Rainy day · Amsterdam · Netherlands
8 things to do in Amsterdam when it rains
Indoor sights that make a wet day feel planned rather than lost.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
Start with Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum and Anne Frank House. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 14–15 hours across 5 areas; all charge for entry. November is usually the wettest month, with about 13 rainy days.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 0
- Time to see them all
- 14–15 hours
- Areas
- Museum Quarter, Canal Ring and Old Centre
Amsterdam on a rainy day
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Museum · Museum Quarter
1.Rijksmuseum
Head straight to the Gallery of Honour at opening, then explore the quieter medieval and 20th-century floors.
- Time needed
- 3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
Museum · Museum Quarter
2.Van Gogh Museum
Book the earliest or latest slot of the day, when the galleries are quietest.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Art
- Rainy day
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Museum · Canal Ring
3.Anne Frank House
Check the museum's website for when tickets are released and book as soon as they appear; there are no tickets at the door.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Iconic
- Rainy day
Gallery · Museum Quarter
4.Stedelijk Museum
Pair it with the Van Gogh Museum next door; the Stedelijk is usually much quieter.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Palace · Old Centre
5.Royal Palace Amsterdam
Check the website before going, as the palace closes to visitors when it is in royal use.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Museum · Oosterdok
6.NEMO Science Museum
Climb the outside steps to the roof terrace even if you skip the museum, and avoid Dutch school-holiday afternoons.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Views
- Architecture
Experience · De Pijp
7.Heineken Experience
Book online for a lower price and a time slot, and combine it with the Albert Cuyp Market a few minutes away.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Rainy day
- Food
Museum · Old Centre
8.Our Lord in the Attic
Visit in the morning, when the Red Light District's canals are at their calmest on the way.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Off the beaten path
- Rainy day
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Museum Quarter | Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum and Stedelijk Museum | 3 hours + 2 hours + 2 hours |
| Canal Ring | Anne Frank House | 1–1.5 hours |
| Old Centre | Royal Palace Amsterdam and Our Lord in the Attic | 1 hour + 1 hour |
| Oosterdok | NEMO Science Museum | 2–3 hours |
| De Pijp | Heineken Experience | 1.5 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 3 low cost, 5 mid-priced. Book ahead for Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum and Anne Frank House. The longest visit is Rijksmuseum; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Rijksmuseum: Timed tickets are sold online; book a day or more ahead in high season.
- Van Gogh Museum: Tickets are sold online for timed slots and sell out in high season.
- Anne Frank House: Entry is only by online ticket for a set time slot, and tickets sell out quickly.
How to fit them into 4 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Museum Quarter): Rijksmuseum, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Museum Quarter): Van Gogh Museum → Stedelijk Museum, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Canal Ring and Old Centre): Anne Frank House → Royal Palace Amsterdam → Our Lord in the Attic, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Oosterdok and De Pijp): NEMO Science Museum → Heineken Experience, at least 4 hours.
The wettest months
- November: highs of 10°C (50°F), about 13 rainy days, quiet crowds. Wet and windy with short days, but Museumnacht, Sinterklaas and the Light Festival bring evening events.
- December: highs of 7°C (45°F), about 13 rainy days, moderate crowds. Dark afternoons brightened by the Light Festival, oliebollen stalls and festive markets; busy around New Year.
- January: highs of 6°C (43°F), about 12 rainy days, quiet crowds. Cold, grey and short days, but quiet museums, low prices and the Light Festival along the canals.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Canal Ring (Grachtengordel) — Gabled merchants' houses along the Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht
- Jordaan — Narrow streets, brown cafés and Saturday markets west of the canals
- De Pijp — Albert Cuyp market, global food and terrace cafés south of the centre
- Museum Quarter (Museumkwartier) — Grand villas, Museumplein and the Vondelpark
- Plantage and Oost — Leafy streets around Artis zoo and the Hortus Botanicus
More of Amsterdam
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Amsterdam?
Rijksmuseum. The Dutch national museum's Gallery of Honour leads to Rembrandt's The Night Watch, with Vermeer's The Milkmaid, Frans Hals portraits and Delftware nearby.