subject: Discover A Cultural Amsterdam [print this page] The capital of the Netherlands, Amsterdam is a large, beautiful city with an unusual yet impressive array of architecture and very friendly residents. Although Amsterdam may have built up a reputation for its wild party-scene, this only makes up a small section of the Dutch capital; the rest is Amsterdam is a beautiful collection of museums, art galleries and other cultural attractions that make a trip to Amsterdam memorable.
Of all the different museums and galleries to see around Amsterdam, one of the most interesting and certainly one of the most unique is the Van Gogh Museum. This museum is home to more than 200 of Van Gogh's paintings as well as containing more than 500 of his sketches. As the biggest Van Gogh collection in the world, the museum is an art lover's paradise.
Also located in Amsterdam is the Rijksmuseum or state museum. The Rijksmuseum is the largest museum in Amsterdam and indeed the Netherlands. Attracting more than a million visitors per year - both from Amsterdam and abroad - the Rijksmuseum is an extremely popular attraction in Amsterdam, made famous by its 'Masterpieces Exhibition'. This exhibition features some of the most famous pieces of Dutch apart from a period know as the Golden Age of the Netherlands, an important part of Dutch cultural history.
If museums and art galleries don't interest you, why not check out some of Amsterdam's famous canals? The city centre is a collection of canal rings, and walking along them allows you to explore the city in a more peaceful and relaxed manner to pushing your way through its busy streets.
There is one other way to explore Amsterdam, and one that the city is famous for, and that is on a bicycle. Finding a bicycle to rent is never a problem as there are numerous bike hire shops around the city and a number of government-run schemes which allow you to hire a bike almost anywhere in the city and leave it in a completely different location when you're finished.
Whichever way you decide to discover Amsterdam, by foot or by bike, it's always worth having a look at the Dam Square. The dam square is located in the very centre of Amsterdam and has been situated at the very centre of Amsterdam's history for many centuries.
It was for example the reception area of Napoleon during the 1808 take-over of Amsterdam. Dam Square is also the location of Nieuwe Kerk, a 15th century church that has been the location of many royal coronations and weddings and is today a popular exhibition space with regular displays featuring elements of Dutch culture and history.
