Art Zoo Museum Amsterdam: Taxidermy & 17th-Century Canal House

Inside a Canal House, Animals Frozen Mid-Life by Dutch Taxidermy Masters

You enter a historic canal house and walk through rooms of lifelike taxidermy by renowned Dutch artists, with a free audio tour guiding you through the work and the building's history in your choice of ten languages. The visit includes access to the original garden and Italian bar, and you move through at your own speed with no fixed group or schedule.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Art Zoo Museum Amsterdam

• Enter 17th-century canal house
• Explore taxidermy art exhibits
• Use self-guided audio tour
• View colorful birds and animals
• See historic garden and Italian bar
• Enjoy coffee at Italian bar

The experience

You walk into a 17th-century Amsterdam canal house and the first thing that hits you is the scale of it all. A T. rex dominates one room. Crocodiles coil in glass cases. Snakes wind through aviaries. The taxidermy here (by Darwin, Sinke, and Van Tongeren) isn't the dusty museum stuff. The feathers catch light, the eyes track you as you move past, and the whole thing feels less like natural history and more like a painter's still life that somehow came alive and then froze again. You're standing in what used to be someone's home, and now it's this cabinet of curiosities with a modern edge.

The self-guided audio tour runs in ten languages, so you can move at your own pace and actually absorb what you're looking at instead of rushing through with a group. The guide explains the history of the building, the artists' techniques, why these particular animals matter. It's the kind of context that makes you see the work differently the second time you look. Colored birds fill the aviaries. The garden outside is original to the house, and there's an Italian bar tucked in where you can stop for coffee or just sit and let your eyes rest. Nothing feels rushed or overstuffed. The museum knows what it is.

Art Zoo Museum isn't trying to be a natural history museum or a traditional art gallery. It's somewhere between both, which is why it works for people who'd normally skip one or the other. The taxidermy is the art, the animals are the subject, and the 17th-century space is the frame. You're in the center of Amsterdam but it feels like you've stepped into something private and a little strange in the best way.

What’s included

Your visit includes entrance to Art Zoo Museum, a self-guided audio tour available in 10 languages covering the artworks and building history, access to the historic garden, and the Italian bar for refreshments.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day14 departure times: the first at 10:00, the last at 16:30

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Youth (7 to 17 years) · Child (under 7): free

Audio guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Arabic, Chinese, Dutch and Russian

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Art Zoo Museum

Is this one for you?Right for anyone in Amsterdam who wants to see art that isn't in a traditional gallery and doesn't mind taxidermy: the self-guided format and audio tour mean you control the pace and depth, which is what makes an hour in a canal house feel complete instead of rushed.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (7 to 17 years); Child (under 7): free.

How long does a visit to Art Zoo Museum usually take?

Most visitors spend 1.5 to 2 hours exploring the museum, garden, and bar, though you can move faster or slower depending on your interest in the audio tour details.

Is the audio tour included with entry?

Yes, the self-guided audio tour is included with your ticket and available in 10 languages.

Is there parking or public transport nearby?

The museum is located in central Amsterdam with public transportation options available nearby. It's in a 17th-century canal house, so parking in the immediate area is limited as with most of Amsterdam's city center.

Are service animals allowed?

Yes, service animals are permitted in the museum.

Is there a café or restaurant?

There is an Italian bar in the museum where you can order coffee and light refreshments.