The Sexmuseum Amsterdam Venustempel is a museum of erotic art and objects at Damrak 18, about five minutes on foot from Amsterdam Centraal Station. It opens daily from 10:00 to 18:00, tickets cost around €10, and every visitor must be at least 16. Most people spend about an hour inside. I’ve been, and it’s not an experience you’ll forget in a hurry.
What the Sexmuseum Venustempel is
The “Temple of Venus” opened in 1985 and bills itself as the world’s first and oldest sex museum. It started small: a modest collection of 19th-century erotic objects in a few display cases. Early visitors liked it so much that the owners kept adding to it, and the collection now spans erotic sculpture, paintings, photographs and objects from many cultures and periods.
The building is part of the fun. The museum occupies a 17th-century property made up of a front house and two rear houses, joined by a steep central staircase. The result is a maze of small rooms, landings and stairwells where you keep turning corners into something unexpected.
Fair warning: this isn’t your grandma’s museum (unless your grandma is particularly saucy). Some displays are tasteful, some are graphic, and a few are simply silly. Expectations matter here. Visitors who come for a cheap, cheeky hour near the station usually leave happy, while anyone hoping for a polished, research-led institution may find the presentation old-fashioned and light on context.
Visitor essentials
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Address | Damrak 18, 1012 LH Amsterdam |
| Opening hours | Monday to Sunday, 10:00 to 18:00. Last entry is reported at 17:30. |
| Holiday exceptions | Opens at 12:00 on 1 January. Closed on King’s Day. |
| Tickets | €10 online, which includes a €1 donation to a medical research fund at Amsterdam UMC. The museum’s FAQ lists the entrance fee itself as €9. |
| Ticket validity | Online tickets are valid for three months, with no time slot. Box-office tickets are valid on the day of purchase only. No refunds. |
| Minimum age | 16, with no exceptions (babies included). Bring ID if you look young. |
| Discount passes | Museumkaart, CJP, culture passes and student cards are not accepted. |
| Time needed | About 45 minutes to 1.5 hours |
| Photos | Allowed without flash. No selfie sticks or long videos. |
| Facilities | Gender-neutral toilets on the first floor. No café or gift shop. |
Card payments go through on your statement as BEM International BV, which is worth knowing if you’re splitting costs with friends or checking a bank app later. Details were checked against the museum’s official FAQ in September 2026; confirm hours there before a special trip.
What you’ll see inside
The historical material is the strongest part of the collection. It shows how people have depicted sex across centuries and cultures, from fertility figures to 19th-century erotic photographs and prints. It’s a fascinating look at the dirty minds of our ancestors, and a reminder that very little is new.
The art ranges from classical-style nudes to erotic photography. Some pieces are beautiful, others are shocking, and a few might make you tilt your head and think, “Huh, I didn’t know that was physically possible.”
Several rooms are named after figures linked to seduction, scandal or sensuality. A visitor review published on the museum’s own website mentions rooms dedicated to Mata Hari, the Marquis de Sade, Rudolph Valentino, Oscar Wilde and Madame de Pompadour.
You’ll also find historic sex toys and intimate gadgets, some of them surprisingly inventive for their era, plus cheeky cartoons and comic erotica that lean hard into the humour. There are plenty of photo opportunities with risqué statues along the way. Snap away, just skip the flash.
Best time to visit
The Sexmuseum is open every day of the year apart from King’s Day (27 April, or 26 April when the 27th falls on a Sunday), so timing is mostly about crowds. It’s a handy rainy-day option, and Amsterdam has plenty of those, particularly in autumn and winter.
The narrow rooms and stairs feel cramped when busy. For a calmer visit, go close to opening at 10:00 or on a weekday rather than a Saturday in peak season. Arrive well before 17:30: the last-entry cut-off is reported to be strictly enforced. Because online tickets are valid for three months with no time slot, you can buy ahead and simply walk in when the queue looks short.
Older guides list opening hours of 9:30 to 23:30. Those were pre-2020 hours; the museum now closes at 18:00, so it no longer works as a late-night stop.
You can pair your visit with a walk through De Wallen, Amsterdam’s Red Light District, a few minutes east of Damrak. It makes for a full afternoon exploring the city’s saucier side. Be respectful: photographing window workers is forbidden, and public cannabis smoking is banned in the district.
How to get there
The museum is at Damrak 18, 1012 LH Amsterdam, near the station end of Damrak, the busy street that runs from Amsterdam Centraal Station to Dam Square.
- From Amsterdam Centraal Station: leave by the main city-side exit and walk south along Damrak. The museum is about four to five minutes on foot.
- By tram: trams 4, 14 and 24 stop at Dam on the Rokin side of the square, and trams 2, 12, 13 and 17 use the Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal side. From Dam Square, walk about five minutes north along Damrak towards the station.
- From Schiphol Airport: take the train to Amsterdam Centraal, then walk. A taxi works too, but it’ll cost ya.
- By bike: cycling is the local way to get around, but Damrak is hectic. Lock your bike to a proper rack or use the large bike parking at Centraal Station.
- By car: not recommended. Central Amsterdam has limited, expensive parking and streets full of cyclists and trams.
Meeting friends there? It’s a good group outing, but the pavement outside gets crowded. Pick a clear landmark, such as the front of Centraal Station, rather than the museum door. The famous “I amsterdam” letters are no longer in the city centre, so don’t plan to meet at them.
Nearby places to pair with a visit
If niche museums are your thing, the Hash Marihuana & Hemp Museum on Oudezijds Achterburgwal is a short walk away in De Wallen. For something more mainstream, Dam Square and the Royal Palace are five minutes south. You can browse more options in our guide to Amsterdam museums and our list of Amsterdam tourist attractions.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Sexmuseum Amsterdam wheelchair accessible?
Only partly. The building has no lift, so most floors are not wheelchair accessible. Wheelchair users can visit the ground floor, and entry for them is free.
Can I leave the Sexmuseum and come back on the same ticket?
No. Each ticket allows a single entry, and the museum does not give refunds, including for tickets bought by mistake.
Can I bring my dog to the Sexmuseum?
Yes, as long as the dog is on a lead, house-trained and not aggressive. Owners are liable for any damage their dog causes.
Can I bring food or drinks inside?
Food is not allowed, but closed bottles are. Alcohol and drugs may not be used inside the museum.
Is the Sexmuseum the same as Red Light Secrets?
No. The Sexmuseum Venustempel on Damrak covers erotic art and objects through history. Red Light Secrets is a separate museum in De Wallen about the history of Amsterdam’s sex-work industry.
