Museum of the Canals: Amsterdam's Historic Waterways

Discover Amsterdam’s canal history at the Museum of the Canals. Enjoy a captivating audiovisual tour through 400 years of heritage. Book your ticket now.

Duration: 1 hour
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Museum of the Canals - Discover the history of Amsterdam and its iconic canals. Situated in a 17th-century canal house in the heart of the city, the Museum of the Canals features classical period rooms, a permanent multimedia tour, a stunning garden, and rotating exhibitions. Enjoyable for visitors of all ages!
What's Included
  • Audio guide in 9 languages
  • Admission to the Museum of the Canals
Additional Information

Discover the history of Amsterdam’s canals at the Museum of the Canals (Grachtenmuseum) in Amsterdam. An impressive audiovisual exhibition will guide you through 400 years of the city’s history, showing how Amsterdam evolved from a tiny fishing village into a bustling metropolis. You’ll also learn about the significance of the canals, which were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2010.

Location
Herengracht 386
Herengracht
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.3
(41 Ratings)
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Tammy_a
Apr 20, 2026
It is very interesting,... - It is very interesting, explaining the history of the development and the canals of Amsterdam. I highly recommend it.
Review provided by Viator
Cydwood
Apr 18, 2026
Hidden gem - A spur of the moment visit and was one of the best museums we have ever been to. Modern and well set out. 10/10
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cathi_j
Apr 14, 2026
Good overview of how Amsterdam was built - The museum is interesting and informative of how the city of Amsterdam was made and built. It also gives a good overview of society life in the 18th and 19th century. It is a good tour and is nice that it does not sell out fast like so many museums in Amsterdam.
Review provided by Viator
Heenak24
Apr 3, 2026
Nice history - Very nicely done, although it’s more of listening to a pre recorded version
Review provided by Tripadvisor
E6405lijuliab
Mar 27, 2026
It's a must! - What a little gem! We only went as we had time to kill and it's both very interesting and very well done - the audio guide and the models set up in each room are imaginative and engaging. Well done!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
23lace
Oct 21, 2025
Interactive museum - Little museum with a lot of information. Loved the interactive bits, part way through. Check opening times before heading to the museum.
Review provided by Viator
Cclyon2016
Oct 25, 2025
Museum that allows you to understand Amsterdam - A small museum that allows us to understand the history of Amsterdam and its construction over time. An exceptional city in many ways. The supports are varied and inclusive: films, models... Maybe a little short for the price.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kreintje
Feb 1, 2026
Experience - You walk, in a group, from room to room. So looking at things at your own pace is not one of them. In the spaces, the history of Amsterdam, and in particular the creation of the canal belt, is depicted. Meanwhile, listen to the explanation on the audio device. It's all very fancy and hip, but also rather superficial. I thought it was more of an experience than a museum. The temporary exhibition "Amsterdam, almost demolished" on the bell - floor was small, but in itself nice. I think the price of 18.50 for a ticket is really too high. But fortunately, the museum annual pass is valid.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dguest2016
Nov 24, 2025
Show and tell - Described as a 'multimedia' tour, this is 45 minutes or so of presentations in a variety of inventive styles that explain the history of Amsterdam's canals and the growth of the city. At reception you are given an audio unit in the appropriate language and when a sufficient number of people has assembled you are ushered into the first of a series of connected, darkened rooms. My favourite was the council-chamber reconstruction of the city fathers' 17th century deliberations. You could also stand in the canal, as it were, and watch the buildings going up around you. The final room gave glimpses into the interiors, at historic intervals, of the building that houses the museum and into others along the main canal banks. The audio's lip-service to some contemporary concerns was mildly irritating for being incomplete. Amsterdam's role in the trans-Atlantic slave trade was mentioned only briefly and I can recall no reference to the Dutch East India Company at all. On the other hand elements laid out hundreds of years ago - canalside trees, and the gardens of the houses of the wealthy - were cited in support of the city's green credentials. At €17.50 it's not spectacularly good value, but it's different and some aspects are very well done.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jeffrey
Nov 10, 2025
Not worth the entry price. - This was a very simplistic, almost childish exhibition. Models of Amsterdam that looked like they were made by high school students were illuminated with lights while we listen to an audio guide. There were two or three rooms with other scale models that were very poorly done. I would not do this activity again.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $21
up to 12 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).