Get up close and personal with the icons of yesterday and today at Amsterdam’s branch of this popular global waxworks museum.
Madame Tussaud, who learned her extraordinary trade making death masks during the French Revolution, started what would become her world-famous waxwork museum in London in 1835. The Amsterdam branch represented the brand’s first foray outside the UK when it opened in 1971, and includes many famous faces from the Netherlands as well as internationally recognisable celebrities. All the models are still made in the UK, upholding the high standards of workmanship that has kept the Tussaud name at the forefront of waxwork artistry for two centuries.The Amsterdam exhibition is housed on the top floor of the Peek & Cloppenburg department store on Dam Square, with its own ground-floor entrance flanked by two giant wax statues. If you have a strong stomach, choose the scary tour and prepare to be terrified by eerily lifelike models of notorious criminals, who jump out on you at unexpected moments.Those of a nervous disposition can opt for the non-scary tour and enjoy photo-opportunities with superstars such as Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber, cultural icons including Marilyn Monroe and Bob Marley, and world leaders from the White House Oval Office and the Dutch Royal family. The exhibition also includes many Dutch TV stars and sports celebrities, as well as an opportunity to hear Anne Frank reading excerpts from her famous diary, written right here in Amsterdam.The museum’s lofty location offers wonderful panoramic views of historic Dam Square and the wider city across the picturesque rooftops of the old town. It’s open daily apart from public holidays, and its popularity means it can get very busy, especially at weekends, so come later in the afternoon to beat the queues and benefit from cheaper admission charges. Access is easy by public transport or on foot from Central Station, but don’t bring the car unless absolutely necessary, as parking in the city centre is very limited.
