Have you ever wanted to know the oddities and the unique places from a new city or even a hometown that you never knew before. These are the places that locals find in Amsterdam and end up shopping or wandering into randomly.
Cat Boat - De Poezenboot
This is a one-of-a-kind floating cat sanctuary that is home up to 50 cats that can be adopted. There is also the option to stop by and pet the kittens and maybe even give a donation. The cat boat helps local owners’ neuter their cats and pay for other health fees, helps the kitten readjust homes and also cat-sit. The cat boat is open three days of the week and is only a 10 min walk from Centraal Station.
Buy Some Rubber Ducks - Amsterdam Duck Store
This is exactly what you think it is. This is a store filled with rubber ducks of all kinds, colors, and characters. This store is quite odd to someone who isn’t born Dutch. Rubber ducks are even given as gifts or hidden in office spaces for the fun of it and to prank others once found. A cheap and cheerful item made for pleasure only.
Smoke Weed in a Church - The Old Church Coffeeshop
Once a church has now been converted into a coffeeshop where customers can grab a quick drink and a joint. They even have herbal mix filled joints, which of course we love since we sell our mindful herbal mixes. This is a favourite of ours because of the cozy seating and the intricate art work all over the walls and instead of a pew, you collect your herbs. Located in Amstel 8, you can find this coffeeshop always busy and difficult to find seating because of its popularity.
Museum on a Shipwreck - NEMO Science Museum
The museum itself is quite normal, it is the location that makes it so unique. The NEMO science museum is located on what looks like a shipwreck. Although you have to pay for a ticket to see the wonders inside, the top of the museum is completely free to wander. Climb the many stairs to reach the top of the museum which looks like the top of a ship wreckage overlooking all of Amsterdam. It is a free and beautiful way of exploration and only a 10 min walk from Centraal Station.
Body Parts in Jars - Museum Vrolik
This is an entire museum of oddities. The museum hosts a collection of human and animal anatomy held in jars of liquid. The museum has collected animals and humans with different deformities. This one is harder to explain so we recommend you go and see for yourself.
Cheeeeese - Amsterdam Cheese Museum
The Netherlands loves cheese. You can see many Dutch citisen enjoying a kas broodje for lunch and almost every popular Dutch dish includes cheese. This museum is dedicated to the love of cheese the Dutch have enjoyed for years and its history of all the gouda and cheddar. Along with this museum you can find a cheese shop around most corners of Amsterdam fairly easily filled with large wheels of cheese.
This museum is by far one of the most extensive on a very taboo topic. As the mention sex makes a few feel uncomfortable, this museum will test your comfort. Something most people experience placed into one museum. Everything from pornographic photos of the past to a lifesize bust of Marilyn Monroe, this very educational museum laments on sex and its role that it played in history.
Similar to Museum Vrolik, this museum highlights the human body, however instead of the deformities, it highlights the makeup of human bodies. This includes the muscle formation, the bone structure, and the functions of the human body. And unlike Museum Vrolik, this museum does not host bodies in a grotesqu way.
Something that is a delicacy in the Netherlands would be considered weird in many other countries. Similar to sushi, the Dutch find comfort in eating raw herring. The smell is stronggggg and can be found all over Amsterdam. You can find a long line of Ducthies waiting for their herring especially from local food trucks around the city.
Everybody has been second-hand shopping at one point, but the Rataplan collectively has unique one-off pieces. The Netherlands is a very eco-friendly society, so imagine Rataplan being the Goodwill of The Netherlands. They hold an arrangement of second-hand clothes, furniture, bikes, art, music and the everyday bits and bobs. A definite recommendation from us.
We hope you guys have fun exploring the beautiful city of Amsterdram and discovery all of its oddities that may not be mentioned here. There is something you can learn from every culture.