The garden isn't too big - I think we wandered around the whole of it in about half an hour, although we might have stayed longer if we'd been in town for more than a day.

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Phone: 020-6258411
Address: Plantage Middenlaan 2 (A)
Directions: Plantage District
Website: www.hortus-botanicus.nl
Other Contact: E-Mail: info@hortus-botanicus.nl

The Begijnhof is a lovely little enclosed green with nice gabled houses all around. It was originally built in the 1300's for a Catholic sisterhood of women who lived similarly to nuns. All of the houses have beautiful little gardens of flowers out front. I was quite amazed to learn that this spot is low-income housing for single women now.

There's also a little English Church in here, where the Pilgrims may have worshipped on their way to America, as well as a secret chapel where Catholics used to worship before religious tolerance was reinstated.

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Directions: off Spui and Begijnensloot
Website: http://www.begijnhofamsterdam.nl/index_engels.html

It really was a strange feeling to be in the "Secret Annex", the upper-floor rooms where 13 year-old Anne Frank and her Jewish family hid from the Nazis for two years(!). I've never read Anne's famous diary from this time period, but I might now that I've been here. It's very difficult for me to imagine actually having to hide for years. It's very hard to imagine NEVER going outside for two years. Also hard to imagine having to share your few rooms with other people who aren't your family, and not having any privacy.

You can see where the entrance to the very steep, narrow staircase leading to the rooms was hidden behind a bookcase, and imagine the people behind it trying so desperately not to make noise. Walking through the rooms made it all seem a little more real. There are also videos playing of interviews with people who knew Anne and her family.

My best tip, if you're here during high season, is to come in the evening. The Anne Frank House gets 12 million visitors a year so it can be crowded, but it's open till 9:00pm in high season. It was around 6:30 or 7:00pm when we went and there was no line to get in, nor was it crowded inside.

You're not allowed to take pictures inside, so this shot is just a typical scene of bicycles by a canal.

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Phone: +31-20-5567100
Address: Prinsengracht 267
Website: http://www.annefrank.nl