Amsterdam Museum (Amsterdam Historical Museum)

Amsterdam Museum (Amsterdam Historical Museum) Review

Any city that began in the 13th century as a boggy swamp to become the trading powerhouse of the world in the 17th century has a fascinating story to tell, and this museum does it superbly. It's housed in a rambling amalgamation of buildings, once a convent, which was used as Amsterdam's Civic Orphanage. Before visiting the actual museum, walk past the entrance and check out the glassed Schuttersgalerij (Civil Guards Gallery) lined with huge portraits of city militias—though not in the same league as The Night Watch, you can see them for free. Recently, 21th-century renditions of civil guard paintings have been added to the collection, notably one featuring the "Maid of Amsterdam," with a joint in one hand and Rembrandt's face tattooed on her chest.