Built in 1687 as a home for Amsterdam mayor Jacob Hop and redesigned in 1739, the Museum Willet-Holthuysen (amsterdammuseum.nl/tentoonstelling/huis-willet-holthuysen/9511; adult/child €15/free) offers insight into the 19th-century lives of the merchant class' super-rich. It's named for Louisa Willet-Holthuysen, who lived a lavish, bohemian life here with her husband Abraham from 1861. Their rich selection of furniture and art includes notable paintings by Jacob de Wit. The preserved kitchen and scullery provide a glimpse of the work required to keep the house running.
Louisa Willet-Holthuysen bequeathed the property to the city in 1895, and it's now managed by the Amsterdam Museum. Every six months, a leading artist or collector is offered the opportunity to exhibit throughout the property's fabulous rooms.
Its garden is a highlight of June's Open Tuinen Dagen (Open Garden Days; opentuinendagen.nl).
