What to See and Where to Go

Holidays by Destination Europe Netherlands Amsterdam What to See and Where to Go 

There is a mass of things to do in Amsterdam. Just walking the streets provides entertainment for hours, particularly if you come across any barrel organs (traditional) or buskers (some of them much less so). Dam Square, in front of the Centraal Station, Leidseplein and the Vondelpark are good spots. There are also no fewer than 42 museums and 141 galleries, plus other attractions of one kind or another.

For a full run-down of the options you will need a specialist guide but listed here are some which might be of interest to children. Probably not of interest to children but possibly to their parents is the newly developed mile-long island of Java until recently home only to derelict port buildings and now the hippest and most designer-conscious part of town.

If you're planning on a lot of sightseeing the Amsterdam Pass costing between €26 and €46 for 24 to 72 hours combines free transport, a canal trip and entrance to museums and attractions, available from Amsterdam Tourist Office.

History

The sloping houses - the soft peaty soil makes a poor base for housing so all buildings rest on piles down to the rather firmer layer underneath. However, as those were originally of wood, many have rotted, resulting in a list in one direction or another.

Dolls houses in the Rijksmuseum , with two houses in accurate 17th century detail, real tradesmen having been employed to produce the miniature objects and ornaments. Every details is there down to pins on the pin cushion and miniature shells in the display cabinet, real Italian marble on the hall floor and washing hanging out to dry in the attic. (Entry to the museum is now free for under 18s).

Rembrandthuis . A three-story house belonging to the painter, now carefully restored to its condition when he lived there.

Towers open for visitors to climb (summer months) including the 85m Westertoren and towers of the Oude Kerk and Zuiderkerk, open June to September but not daily. (Good for planning future itineraries round the centre.)

Tram Museum , a set of old working trams from across Europe on tracks to the Amsterdamse Bos, operating on Sundays April to October and also Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays in June, July and August. Most trams are more than 50 years old and come from cities including Berlin, Vienna and Prague. At the end of the line there is a signpost to Boerderij (Farm) Meerzicht which serves pancakes. There is also a playground.

The Amstelkring (Our Lord in the Attic) , a 17th century merchant's house including a Catholic church hidden in the attic and the former chaplain's bedroom complete with cupboard bed and chamber pot.

The Dutch Maritime Museum (Scheepvaartmuseum) has moored in front the VOC (United East India Company) Ship Amsterdam with a recreation of 18th century ship board life complete April to October with sailmakers, rope makers, sailors mopping the deck and hosting cargo, plus a cook and helpers. Nearby is one of the city's few remaining windmills.

Anne Frank House probably only for older children as includes information on Nazi treatment of Jews. There is always a queue so ideally get there are 8.45am before the 9am opening.

The Royal Palace on Dam Square was never really a palace but a town hall, later converted to palace status. Built in the 17th century, the main reception room is more than 20 metres high. Open daily June, July and August or guided tours on Wednesdays 2 and 3pm. One tip is to get children to look out for the animals included in the marble statues. They include a dog, fox and elephant. The more gruesomely minded might like to spot where the scaffold for public executions slotted into the wall.

The medieval Nieuwe Kerk (New Church) includes a pulpit more than 10 metres high, carved over almost twenty years. Along the handrail, a carved 'rope', angels are to be seen having fun sliding down. The soundboard above is populated by 17th century figures, some looking down curiously over the balustrade.

Art

Van Gogh Museum offers a free quiz sheet for 6-12 year-olds with a postcard as a prize for filling in the answers correctly, or visitors can buy activity books on sale in the shop. A children's audio tour is also available.

Rijksmuseum one of the world's great collections of art, the most famous probably the Night Watch by Rembrandt but also notable works by Vermeer, Pieter de Hooch who painted family scenes, and Jan Steen who painted adults and children in noise and mess for their betters to feel superior about. Their web site is a good place to find reproductions of some of the most famous paintings for children to view in advance. The museum shop sells English guides to the collection with games for under 10s. A five-year restoration of the building may affect all exhibits. (For those flying, note also that there is a small Rijksmuseum at Schiphol with changing exhibitions.)

Stedelijk a modern art museum, less crowded with tour groups and full of sometimes surprising installations (suitable for families who like the Tate Modern).

Museums

Holland Experience a 3D film about the country is a 30-minute trip round the country. It's a bit tacky, including smells and sensations, but it does offer an introduction to all the clich?s. There are combined tickets with the adjacent Rembranthuis.

Operate-it-yourself theatre machinery producing thunder, rain and lightening or lowering a cloud with an angel, at the Theatre Museum in Amsterdam.

Electric Ladyland Museum Named after the Hendrix work but looking at how minerals and crystal radiate colours with interactive exhibits likely to entertain children as well as adults.

The New Metropolis Museum (NEMO) interactive science and technology centre with lots of hands on stuff designed for kids with optical illusions, noise, and the chance to create a soap bubble large enough to stand in, a computer to assess your drumming skills, how to clean water and more. Plenty of labels in English and most children could spend a half day or more there.

The Tropical Museum (Tropen Museum) with a children's museum for 6-12-year-olds with information on folk songs, dances and paintings from places like India and north Africa aiming to promote international understanding.

Madam Tussauds there's one in London but this one includes a reconstruction of 16th century Amsterdam canals, stepping into a life sized Vermeer painting, plus an animatronic figure who introduces great Dutch figures like William of Orange and Rembrandt.

Houseboat Museum inside an old freight ship which carried cement, sand and bricks with the captain and his family on board. The exhibition shows what life was like, including film footage, and for children there is a corner where they can play and draw.

KinderKomponeer Werkplaats (Instrumental Workshop for Children) is run by the Centre for Electronic Music and allows children to compose using computer and synthesisers with for example a camera which transforms light changes to sound, or a machine gun which produces ‘weather sounds'. Guided tours on request.

Ajax Museum chronicling the famous football club, founded by a group of Amsterdam boys at the end of the 19th century.

The Cat Museum (Kattenkabinet) complete with resident moggies, a small town house entirely devoted to feline themed articles and art.

Jewish Historical Museum is in four old synagogues, restored in the ‘80s after being gutted in WWII. Visitors can learn to write their names in Hebrew, a children's section looks at a Jewish house to emphasise that Jewish people are not so different from others. The caf?, also open to non-museum visitors, serves traditional Jewish food.

Willet-Holthuysen Museum . A 17th/18th century house giving a glimpse of its original style, and an 18th century garden.

Sloten Mill (Molen van Sloten) . The only mill in Amsterdam open to the public, on the outskirts and still used to maintain water levels in the surrounding area.

Out and About

The city boasts around 30 parks ranging in size from a hectare to the Vondelpark which is around 48 hectares. A number are outside the usual tourist circuit but there are also a few open spaces attached to other attractions such as the garden of the Rijksmuseum.

Vondelpark is the city's biggest green space, including a caf?, in-line skating (available to rent from the sweet shop Het Snoephuisje) which also serves pancakes and mini pancakes (poffertjes), some farm animals, and various play areas.

Gaasperpark playground south of Amsterdam has good play facilities.

Amsterdam Bos the city's 200-acre woodland park, with playgrounds, lakes, wild deer and Pancake Farm selling pancakes. In summer an option is to rent canoes to explore waterways, or bikes with children's seats. There is transport there by tram museum trams - see above. At the Ridammerhoeve (farm) there are more than 150 goats and lambs plus chicken, chicks, a calf and a few potbellied pigs. Children can help bottle feeding, help with cleaning the coops and pens, and try to milk a goat. On Saturdays visitors can see the fresh goat's milk being turned into cheese. There are swings and a seesaw, plus refreshments including goatsmilk ice cream.

Bosmuseum (Forest museum) in Amsterdam forest with an exhibition on how the forest was created. Include an underground tunnel to show how the animals live in the forest, a look at tree roots, and life over as well as underground. Also an adventure island with trees to climb, huts to build, and a pond to sail.

Waterbiking by pedal boat is available on the canals, rented by the hour July to September at four pick-up points, with limited services the rest of the year.

Ice Skating a traditional Dutch activity, is offered October to March at the Jaap Eden in and outdoor rinks with skates available to hire.

Animals

Artis, Amsterdam , the country's oldest zoo with 1,400 animals, an aquarium, and children's farm including animals once treated as pets, like moorland sheep and tufted duck. The aquarium shows what lives in the water of the Amsterdam canals, there is also a planetarium, and a good play area. A half-hourly canal boat shuttles between the zoo and the Central Station.

Shows

Amsterdam's 100-year-old Pantijn puppet theatre (Punch & Judy style) on Dam Square with performances Wednesday afternoons May to September and Noordermarkt Saturday afternoons May to end October. If the weather is poor the show is in the theatre in Sint Pieterpoortsteeg.

Theatre De Krakeling . Especially for children, in some shows nonsense language is used, making them internationally comprehensible.

Helden & Boeven Cinema +31 20 427 44 07 specifically for children with golden benches and blue velvet pillows. Entrance tickets are edible and lemonade and popcorn are also available. Children may attend unaccompanied. Ring to check for English films.

Circus Elleboog . Organises performances for children throughout the country and on some days children can take part.

Designed for Children

TunFun . In a former car tunnel under Mr. Visserplein (between Waterlooplein and the Plantage), on two floors with climbing, sliding and crawling plus games and at times a children's disco. Accompanying adults can keep a eye on children from a food and drink area.

Het Twiske A big recreational area on the edge of Amsterdam, including an adventure park for children with rope bridges, a tube fort combined with the water park makes for a great day out. The water park gives children the opportunity to experiment with regulating water levels by using sluices, there are also water slides and a huge pirate ship.