Museums in Amsterdam are among the main tourist attractions. The Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum and Stedelijk Museum are the most popular choices, but there are many, many more. Amsterdam has over fifty museums, which attract millions of visitors every year. Alongside the wealth of majestic Golden Age paintings, you'll find exciting modern art, press, film, theatre and photography museums and some unique Dutch treats like the Heineken Experience, the Ajax Museum and the Houseboat Museum. And Amsterdam wouldn't be Amsterdam without the likes of the Sex, Erotic, Hash or Torture museums.

Anne Frank House in the center of Amsterdam is the hiding place where Anne Frank wrote her famous diary during World War II. The original of the diary is on display as part of the Anne Frank House's permanent exhibition.
Location: Prinsengracht 267, Jordaan quarter near Westerkerk.

In 1687, for the occasion of his marriage to the much younger Sara Hinlopen, the wealthy and influential merchant Albert Geelvinck built a canal mansion. Today the period rooms and the rich garden between the main house and its former carriage house on Keizersgracht is open for the public on Sundays 11:00 - 17:00. A guided tour will give you an impression of the life inside. Address: Keizersgracht 633

Housing the civic collection of modern art, the museum also stages contemporary art exhibitions. A sculpture garden is to be found behind the building. Location: Oosterdokskade 5, temporarily in the harbor area not far from the Central Station.

On the edge of the Red Light District, museum houses in the restored 17th-century canal house with two smaller houses to the rear. The lower floors of the building became a museum in 1888 and today contain refurbished rooms, as well as a collection of church silver, religious artifacts and paintings.
Location: Oudezijds Voorburgwal 40.

Allard Pierson Museum is Amsterdam's the only specialist archeological collection, now owned by the University. The museum contains Egyptian, Greek, Cypriot, Roman, Etruscan and Coptic artifacts
Location: Oude Turfmarkt 127.

The permanent exhibitions are housed around the complex's inner courtyards. Clear signposting allows the visitor to concentrate on a specific period of the Amsterdam's history.
Location: Kalverstraat 92, Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 357, St Luciensteeg.

Netherlands Maritime Museum holds the largest collection of boats in the world. Displays of real-size ships, models and maps give a chronological view of Dutch naval history. Location: Linnaeusstraat 2, quarter Plantage.
www.scheepvaartmuseum.nl

One of the most intriguing Amsterdam's museums belongs to the Royal Institute for the Tropics, a foundation devoted to the study of the cultures of tropical areas around the world.
Location: Kattenburgerplein 1, quarter Plantage.

An impressive collection of furniture, silverware and paintings housed in a beautiful preserved 17th-century canal side mansion. How did a wealthy family live in an Amsterdam canal house? Find out in this 17-th century mansion.
Location: Herengracht 605, South-East of the city center, near the river Amstel.

The collection of the film museum consists of thousands of movies, photos, posters and scripts of Dutch and international movies. Exclusive masterpieces of cinema history are show every day since the museum is often the only place which has the equipment to show them.
Location: Vondelpark 3

The museum houses some 200 paintings and 550 sketches showing Van Gogh in all his moods. These combined with hundreds of letters by Van Gogh to Theo, and selected works by his friends and contemporaries, form the core of the museum's collection.
Location: Paulus Potterstraat 7,

This late Gothic church is the home of several unique exhibitions throughout the year. Each exhibition will show only masterpieces of a certain era or subject.

No time to book a visit with princes Maxima? You can see her every day, right next to Kylie Minogue, Bono and Bob Marley. A bit of culture perhaps? Watch Rembrandt at work in his atelier. Life size and frighteningly lifelike.

Be inspired by the exhibitions in this museum for photography. Join the discussions, study and mingle with the professionals. Your holiday snaps will never be the same again.
Location: Keizersgracht 609

This oasis in the center of the city has always been called the jewel in the crown of Amsterdam. It was established in 1638 as an herb garden for Amsterdam doctors and chemists and has since developed into a living museum with plants from all continents.
Location: Plantage Midddenlaan 2a
www.dehortus.nl

In the archives and collections you can find out everything about the history of your relatives from Amsterdam, your house or the neighborhood you live in. The total length of the archives is about 35 km, and consists of archives, books, newspapers, drawings, maps and ideas and much more.
Location: Amsteldijk 67
www.gemeentearchief.amsterdam.nl

This is the center for contemporary art in Amsterdam. It provides a space for new artists and forms of art that cannot be found anywhere in the Netherlands.
Location: Nieuwe Spiegelstraat 10
www.deappel.nl

The ARCAM foundation aims to show the public all aspects of Amsterdam's architecture and is housed on the top floor of a unique building designed by René van Zuuk. You can find different exhibitions throughout the year, and once a month a distinguished architect is invited to talk about his or her work.
Location: Prins Hendrikkade, open Tues– Sat 1 –5 pm
www.arcam.nl

This museum shows visitors the world of the bible: religious objects, and even the smells from the bible stories. Clay tablets, and archaeological findings tell the tale of the origins of the Bible and it's influence on Dutch society.
Location: Herengracht 366- 368
www.bijbelsmuseum.nl

The main exhibition of this museum shows the work of the Dutch resistance during WWII, but it also makes the visitor think about the things we take for granted nowadays, like freedom.
Location: Plantage Kerklaan 61
www.verzetsmuseum.org

This museum shows you the history of energy production, elevators and household appliances. A large collection of working engines, generators, aggregates, toasters, and radios is on display, and will transport visitors back to the days when these inventions turned the world upside down.
Location: Hooge Kadijk 400
www.energetica.nl

Every three month this foundation for photography organizes new exhibitions in this former house of a wealthy French merchant. All imaginary forms of photography are on display, with an emphasis on the visual quality.
Location: Keizersgracht 401
www.huismarseille.nl

Situated in one of the finest trade union buildings, de Burcht van Berlage, build in 1900 for the Dutch diamond workers, it now houses the national trade union museum. It houses several exhibitions that are related to the long history of trade unions in the Netherlands.
Location: Henri PolakLaan 9
www.deburcht-vakbondsmuseum.nl

Right next the Central Station is the largest futuristic science center in the Netherlands, housed in a ship like building designed by Renzo Piano. Here you can be amazed by the world of science and technology. Contrary to other museums, here you must touch the collection and experiment with it.
Location: Oosterdok 2
www.e-nemo.nl

Located on the oldest passenger terminal of Amsterdam this open air museum will give you the opportunity to examine historical vessels and see what life was like in the old days of the port.
Location: KNSM-laan 311

This museum guards over four centuries of journalistic heritage and has a large collection of newspapers ad magazines, a unique collection of political images and an extensive library of the Dutch printer press.
Location: Zeeburgerkade 10
www.persmuseum.nl

The house where Rembrandt lived from 1639 until 1659 is now the home of a large collections of his etchings and the very place where most of them where made. It also has a large collection of paintings of people who inspired him, like Pieter Lastman.
Location: Jodenbreestraat 4
www.rembrandthuis.nl

This is an excellent example of the Amsterdam School of Architecture from the beginning of the 20th century. “The ship” as the block is called, was designed by M. de Klerk, and it's interior has now been carefully restored.
Location: Spaarndammerplantsoen 140
www.hetschip.nl

This history of Ajax football club, images of 100 years of football legends from these “Sons of the Gods”, one of the best know teams in the Netherlands and across the borders.
Location: Amsterdam Arena, Arena Boulevard 29, Amsterdam ZO
www.ajax.nl

No visit is complete without taking a peek in the breweries of the worlds best beer. Find out everything you wanted to know about the history of beer making and take a bottle ride to see the process of beer making from beginning until the end.
Location: Stadhouderskade 78
www.heinekenexperience.com

Another must when in Amsterdam: The Venustemple houses an extensive collection of erotic paintings, pictures, objects and recordings from different ages and cultures all over the world.
Location: Damrak 18
www.sexmuseumamsterdam.nl

Located right in the hart of the red-light district, this museum reflects the history of the area. Five floors full of erotic enjoyment and artwork.
Location: OZ. Achterburgwal 54

Another unique place: This small and dark museum shows some of the most horrid inventions to extract confessions. Complete with straps, spikes, weights and blades, these machines are sure to make you talk, and be thankful that they are no longer used in modern times.
Location: Singel 449
www.torturemuseum.com