Amsterdam Travel Guide

­Sex Museum

A city like Amsterdam, with its Red Light District and legalized government-controlled prostitution, must have a sex museum it would seem almost hyprocritical not to. And while other cities in Europe also have their own sex museum, Amsterdam's Sex Museum (or Sexmuseum) is one of the most complete (and most entertaining) in the world.

The Sex Museum is located near Centraal Station, and for those (adults only, of course) who are not easily offended by pornography a visit to the Sex Museum is definitely good for a laugh. It's also good for a bit of history, though it can be easy to overlook this when sitting on a giant penis-shaped chair.

The Sex Museum Amsterdam has a huge collection of historic pornography and erotic art, as well as pornographic literature, toys, and artifacts. Among their collection you can find literature and manuscripts with their own take on the Kama Sutra, to an almost disturbing gallery of the many kinds of sexual fetishes, to sexual devotional items from Greek temples. All the collections are arranged in a titillating tableau, with mannequins demonstrating sexual positions and Japanese erotic toys carved from ivory that come complete with how-to illustrations. There is even an interactive area where museum-goers can watch a selection of pornographic films in private, padded booths, or look at contemporary paintings while sitting on a seven-foot penis-shaped vibrating chair.

Admission to the Sex Museums costs 2.50 or so, and is not advised for those that are easily offended the museum is very graphic. This place is full of fun and history, but if you're truly interested in learning about the history of erotic art and sexuality, it's best not to visit the Sex Museum as part of a group for most people, it's a difficult place to take seriously.

Note: The Amsterdam Sex Museum website (link below) contains nudity.

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