World Class Museums of Amsterdam

In Amsterdam, there are more than fifty museums, from modern art and photography to film and theatre, with a few less traditional ones thrown in as well. Here is a list of 14 must-see museums in Amsterdam from the well-known to the obscure.

#1. Rijksmuseum Amsterdam. The largest museum in the Netherlands, the Rijksmuseum sees more than one million visitors annually at its unparalleled collection of Dutch art. The Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum (#2) are situated in Amsterdam's Museum Quarter, the most fashionable district in the city, rich in cultural institutions, restaurants and fashionable holiday accommodations.

#2. Van Gogh Museum. Dedicated to the Netherland's most famous artist, the Van Gogh Museum houses 200 paintings and 550 sketches of the master, together with his letters to his contemporaries.

#3. Amsterdam Tulip Museum. This is a small museum dedicated to the national symbol of Netherlands: the tulip. This museum features multimedia presentations and a museum shop with rare tulip bulbs.

#4. The Anne Frank House. Across the canal from the tulip museum is the Anne Frank House. The historic World War II hiding place of Anne Frank and her family, the museum features original pages from her famous diary. Visitors can also walk through the haunting quarters in which Anne and her family hid.

#5. Museum van Loon. Housed in a patrician canal house in the center of Amsterdam, the van Loon Museum is owned by the aristocratic Van Loon family and provides visitors a unique view into the life of the Dutch upper class.

#6. Museum Willet-Holthuysen. Another museum offering a glimpse into the wealthy class, the Museum Willet-Holthuysen is housed in a 17th century home and features an impressive personal collection of silverware, paintings and furniture.

#7. Amsterdam Historical Museum. The perfect museum for history buffs, the Amsterdam Historical Museum has permanent exhibitions about various periods in the history of the Netherlands.

#8. Hortus Botanicus. The Amsterdam Botanical Garden was first established in 1638 as an herb garden for Dutch doctors. Today it is a living museum with botany samples from around the world.

#9. NEMO. The ultimate hands-on museum, the NEMO Museum has hundreds of please touch exhibits for children and adults alike about science and technology.

#10. Ajax Museum. Dedicated to Amsterdam's champion football club, the Ajax Museum includes photographic and video images from the last century of Ajax football.

#11. Nederlands Scheepvaart Museum. The Netherlands Scheepvaart, or Maritime, Museum has the world's largest collection of boats. The museum features model boats and real-life ships, plus a number of maps and historical documents about Dutch naval history.

#12. Heineken Experience. Come learn about the history of brewing at one of the world's best beer manufacturers.

#13. The Venustemple. This sex museum houses the foremost European collection of erotic paintings and objects throughout history.

#14. Erotic Museum. For more on sex, check out the Erotic Museum. Situated in the heart of the Red Light District, the Erotic Museum has five floors of erotic artwork together with a historical overview of the District.