The Atlas Obscura Guide To The Netherlands

389 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in the Netherlands

Updated August 7, 2026

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Unusual Attractions in Netherlands

Electric Ladyland in full color.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Electric Ladyland: The Museum of Fluorescent Art

The world's only museum devoted to the wonders of fluorescence.

Speciality shop in scientific and pharmaceutical objects.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Nieuwe Spiegelstraat

An Amsterdam street lined with antique shops each one dedicated to a different obscure collection.

“The Cat Boat.”

Amsterdam, Netherlands

De Poezenboot (The Cat Boat)

A floating cat sanctuary on an Amsterdam canal.

Beautiful palms in an equally beautiful building.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam

Established in 1638 to battle the Black Death, this botanical garden is a treasure trove of rare flora.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

The Torture Museum

Museum preserving torture methods from the past.

A statue at KattenKabinet

Amsterdam, Netherlands

KattenKabinet

Cat art as far as the eye can see.

Cuypers Library

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Cuypers Library

This gorgeous reading room houses the oldest and largest art history library in the Netherlands.

See All 389 Things To Do in Netherlands

Upcoming Events in Netherlands

Amsterdam Catacombs

Performance Show

Amsterdam Catacombs

Descend into Amsterdam’s shadowy catacombs as you investigate cryptic secrets and face spine-tingling surprises underground.

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Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Netherlands

In ‘t Aepjen

Amsterdam, Netherlands

In’t Aepjen

This historic Amsterdam bar used to accept sailor's monkeys as payment.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Café Papeneiland

Famed for its pie, this eatery has a hidden tunnel that allowed Catholics to secretly walk to church during the Reformation.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Amsterdam Cheese Museum

This cheese shop also houses a museum devoted to Dutch dairy.

See all 14 Places to Eat in Netherlands

In partnership with GetYourGuide

Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Atlas Obscura Itineraries

Amsterdam

Forge your own path in this tourist magnet, toward places that are less crowded but no less wondrous.

Explore the Netherlands

Museums 54

Architecture 49

Art 35

Architectural Oddities 29

Collections 26

History 25

History & Culture 24

Churches 21

Science 20

World War Ii 19

Sculptures 18

Plants 17

Monuments 16

Homes 15

Statues 14

Sacred Spaces 14

Animals 12

Houses 12

Shops 11

Hotels 10

Places To Stay 8

Unique Restaurants & Bars 3

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has been to The BMW
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has been to De Tijdtrap
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has been to Het Wittehuis
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has been to Rotterdam Historic Harbor
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has been to Paul McCarthy's 'Santa Claus'

Stories About the Netherlands

Fenway Park at night

How Was Your First Trip With Your Significant Other?

When your new partner shows up without luggage, or, worse yet, turns out to be a morning person.

by The Podcast Team, Atlas Obscura

Tidal flats in Denmark’s Wadden Sea National Park show what the land on the edge of the North Sea looks like today.

Exploring the Lost Land Beneath the North Sea

New research reveals that Doggerland—a sunken swath of Europe connecting Britain to the mainland—was more than a simple thoroughfare. It was home.

by Tristan McConnell, Atlas Obscura

December 9, 2024

Podcast: Mr. Kaor’s Letters

For the last 40 years, Hotel Spaander in the Dutch fishing village of Volendam received almost daily letters from a mysterious man in Japan.

by The Podcast Team, Atlas Obscura

The Dutch National Archives releases documents every new year, sometimes after their confidentiality term has expired.

The WWII Treasure Map That Caused A Modern Day Hunt

The question remains: Where is the loot?

by Frank Jacobs, Atlas Obscura

January 26, 2024

Podcast: Café 't Mandje

Learn about a woman who provided a safe haven during World War II via her quirky bar in Amsterdam's red light district.

by The Podcast Team, Atlas Obscura

November 13, 2023

The common rudd is a freshwater fish that can often be spotted waiting on the Fish Doorbell’s video live stream.

Ring the ‘Fish Doorbell’ To Help Fish Migrate in the Netherlands

Utrecht’s Fish Doorbell has helped thousands of fish swim upstream to reproduce.

by Jennifer Byrne, Atlas Obscura

Schmeinck has been serving airborne meals for almost 20 years.

Aboard the World's First Hot-Air Balloon Restaurant

A Dutch master chef cooks meals among the clouds.

by Elisia Guerena, Atlas Obscura

Thin layers of peat and silt capture the aesthetic nature of soil horizons in this artistic rendering.

Soil Scientists Dig Deep to Understand the 'Skin of the Earth'

What's beneath our feet is crucial to life on the planet—don't you dare call it dirt.

by Mary-Rose Abraham, Atlas Obscura

Lists Featuring the Netherlands

The nave has been repurposed to include the reception, restaurants, and guest spaces.

Cube House

8 of the Most Unusual Hotels in the Netherlands

Proof the Dutch can convert nearly anything into a place to stay the night.

Including Hotel de Vrouwe van Stavoren, Kruisherenhotel , and Cube Houses

(Flickr/andreakw)

The bathroom

Some of the decorations include broken crockery that have been priced back together

11 Homes Transformed Into Amazing Mosaics

If you own your property, why not bedazzle it?

Including Wyckoff Street Mosaic, La Maison Picassiette, and House of Mirrors