Madame Tussauds, Amsterdam

Madame Tussauds Amsterdam—the city’s go-to address for brushing shoulders with people you’ll never actually meet—holds the distinction of being the first international branch of the famous London institution. It opened in 1970 under the direction of Josephine Tussaud, a descendant of the original Madame Tussaud, clearly keeping the family tradition of turning celebrities into eerily convincing wax figures very much alive. The museum started out on Kalverstraat before relocating in 1991 to its current home above Dam Square, inside the Peek & Cloppenburg building—a national monument dating back to the years between 1914 and 1917.

Inside, the lineup reads like a guest list that would be impossible anywhere else. Figures from the Dutch Golden Age stand alongside global pop icons, athletes, and film stars, all frozen mid-career, mid-pose, and mercifully free of scheduling conflicts. You’ll find familiar faces like Michael Jackson and George W. Bush, along with animated displays that blur the line between painting, sculpture, and something that might blink if you stare long enough.

The whole place is built for interaction. Since a major update in 2012, exhibits invite you to step into the scene—whether that means posing for a photo, testing your stage presence, or taking a slightly surreal walk through a dark passage inspired by a moon landing, complete with dramatic flair and a warning for the faint-hearted.

And before you leave, head upstairs. The top floor offers a clear, open view over Dam Square—real people, real movement, and a welcome reminder that, outside, everything is still very much alive...