Red Light Secrets Museum

Museum of prostitution in Amsterdam

Red Light Secrets Museum is one of the popular attractions in Amsterdam’s Red Light District. As a museum of prostitution it is very well placed in the heart of all the action.

We visited during the late afternoon in October 2024 when it was still light, which may well be it’s quieter time, but allowed for a nice easy visit with not too many people. As dusk falls and the area becomes busier the museum will no doubt become busier too.

This museum is for anyone that wants to understand a bit of history behind the oldest profession. It is a good place to visit to gain an understanding of just what happens in one of the infamous houses and is a popular attraction, educating in an honest but eye opening way.

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Red Light Secrets Museum Tickets

Tickets for Red Light Secrets Museum are available online and are booked on a time of entry basis.

You should expect to spend around an  hour in the museum depending on your interest level.

What to expect at the Red Light Secrets Museum

We were not sure what we would see upon booking our tickets, but the sales pitch is a museum that opens the door on what happens behind closed doors.

Sound’s pretty intriguing right. As we entered the museum we were given an audio device we could tap against various QR codes as we made our way through and a Russian voice would tell us pretty explicitly what happened in the room we were in. I have no idea if the Russian lady was ‘real’ but she had a good sense of humour.

Cinema room

The first room we entered is a mini cinema that plays a montage of sexy clips, lap dancing, that kind of thing. I guess to set the mood.

Leaving this room we entered a small corridor which only about 4 people could be in at any one time, which perhaps is why the cinema is there at the start, entertaining you whilst you wait to go through. On the walls of the corridor is a story about prostitutes and pimps in various different frames. At this stage you understand you are in the original house and that all the houses surrounding you along the canals are probably very similar.

Climbing a small set of stairs we entered another corridor, again with messaging on the walls.

This corridor was very interesting with lots of facts about prostitution and how they were working for a better future for everyone involved.

First floor windows

As we left the corridor, we were now on the first floor at the front of the house. This is where you’ll find the actual red light windows. If the mood takes you, you can sit on the small stool and look out to the canals and all the passersby.

In this slightly larger area there are a couple of screens that you can watch as you listen to descriptions of what working here was like. You’ll find the QR codes dotted about everywhere, so be sure to keep an eye out in case you wander past one without noticing it, which we seemed to be doing often.

Bedrooms and bathrooms

Turning back inside the house we were greeted by a mock up bedroom with a anatomically accurate bath tub which looked pretty kitsch.

Risque room

The next room was a bit more revealing with a swing and a lot of equipment (tried to photograph the least explicit for our site!). This area leant more towards the S&M side of things and the audio description certainly did too.

Life and death in the house

After this we stepped down into an area exploring the unsolved murder of a prostitute in this very house. At this point the realisation of where you are and just what can happen in these houses is fully there.

To kind of cement this, the next room is a cinema style room with a day in the life type film of a girl working in the red light district in Amsterdam and explores everything she does and goes through to work here.

There are also quotes painted on the wall from working women which are both interesting and profound.

Confessions

Perhaps the most enlightening and funny part of this museum is the interactive wall of visitor quotes where you are encouraged to write your innermost secrets on the paper on the wall. The first one I saw just read WTF. I understood why when I started to read the rest!

Finally as you leave there is a small wall of products you could buy to remember your visit and a place to get a photograph of what you would look like as a sex worker.

There are a few video screens as you leave that are really cleverly positioned so that they actually look like a girl in the window beckoning you in. Stepping back onto the street you realise you are only doors away from the real thing which makes this museum just as much about the present as it is the past.

Red Light Secret Museum our thoughts

It may not be a museum you visit twice, but it does show you just what happens in what is a pretty mysterious world to most. As a way to experience the red light district and learn more about the life of those working here it is quite fascinating and entertaining, so definitely worth the entry.

Where is the Red Light Secrets Museum of Prostitution

Red Light Secrets Museum is right in the heart of the red light district in historic Amsterdam. It is a short 5-minute walk from Centraal Station and only 5-minutes walk from Dam Square. The museum is right by one of the main bridges in the RLD and has huge signage so is very easy to find. 

Amsterdam Red Light Secrets address:

Oudezijds Achterburgwal 60 1012 DP Amsterdam

Red Light Secrets Amsterdam Accessibility

As this museum is in the original canal house and cannot be adapted there really is no accessibility for wheelchair users. There are multiple steps/stairs and narrow corridors running throughout. Those with mobility issues may also struggle making their way round, but if you can climb a few stairs and navigate steps you should be ok, the museum adds that there are plenty of spots to sit and rest throughout. 

Other related attractions nearby

If you are visiting the Red Light Secrets Museum then you are already in the heart of the red light district. It may be that after visiting the museum you want to go and immerse yourself in the present rather than the past and perhaps take in a very naughty show at Casa Rosso, or Moulin Rouge. Maybe you’d prefer to enjoy a drink in one of the bars looking out onto the neon reflected canals and just experience the places atmosphere.

There are a couple of other sex related museums in the red light district too.

The Sex Museum, which is more on the edge of the red light district towards Centraal Station, but is one of the most popular museums in Amsterdam. As you can imagine it explores everything to do with sex and is certainly not for the prudish.

The Erotic Museum also situated in the red light district explores the erotic world, mainly through art that you can then purchase in the shop. It is open until 1am most nights and 2am on Fridays and Saturdays.

Red Light District Tour Amsterdam

Finally one of the best ways to visit the red light district is to take a RLD guided tour with a knowledgeable guide. They will regale you with information and history you are unlikely to discover on your own and it is a great way to see the red light district in a small group.