The Solo Scale:

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Amsterdam is well-known for their canals, their bikes, and their famous tulips. Centuries ago, Amsterdam’s tulips set off a supply and demand craze that eventually led to one of the most famous bubble bursts in history. Nowadays, tulips are still a draw as Amsterdam supplies the world with them, gives tourists the chance to buy bulbs, and during the springtime, see the multitude of fields. If you’re in downtown Amsterdam, you can dive into the world of tulips at the Amsterdam Tulip Museum.

Located centrally, right across from the Anne Frank House, the Amsterdam Tulip Museum is a bit deceptive. It actually looks like nothing more than a shop-front when you walk in. That’s because the gift shop and storefront are one and the same. At the back of the shop is where you purchase your tickets. This is also where you can find the turnstile for the Tulip Museum experience.

You should still spend some time at the shop because it’s a great place for tulip-related paraphernalia. If you’re expecting it to be all locally produced, that may end up disappointing you. Most of what they sell is made elsewhere, but you can still find some really nice pieces. I was able to find a tulip cross-stitch for a family member who enjoys that, and a hand-painted ornament for myself.

Heading into the museum is just past a set of turnstiles and instantly, you head downstairs. Each room is small, but incredibly detailed between the displays, the audio playing, the movies, and more. One thing that I really liked about this museum as well was simply how well decorated it was. They’ve got beautiful cut-outs and tulip wallpaper and Delft pottery as tulip-holders.

For such a small museum at a value-friendly price, it’s a great treat.

Winding through the museum brings you through history, including the tulip bubble bursting, and winds back to today. You’ll see the different varieties of tulips and then make your way to a final room that shows a video on the lifecycle of planting to harvesting and all the steps in between.

In all, it only took me a little under a hour to peruse the museum and then another fifteen minutes or so to do some tulip shopping at the gift shop. However, this is across the street from the Anne Frank House and in close proximity to a bunch of great fry shops. If you’re looking for something to pad your Amsterdam day, this is an absolutely great filler museum for you.

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If you’re interested in the story of the tulip, its rocky history, or just have a green thumb in general, this is absolutely worth a visit. Check out their website to learn more!

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