Things to Do in Amsterdam

Fittingly, the layout of the Torture Museum is of a maze of small, dark rooms. Often listed amongst the "world's most unusual museums", it features a theatrical atmosphere, which lightens what would otherwise be a rather somber mood. Each room displays one or two torture devices, with some being safely secured from human use, and others being free to touch and feel. Each device is accompanied by a description of how and why it was used; the most curious visitors will undoubtedly enjoy the image from an old book showing it in use. The museum is obviously home to a variety of torture devices, including well-known ones such as the guillotine. It also features lesser-known devices such as thumbscrews, the intriguing flute of shame, the iron maiden, skull crusher, Judas chair, Catherine Wheels, and Scold's bridle. While some of the devices are genuine, some have been reconstructed according to the literature.

Michel de Klerk was the leading architect of the early 20th-century Amsterdam School movement, and his legacy is the foremost example of the style in the city. Greatly influenced by the works of Hendrik Berlage, the designer of the Amsterdam Stock Exchange (Beurs van Berlage), De Klerk's Het Schip is found just north of the Westerpark and was completed in 1921. It was to be his swansong, a vast apartment building intended to provide social housing for more than 100 families of railway employees to combat a severe housing crises in the city. Beautifully formed in the shape of an ocean liner and constructed from red brick, Het Schip is adorned with elaborate masonry, spiky towers, spires, ornate glass and wrought-iron grid-work. When it was completed, the complex also incorporated a school, meeting hall and a post office; the latter is today a museum of Amsterdam School architecture featuring a typical working-class apartment of the 1920s, which stands in contrast to the one designed according to Michel de Klerk's socialist principles. There are plans afoot to build an extensive new museum at the site.

Since opening its doors back in 1864, the Tropenmuseum, or "˜Museum of the Tropics', has amassed 175,000 objects from Dutch colonies around the world, making it one of the largest museums in Amsterdam.

Split into eight sizable permanent exhibitions, the items showcase the daily life and possessions of Dutch overseas residents and provide a fascinating glimpse into the diverse cultures and traditions of inhabitants around the globe. Each exhibit focuses on a different geographical region, with Southeast Asia, South Asia, West Asia and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, all getting a nod. Other key attractions include a vast collection of over 150,000 photographs dating from 1855"“1940; a theatrical exhibition featuring masks, puppets and musical instruments from around the world; and a Junior sub-museum, with a series of interactive exhibitions and events, including dance, art and cooking, aimed at children. A varied roster of temporary visual arts and photographic exhibitions play a huge part in the Tropenmuseum's popularity too, ensuring that the weird, the wonderful and even the downright ordinary are all covered.

The anthropological museum is owned and operated by the Royal Tropical Institute and housed in a specially constructed listed building in East Amsterdam. The sprawling mansion was constructed in 1926 to designs by JJ.Van Nieukerken and the elaborate facade features sculptures, friezes and carvings symbolic of Dutch history and world cultures.

With its ring of canals extending over 62 miles (100 km) and featuring an incredible 1,500 bridges, it's no surprise that Amsterdam's canal ring has earned itself the nickname "˜the Venice of the North'. The 17th-century canals, including the most famous waterways of Prinsengracht, Keizersgracht, Herengracht and Jordaan, achieved UNESCO World Heritage status back in 2010, and remain key landmarks for visiting tourists.

The Prisengracht, or Prince's Canal, is the longest of Amsterdam's four main canals, measuring around two miles, and one of the liveliest in the city. Here, colorful houseboats float by the riverbanks and the surrounding streets are crammed with cafes, shopping boutiques and landmark buildings. Admire the famous Eenhoornsluis (Unicorn Lock) at the entrance to the Prisengracht, then Cross over the Papiermolensluis (Paper Mill Lock') to explore sights like the Anne Frank House; Amsterdam's tallest church, the Westerkerk (Western church); the 17th-century Noorderkerk (North Church) and the quirky Houseboat Museum. Stock up on goods at the nearby Noordermarkt flea market, snap a few photos of Amsterdam's narrowest house (measuring in at a tiny three feet wide), then stop for coffee at one of Amsterdam's longest established brown cafes, Cafe Papeneiland, dating back to 1642. If you get chance, sneak a look at the cafe's secret basement tunnel, built to aid fleeing Catholics in the 17th century and running all the way to the Posthorn Church.