Stadsarchief

Southern Canal Ring


A distinctive striped building dating from 1923, this former bank now houses 23km of shelving storing Amsterdam archives. Fascinating displays of archive gems, such as the 1942 police report on the theft of Anne Frank's bike and a letter from Charles Darwin to Artis Royal Zoo in 1868, can be viewed in the enormous tiled basement vault.

Tours (adult/child €7.50/free, 1¼ hours) run at 2pm on Sundays, and must be booked in advance.

Upstairs, a gallery space mounts temporary exhibits (adult/child €7.50/5).


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Southern Canal Ring attractions

1. Foam

0.05 MILES

From the outside, it looks like a grand canal house, but this is the city's most important photography gallery. Its simple, spacious galleries, some with…

2. Kattenkabinet

0.08 MILES

When kitties go to the great sofa in the sky, most doting owners comfort themselves with a photo on the mantel; wealthy financier Bob Meijer founded an…

3. Museum Van Loon

0.09 MILES

An insight into life at the top of the pile in the 19th century, Museum Van Loon is an opulent 1672 residence that was first home to painter Ferdinand Bol…

4. Golden Bend

0.11 MILES

The Golden Bend is Amsterdam's swankiest stretch of property. Its handsome mansions are a monument to the Golden Age, when precious goods swelled the…

5. Reguliersgracht

0.16 MILES

Crossing Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht canals, this waterway was dug in 1658 to link the Herengracht with the canals further south. The…

6. Bloemenmarkt

0.18 MILES

Flowers are not treats, but essentials in Amsterdam. Ever since 1860, this famous flower market has been located at the spot where nurserymen and women,…

7. Tassenmuseum Hendrikje

0.19 MILES

This grand 17th-century canal-house museum has a covetable collection of arm candy. More than 5000 bags can be found here, including a medieval pouch,…

8. Torture Museum

0.21 MILES

It's dilapidated and so dimly lit inside that you can barely read the placards, but fans of kitsch and oddball lore will enjoy learning about devices such…