Heineken Brewery. Tour of the Heineken Experience Museum in Amsterdam, Netherlands Visit Review
Heineken Museum (Amsterdam, Netherlands) - expositions, opening hours, address, phone numbers, official website.
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The Heineken Museum in Amsterdam is not just a Beer Museum, it combines an interactive platform, an exhibition center and a modern attraction. The museum is housed in an old factory building, but don't be fooled by its appearance - the latest technology and space design reign supreme inside. 4 floors and more than 3000 m of exhibition space are packed to capacity with historical expositions, entertainment and, of course, barrels, bottles and kegs with beer of the highest quality.
The Dutch brand "Heineken" appeared in 1864, quickly conquered the local market and, thanks to the efforts of several generations of the Heineken family, gained worldwide fame in the middle of the 20th century. The main brewery was built in 1867 and remained the main productive force until 1988. With the emergence of a new plant in the suburbs of Amsterdam, the old brewery was left out of work, but by the decision of the Heineken management in 1991 it was reconstructed and converted into a museum.
What to see
The entrance ticket gives access to all halls and expositions of the museum. The visitor also receives a bracelet with three studs, which can be exchanged for two glasses of beer and a souvenir. Part of the exhibitions is devoted to the history of the brand and the production technology of the foamy drink: here you can taste the ingredients that make up the beer separately and follow the fermentation process in ancient cauldrons. The exact recipe is apparently a closely guarded secret. Many expositions and attractions are centered around the brand's most recognizable element - the signature green Heineken bottle. Guests can see the evolution of its shape over the past 150 years, create a personalized label and even become the bottle itself for a while. Such entertainment is available thanks to a 5D cinema that simulates the path of a bottle along a factory conveyor.
For those who are interested in applied knowledge in the field of beer science, mini-lectures are organized explaining how to distinguish fresh from stale beer or how to properly pour a foamy drink.
The museum hosts free tastings, there is also a bar where you can buy your favorite beer. It's nice to sit in an armchair over a glass and watch Heineken commercials, which have won prestigious awards at the Cannes Lions festival more than once. Since the company has been sponsoring international football leagues for a long time, the museum has a large collection of artifacts from the world of big football, as well as a hall where important matches are broadcast on plasma screens. Music lovers will love the custom drum kit made from beer kegs - you can try playing it if you want. For those who prefer singing, there is a karaoke room. You can record your performance against the backdrop of Heineken paraphernalia and send it to friends in real time. At the exit from the museum, the tour does not end: visitors are seated in a river bus and taken to the company store, where everyone is given a memorable souvenir.
Practical Information
Address: Amsterdam, Stadhouderskade, 78. Website.
Opening hours: Monday-Thursday - from 10:30 to 17:30, Friday-Sunday - from 10:30 to 19:00.
Admission fee: adults - 21 EUR, children - 14.50 EUR (only accompanied by adults). Prices on the page are for September 2018.
As Amsterdam is open 365 days a year, so are we!
We're glad to welcome you during the following opening hours:
Monday to Thursday - 10:30 till 19:30 (Last admission 17:30)
Friday to Sunday - 10:30 till 21:00 (Last admission 19:00)
December 24th and 31st - 10:30 till 16:00 (Last admission 14:00)
During July and August, weekend times apply.
contact and route
The Heineken Experience is located at Stadhouderskade 78, 1072 AE in Amsterdam. Find us on the map.
public transport:
Trams 1, 7, 19 and 24 and metro 52 stop right around the corner!
What is the Heineken Experience?
The Heineken Experience is an attraction located at the Heineken's first built brewery in Amsterdam's city centre. In 1988, the brewery was closed due to the inability to meet the high demand. Nowadays, you can learn about Heineken's® heritage, brewing process, innovations, sponsorships and what it takes to serve a star in a 1.5 hour self-guided tour. At the end of the tour you can, of course, enjoy two Heinekens .
What is Rock the City?
Your tour starts at the Heineken Experience. The boat leaves 2 hours after your visit at the
Heineken Experience starts, leaving you enough time to explore the brewery and enjoy your cold beers.
The boat departs from the canal in front of the Heineken Experience and will drop you off at
the A'DAM Tower, which is your final destination. Please note that the canal cruise is a one-way trip.
Why is there no VIP tour on Saturday?
As it is the busiest day of the week, we don't offer VIP tours on Saturday.
Is the Heineken Experience wheelchair accessible?
We are very proud of our historical building. Unfortunately, this also makes it more difficult to be wheelchair friendly.
If you wish to visit the Heineken Experience with a wheelchair, please let us know by checking the box when buying your ticket, so we are aware of your visit.
Please be advised that our less busy entry hours are during the week before 13:00h CET
Are children allowed in the Heineken Experience?
Children are allowed in the attraction as long as they are accompanied by an adult.
We do not serve alcoholic beverages to visitors under the age of 18. In this case, they will receive 2 complimentary glasses of soft drink or water.
Please note that prams are not allowed on the tour. You can leave it in our cloakroom (free of charge).
Is there a cloakroom?
We do have a cloakroom available in the attraction and it is free of charge. So you can just leave your belongings safe with us and enjoy the tour with your hands free.
What language is the Heineken Experience in?
The Heineken Experience is in English. However, our app will enhance your visit even further! The Heineken Experience app is an audio and video guide, which will provide you with additional tour information in English, Dutch, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese and Russian.
In case you can"t or don"t want to use your own device, we have rental devices available for a small fee.
The Heineken Experience beer museum in Amsterdam is the property of the world-renowned brewery Heineken Brouwerijen. Founded in 1864 by Gerard Heineken, today the brewery is one of the largest in the international arena. The corporation's factories are located in 65 countries, today their number is close to 150. Heineken produces about 200 types of beer, and the recipe for the branded drink has not changed for a century and a half. The Heineken Experience exposition is located in one of the first breweries in Amsterdam. The exposition occupied a total of 3,000 square meters on four floors. There are many Heineken family photos, product evolution, various multimedia stands, etc. on display here. The exhibition is included in the register of the European industrial heritage and is protected by the government.
Excursions to the Heineken Experience Beer Museum
The excursion to the beer museum in Amsterdam starts from the hall of the history of the Heineken dynasty. On the stands you can see photos of the company's heirs, many awards and diplomas, some significant shots from the history of the development of the beer giant.
In a separate room there is an exposition dedicated to the history of the brand's participation in world football, music and cinema. Heineken has long been one of UEFA's top sponsors. Under the green flags of the brand, there are many musical tours of eminent DJs, and James Bond in films is increasingly sipping cold Heineken instead of brandy or martini.
In the next part of the exhibition tells the viewer about the evolution of advertising. You can sit comfortably in easy chairs and see what posters, stickers on bottles and TV commercials called for buying a bottle of fresh beer in different years.
Going further, you will see a large stand with bottles. Here are samples that have been preserved since 1864, each modification of the bottle is presented on this stand. Also, the ancient vats for brewing have been preserved in the museum, you can even look inside.
In the next hall, a surprise awaits visitors - the Bottle Ride attraction. It not only introduces you to the process of bottling a drink, but literally makes you feel like green glass containers. A person stands on a special podium, they are shown a video on a wide screen, the recording shows the process of bottling beer, clogging and further movement along the conveyor. All this is accompanied by a shaking podium and other special effects in unison with the video. After visiting the attraction, you will be offered to take a picture behind a drum set made of beer kegs. The next tempting attraction is karaoke. Here, everyone is invited to sing the legendary "Tulips in Amsterdam", overlay a clip and immediately send the recording to their page on the social network.
Another interesting attraction of the Heineken Experience is the Stable Walk. Real Shire horses live here. This species is distinguished by its special endurance and was bred for the transport of goods. By the way, horse teams are still used to transport beer kegs around the city.
The tour, as expected, ends with a tasting. With a glass of cold Heineken, you can sit on a leather sofa and watch interesting videos about the company on a large monitor. Here you will be told about the culture of drinking beer and how to understand whether the drink is fresh. It should be noted that two glasses of beer are included in the price of an adult ticket. Before leaving the museum, you can order a personalized bottle of Heineken or buy other souvenirs at the exit shop.
Ticket prices and opening hours of the Beer Museum in Amsterdam
The price of tickets to the Beer Museum in Amsterdam for adults is 18 euros, a children's ticket, without two glasses of beer, will cost 14 euros. Opening hours of the Heineken Experience in Amsterdam on weekends, including Friday, from 11:00 to 21:00, on other days - from 11:00 to 19:30. The tour of the museum will take up to two hours, so it's best to come to the opening.
How to get to the Heineken Experience beer museum?
The easiest way to get to the Central Station, and from there, take tram number 16 or 24, the stop is called Stadhouderskade.
Heineken International is a Dutch brewing company founded in Amsterdam in 1864 by Gerard Adrian Heineken. At the same time, Heineken International is not only a plant, it is also a landmark of Amsterdam. By 2007, Heineken, with over 119 breweries in over 65 countries, employed about 54,004 people. It produces and sells over 170 beers (international, premium, regional, local and specialty), including Cruzcampo, Tiger Beer, Starobrno, Zagorka, Birra Moretti, Ochota, Murphy's, Star and of course Heineken Pilsener. Heineken claims that the original Heineken beer recipe has not changed since it was first produced almost 150 years ago.
Producing 139.2 million hectoliters of beer annually, Heineken is the world's third largest brewery in terms of revenue after SABMiller and InBev. Heineken's Dutch breweries are located in Zoeterwoud, Hertogenbosch and Weilre. The first brewery in Amsterdam, closed in 1988, is preserved as an interactive Heineken Experience museum.
Story
Heineken was founded in 1864 when 22-year-old Gerard Adrian Heineken bought the De Hooiberg brewery in Amsterdam. In 1873, the name of the brewery was changed to Bierbrouwerij Heineken Maatschappij (HBM) (Bierbrouwerij Heineken Matsappei), and in 1874 a second brewery was opened in Rotterdam. In 1886, Dr. G. Elion, a student of the French chemist Louis Pasteur, in the company's laboratory received a new variety of yeast "A-Heineken", which is still the main component of Heineken beer. In 1887, the Heineken Company switched to using bottom-fermenting yeast.
Founder Henri's son Pierre Heineken ran the company from 1917 to 1940, and continued to be involved in its affairs until 1951. Under his leadership, Heineken developed methods to maintain consistent beer quality under large-scale production conditions. Henri Pierre's son, Alfred Henri "Freddie" Heineken, who joined the company in 1940, was named chairman of the executive board in 1971. He was instrumental in Heineken's global expansion and, when he stepped down from his post in 1989, remained involved in the company's affairs until his death in 2002.
After the First World War, the company focused mainly on exports. Three days after Prohibition was lifted in the United States, the first legal shipment of beer to the country was Heineken. Since that day, Heineken has remained one of the most successful imported beer brands in the United States.
During this period, Heineken tried to increase the value of its shares by buying and then closing competing breweries. After World War II, many small breweries were bought out or closed by this company. In 1968, Heineken merged with its biggest competitor, Amstel, and in 1975 opened a new brewery in Zoeterwoud. The Amstel brewery was closed in 1980 and its production moved to Zooterwoud and Den Bosch.
To buy a ticket
The visit includes a guided tour and beer tasting. The e-ticket must be shown at the entrance to the brewery employee.