Amsterdam Canal Ring West

The Canal Ring West has none of the city's large art museums, but it is where you'll find some of Amsterdam's quirkiest spots as well as the notable Anne Frank House and nearby Westerkerk.

Anne Frank House, Prinsengracht 267 (☎055 671 00; www.annefrank.nl), From July 6, 1942, until they were betrayed by a still unknown informant and arrested on August 4, 1944, Anne Frank and her family, along with four others, lived in a “secret annex” above the warehouse of her father's company in this building. Since its publication in 1950, the diary Frank kept during her stay in the annex has become one of the world's most-read books; it stands as one of the most moving accounts of war and persecution to date as well as a testament to the strength and depth of the human spirit. This wonderfully presented museum illustrates the story of Frank and her fellow annex inhabitants and accompanies their tale with more information about the fate of Jews in the Netherlands and throughout Europe under Nazi oppression. Many traces of the annex's clandestine residents have been preserved, including the pictures Anne glued to the walls in hopes of cheering up the place and the pencil marks that tracked the growth of the children throughout their years in hiding. Th Tram #13, 14, or 17 to Westermarkt. Lines are shortest before 10am and after 6pm. €8.50, ages 10-17 €4, under 10 free. Open daily July-Aug 9am-10pm; Sept 1-14 9am-9pm; Sept 15-March 14 9am-7pm; March 15-June 9am-9pm. Takes credit cards. No wheelchair access.
Westerkerk, Prinsengracht 281 (☎062 477 66; www.westerkerk.nl), A trip up the Westerkerkstoren (part of a 30min. guided tour) is a must, affording phenomenal views of the surrounding city. Also up in the tower's heights is an astounding set of 47 bells, one of which weighs in at an astonishing 7509kg, making it Amsterdam's heaviest. On Tuesdays, the carillon plays from noon to 1pm. Free organ concerts are held every Friday at 1pm, and the church hosts many other concerts throughout the year. Tram #13, 14, or 17 to Westermarkt. Free. Tower tour €5. Open Apr-Oct 11am-3pm. Tower tours every 30min. Does not take credit cards. No wheelchair access.
Homomonument, Westermarkt (www.homomonument.nl), Designed by Karin Daan and officially opened in 1987, the Homomonument was the culmination of a movement to erect a memorial dedicated to those who were persecuted by the Nazis for their sexuality, but it is also meant to stand for all homosexual men and women who have been and are being oppressed because of their sexual orientation. The monument is constructed of three pink granite triangles (in remembrance of the symbol the Nazis forced homosexuals to wear) that are connected by thin lines of pink granite to form a larger triangle. Built so that it would merge seamlessly with the daily life of the city, the Homomonument can, in fact, be hard to discern under picnicking tourists and whizzing bikes. One triangle is set down into the water of the Keizergracht and points towards the National War Monument in Dam square, representing the present. The raised triangle stands for the future and points toward the headquarters of the COC, a Dutch gay rights group that was founded i Tram #13, 14, or 17 to Westermarkt. The Homomonument is between Westerkerk and the Keizersgracht. Free. Wheelchair access. GLBT
Bijbels Museum, Herengracht 366-368 (☎062 424 36; www.bijbelsmuseum.nl), This informative museum provides glimpses into two radically different worlds: ancient Biblical culture and 17th-century Dutch life. The top floor has Egyptian artifacts—sculptures, sarcophagi, even a mummy—that are meant to illustrate the Israelite presence in Egypt. There is also a model of the Tabernacle, constructed by the minister Leendert Schouten (1828-1905) over the span of 20 years; it was Schouten who founded the museum, with public viewings of the Tabernacle as its core. Also on display are some memorabilia from Schouten's life. The next floor down houses the Temple Mount Room, which displays the history of the city of Jerusalem and illustrates how Islam, Judaism, and Christianity have interacted there. On the ground floor are rooms adorned by phenomenal ceilings painted courtesy of Jacob de Wit; they contain a collection of ornately bound prayer books. The ground-floor introduction to the domestic life that once filled these 17th-century buildings is continued below, where Tram #1, 2, or 5 to Koningsplein. Make a right onto Herengracht. €8, students €4.75, ages 13-17 €4. Open M-Sa 10am-5pm, Su 11am-5pm. Does not take credit cards. Wheelchair access.
Multatuli Museum, Korsjespoortsteeg 20 (☎063 819 38; www.multatuli-museum.nl), Dekker's second wife probably guessed that he was going to be a big deal, so after his death she kept a collection of his papers and belongings, which in 1910 were given to the newly founded Multatuli Society, which runs the museum. On the ground floor of the building, you will find a collection of Dekker's works in numerous translations, plus shelves of secondary sources—criticisms, biographies, and the like. The first floor (up a classically narrow and vertiginous staircase) holds furniture and a few belongings from Dekker's later years, including the couch where he died. Also on display is his personal library, with 19th-century editions of everything from Dickens to The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Terrifically friendly and knowledgeable staffers are happy to show you around the small exhibit and tell you all about Dekker's fascinating life and legacy. Tram #1, 2, 5, 13, or 17 to Nieuwezijds Kolk. Walk to the Herengracht and make a right. Free. Open Tu 10am-5pm, Sa-Su 10am-5pm. Does not take credit cards. No wheelchair access.
Huis Marseille, Keizersgracht 401 (☎053 189 80; www.huismarseille.nl), Located in a lovely 17th-century canal house, this museum holds three-month-long photographic exhibitions arranged by theme or artist. The multiple floors have rooms that are sparsely decorated, allowing the photos themselves to shine. Works are mostly by contemporary photographers from a variety of international backgrounds. Downstairs, visitors may explore the museum's library with books on photography and a nice little garden that is open to the public. Tram #1, 2, or 5 to Keizersgracht (Leidsestraat). Walk about 1½ blocks north along Keizersgracht. €5, seniors €3, with Museumjaarkaart free. Open Tu-Su 11am-6pm. Takes credit cards. No wheelchair access.
Nederlands Instituut voor Mediakunst, Keizersgracht 264 (☎062 371 01; www.nimk.nl), The Netherlands Media Art Institute puts on four approximately 10-week exhibitions per year showcasing the works of Dutch and international artists who use film, video, the internet, and other media technology. Brilliant and cutting-edge projects fill the half-dozen rooms upstairs, with box-like seats provided so that you can linger over each piece. The Institute also runs a number of smaller exhibitions that involve more experimental performances or symposia. Housed in the same building is the Mediatheque, which holds a collection of books and media pieces numbering in the thousands; it also manages the video collections of De Appel and many other Dutch museums. Tram #13, 14, or 17 to Westermarkt. €4.50, students and seniors €2.50. Mediatheque free. Open Tu-F 11am-6pm, Sa and every 1st Su 1-6pm. Mediatheque open M-F 1-5pm. Does not take credit cards. No wheelchair access.
Nationaal Brilmuseum (National Spectacles Museum), Gasthuismolensteeg 7 (☎042 124 14; www.brilmuseumamsterdam.nl), Wandering the halls of this quirky museum is a bit like wandering through a cluttered antiques store. Housed in a 17th-century building, the Brilmuseum displays 700 years of eyewear history, art, and culture. You can learn about the developments in optics and glasses-making technology and track the trends of ocular fashion through the ages—some of our favorites were the jewel-toned, rectangular R “railway glasses” and a pretty crazy set of monocles. Hundreds of glasses are packed in alongside opticians' tools, old-fashioned advertisements, and models of the eye. Try to spot the pairs that once belonged to stars like Schubert and Dame Edna. If, after viewing this remarkable collection of eyewear, your own spectacles are beginning to develop a bit of an inferiority complex, you can make a visit to the eye-poppingly well-stocked store on the ground floor. Tram #13, 14, or 17 to Westermarkt. Walk east on Raadhuisstraat, make a right after crossing Herengracht, and then a left onto Gasthuismolensteeg. €4.50, under 12 €2.50. Open W-F 11:30am-5:30pm, Sa 11:30am-5pm. Does not take credit cards. No wheelchair access.