Things to do in Amsterdam for Students

You’re a student and you’ve gone to the Netherlands to expand your mind, sharpen your knowledge and broaden your horizons, right? Right. In which case, good news: Amsterdam is home to more world-class museums than you can shake a very big tulip at. And yes, there’s even a Tulip Museum, should you be that way inclined. But before stopping to smell the flowers, make sure to tick off Amsterdam’s big three. These, as you are almost certainly now wondering, are the Rijksmuseum, Stedelijk Museum and Van Gogh Museum, all of which are conveniently located pretty much next door to each other in the city center's Museumplein park.

• The Rijksmuseum. The largest and most important museum in the Netherlands covers some 800 years of Dutch history, and is where you can eyeball masterpieces of Dutch Golden Age art by Rembrandt, Vermeer, Van Gogh et al.
• The Van Gogh Museum. If starry nights, self-portraits and sunflowers are your thang, you’ll be in clover here among the planet’s biggest collection of van Gogh paintings, drawings and letters.
• The Stedelijk Museum. This striking Dutch neo-renaissance building houses an eye-popping collection of contemporary art and design, starring Picasso, Pollock, Rothko, Kandinsky and many more.

It’s a truth universally acknowledged that cash-strapped students love a discount. And discounting is exactly what the Amsterdam pass is all about. You can save up to 50% on admission to all of the above museums, plus several more cultural and historical Amsterdam attractions, including the Anne Frank House, National Maritime Museum, canal cruises and city tours, and entry to the former home of some dude called Rembrandt. Students like to let loose and have fun too, right? Good news: the Amsterdam pass also has you covered for cool immersive museums, beer-related experiences and more. Hit the buttons below to find out more and bag your pass…

Scratch the surface of any major university city and you’ll find plenty of ways to conserve cash, so long as you’re carrying your international student identity card (ISIC). This includes savings of 20-30% on entry to several Amsterdam museums, among them the Rembrandthuis (pictured), the Amstelkring Museum and the flamboyant Golden Age confection that is the Royal Palace on Dam Square.

Amsterdam’s numerous bars, pubs and clubs also run frequent discounts to entice students in. Not that students require much encouragement to enter establishments that are serving beer. The ISIC will secure discounted entry to some of the city’s most legendary club nights, including at the Paradiso and Melkweg, where students (and non-students) can dance themselves dizzy until dawn.

Now the part you’ve all been waiting for. Because, let’s face it, nothing tastes as sweet as a freebie. So without further ado, here are a few of our favorite free things for students to do in Amsterdam.

• The Eye Filmmuseum. Step outside Amsterdam Centraal train station and gaze across the river. That eye-catching deconstructed-concorde-looking object directly opposite? That’d be the wild modern architecture of the Eye Filmmuseum, a love letter to Dutch and international cinema. There are student discounts for the various screenings and exhibitions, of course. But it’s also free to enter the building, meaning you can ogle vintage movie posters and enjoy widescreen views back across the water from the café.
• The Amsterdam City Archives. This extraordinary Art Deco building contains – on some 50 kilometers of shelving – nearly 1,000 years of Amsterdam’s municipal history. We’re talking documents relating to ancient bridge tolls, the Heineken brewery archives, a police report about the theft of Anne Frank’s bike, and much more. It’s a fascinating time capsule of Amsterdam’s storied past and, best of all, entry to its reading room, treasury, film room and most exhibitions won’t cost a dime – a godsend for fiscally challenged students with a thirst for knowledge.

• Free shows at the Royal Concertgebouw. The 19th-century Concertgebouw is an Amsterdam icon, with crisp pindrop acoustics that are the envy of nearly every opera house on the planet. Inevitably then, the majority of performances here are well out of the price range of most students. But don’t let yourself be defeated so easily! Savvy savers can access free lunchtime recitals in the hallowed Main Hall (or pay a nominal transaction fee for performances in the Recital Hall) – register for tickets well in advance for the win.
• Amsterdam’s OBA Public Library. Any student worthy of the name will be making regular use of the Netherlands’ largest library – seven floors and some 1.5 million books – anyway. But it’s worth a (free) visit for the views from the top floor alone. Grab a book and a coffee and take it all in from the panoramic terrace, with a view that includes much of Amsterdam’s city center, plus the river and the hulking copper-green hull of the nearby NEMO Science Museum, from where – coincidentally – top-floor terrace views also come gratis.

• The Vondelpark. Amsterdam’s largest public park has several things going for it, including (but not limited to) a) a central location; b) proximity to student-magnet Museumplein; and c) it is of course free to visit. Take a morning constitutional to admire statues and sculptures that include an original piece by Picasso, no less. The park is also great for picnicking and/or hanging out beneath the chestnut trees puffing on a doobie, should you be that way inclined. Last, but not least, shows at the excellent Openlucht Theater run regularly – and for free – between May and September. Roll up for stand-up comedy, classic plays, contemporary dance and much more park-based fun.

Students can save a packet with the Amsterdam pass from Go City, which can save you up to 50% on dozens of Amsterdam attractions. Click to find out more and choose your pass.