8 Things to Do Off the Beaten Track in Amsterdam

Electric Ladyland is the first museum in the world dedicated to fluorescent art. Located in the Jordaan neighbourhood of Amsterdam, this small and unique museum is filled with items both natural and manufactured that react under ultraviolet light.

Electric Ladyland isn’t a regular museum; it’s an interactive experience. The first part of your guided tour explores a fluorescent environment of neon-glowing artwork and sculpture. In contrast, the second half of the tour focuses on fluorescence within the natural world. You’ll see gems, crystals, minerals and other naturally occurring instances of fluorescent materials.

Micropia is a museum that focuses on the important role that microbes play in our daily lives, with a goal of educating the public and establishing a positive view of microbiology. The museum is located in Amsterdam, near famous landmarks like the ARTIS zoo and the Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam.

Within Micropia, you’ll see exhibits containing living microbes, interactive exhibits and virtual and physical representations of microbes. Unique collections include things like the relations to microbes and our health and wellbeing, as well as exhibitions like Mouth to Mouth, which explore the microbes that are exchanged when two people kiss.

The Hash Marihuana and Hemp Museum explores cannabis and its many uses throughout history, from modern medicine to historical and spiritual uses. The museum is located in De Wallen, Amsterdam, within a historical canal house in the red-light district.

The Hash Marihuana and Hemp Museum exhibits include a live cannabis garden in diverse growth stages, collections of clips, roaches and smoking accessories. You’ll also find cannabis artwork displays and historical information on the many uses of hemp, including an antique Bible made from hemp.

The Tulip Museum explores the history of Holland’s favorite flower, the tulip. The small specialty museum is located in Amsterdam, close to the landmark Anne Frank House.

Within the Tulip Museum, you’ll find 6 rooms covering the flower itself, as well as its historical journey from the Ottoman Empire, voyage to the Netherlands and the tulip mania that gripped the region’s 16th and 17th centuries. Within the museum’s gift shop, you’ll find flower-themed treasures and a large collection of bulbs for your own garden.

The Pancake Boat is, fortunately, not a boat made of actual pancakes. Instead, it’s a much better and sweeter option, a vessel that serves delicious pancakes while you cruise along the water for a fun sightseeing tour around Amsterdam.

You can book a variety of tours aboard the breakfast-themed Pancake Boat, with multiple options for sightseeing around the city in various lengths of time. Aboard the boat, you’ll enjoy all you can eat pancakes, with a huge variety of customizable toppings.

The Torture Museum displays a collection of over 40 instruments of pain, with most dating to the Middle Ages when their use as devices of justice was common. The museum is located in Amsterdam near the Bloemenmarkt, on the Singel canal.

Exhibits within The Torture Museum range from well-known devices like the rack, iron maiden and guillotine, to lesser-known instruments such as the flute of shame, Skold's bridle and the breaking wheel. Each display includes signs and illustrations describing how the devices were used throughout history.

The Embassy of the Free Mind is a museum and library focusing on the European culture of free-thinking throughout history and studying the connection between God, the cosmos and humans. The museum is housed within the House of the Heads, a historic building in Amsterdam.

The museum houses over 25,000 books on topics ranging from Hermetica and mysticism to Western esotericism, kabbalah and freemasonry. Personalized general tours of the museum are available, as well as thematic tours, art tours and a free audio tour.

Hortus Botanicus is one of the oldest botanical gardens globally, located in the Plantage district within Amsterdam. The garden’s origins trace back to the 17th century, as a medical herb garden created for use by the city’s physicians and apothecaries.

Today Hortus Botanicus houses a diverse collection that includes greenhouses and tropical hothouses, expansive gardens and a cafe. Garden collections also include some scarce and endangered species of plants and trees, including the Wollemi Pine, the Ginkgo tree and one of the oldest trees in the Netherlands.