I have discovered 3 options for city/museum passes in Amsterdam. Too many choices! There is Amsterdam Museumkart, I Amsterdam City Card, and Amsterdam Holland Pass. The last 5 days of our 3 week long European trip (our first) will be in Amsterdam. We know we want to take a canal tour, a bike tour, see the Van Gogh Musuem and the Anne Frank Museum. I am wondering about the Rijksmuseum and the EYE Film Instititute. I have a limited attention span for museums and want to leave plenty of time to view Amsterdam and beyond from the outside and, weather permitting, hope to do much of that from a bike. I am looking for advice about prioritizing the many museum choices and also interested in hearing if people have found any of the 3 passes to be worthwhile.
Posted by
New Paltz, NY
9100 posts
I've used the iAmsterdam pass in previous visits, and found it very economical. But I'm a museum-centric type of person who rides the trams a lot.; If you're not into that it won't save you any money. You have to visit three museums or covered activies per day, and four tram rides to make it pay off, as the card includes a transit pass.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16893 posts
With five days in Amsterdam, I'm sure you will have time to fit in the Rijksmuseum, which you can visit well in a couple of hours. Rick has recorded a couple of Audio walking tours from Amsterdam, but his museum tour description is just in the books. The Anne Frank House and Rijksmuseum are covered by the Museumkaart, but not the I Amsterdam Card.
Posted by
2081 posts
donna,
I like museums especially with stuff i can't find/see in the USA.
I bought the Museumkart since if i remember correctly it had MOST of the museums on it. also, if i remember the other card didn't have one attraction, so it was a toss up, but what i liked about the Museumkart was that it was good for 1 year and i had decided to go back in several months so that sold me on it.
In my opinion, if you're not a "museum type" why go.
this is just my opinion on what "I" like so take it as you see fit, but i really enjoyed the NEMO and Rijks and Rembrandt House. I still havent made it into the Anne Frank Museum, yet.
happy trails.
Posted by
Albany
161 posts
I am going with the Museumkart. With the others, you get discounts to various things-- with the museumkart, you get full entry. More simple. Plus, If you go online and look at what you get discounts for, are you really interested in doing all that? Just choose, rather than pack it. Take time to walk around and enjoy the biking, as you suggest.
laurel
Posted by
New Paltz, NY
9100 posts
"...With the others, you get discounts to various things-- with the museumkart, you get full entry....."
Not so. The iAmsterdam card get you free admission to 34 museums/sites, a free canal cruise, a small discount at the Rijksmuseum, plus a transit pass, and the two main museums in Haarlem. The only major attraction it doesn't cover is the Anne Frank House.
More details here:
http://www.iamsterdam.com/en-GB/experience/deals/i-amsterdam-city-card/i-amsterdam-city-card-offers