Anyone who has traveled to Amsterdam with me, knows what an avid fan I am of the Museumkaart or Museum Card.
Valid for one year and costing about €59,90 for adults and €32,45 for children up to 18 years of age, the Museumkaart is the cheap way to explore Dutch museums throughout the Netherlands. There are 32 museums in Amsterdam and 400 throughout the Netherlands, that accept the card, giving you countless hours of entertainment and culture.
Currently, on my third card and having used it extensively throughout Amsterdam and other parts of the Netherlands, it gives the flexibility to see many museums on my own schedule, since I travel to this area frequently. An example of the Museumkaart’s usefulness is visiting the Rjiksmuseum. The Rijksmuseum is a wonderful museum and should most definitely be added to your “must see” list while in Amsterdam. To see the Rijksmuseum, however, in its entirety, one would need many hours and €17,50 for admission, almost one third of the card’s purchase price. Since I don’t have the attention span to devote more than one or one and a half hours here, I have had the ability to visit the Rijksmuseum many times using my Museumkaart!
There have also been many museums that I would not have taken the time to see, from not knowing of their existence or from just thinking they would not be of the kind I would be interested in.
One particular museum, that I did not know of, is the Tassenmuseum Hendrikje or the Museum of Handbags and Purses. Not listed on the Museumkaart website was this particular museum, however, I was informed of this institution by a coworker and decided to check it out for myself.
Located on Herengracht 573, near Rembrandtplein, it is easy to reach from all parts of the city, by foot, bike, car or tram. Situated in a lovely canal house, the largest museum of bags and purses in the world showcases over 5,000 bags and purses (from 1600 A.D. to the present).
Starting with one single handbag, two passionate collectors, Hendrikje and Heinz Ivo, began gathering a private collection of exceptional quality. Receiving over 85,000 visitors per year, the former 17th century mayor’s residence was renovated and furnished exclusively for the museum in 2007. Wandering from room to room, it is intriguing to see the vast array of designers represented and the wide variety of styles on display.
Today, in addition to perusing the vast collection, one can book a reservation for high tea or lunch or reserve a rich and elegant Period Room for all sorts of events and occasions. Visiting on a Saturday, it was evident that it is a popular venue for women attendees, who tour the facility and finish their day with lunch or tea.
Tannenmuseum Hendrikje
- Adults €12,50
- 65+ €9,50
- Youth (13-18 yrs) €7,50
- Youth (Under 12) €3,50
- Student €9,50
- Museumkaart Free
- http://www.tassenmuseum.nl
Museumkaart
- Adult €59,90
- Children €32.45
- The price include one time starting fee of €4,95 which has to be paid only at the first purchase of the Museum Card.
- http://www.museumkaart.nl
Amsterdam museums accepting Museumkaart
- Allard Pierson Museum
- Amsterdam Museum
- Anne Frank House
- Bijbels Museum-Bible Museum
- De Nieuwe Kerk-New Church
- Diamond Museum Amsterdam
- Dutch Funeral Museum
- Film Museum-EYE Film Instituut Nederland
- FOAM Photography Amsterdam
- Hermitage Amsterdam
- Huis Marseille, Stichting voor Fotografie
- Jewish Historical Museum
- JHM Kindermuseum
- Max Euwe Centrum-Chess Museum
- Museum Our Lord in the Attic
- Museum Geelvinck Hinlopen Huis
- Museum Het Schip/Amsterdam School of Architecture
- Museum Van Loon
- Museum Willet-Holthuysen
- NEMO Science Center
- Oude Kerk-The Old Church
- Olympic Experience
- Royal Palace Amsterdam
- Press Museum
- Rijksmuseum
- Scheepvaartmuseum-Maritime Museum
- Stedelijk Museum
- Tassenmuseum Hendrijke
- Tropenmuseum-Tropical Museum
- Tropenmuseum Junior
- Van Gogh Museum
- Verzetsmuseum-Resistance Museum
- Discount for Rembrandt’s House
Check out more pictures on my Facebook page, Snapping the Globe.