Body Worlds Amsterdam is a permanent anatomy exhibition at number 66 on the Damrak, the avenue that links [Central Station](/fr/attractions/gare-centrale-amsterdam) to [Dam Square](/fr/attractions/place-du-dam). It shows more than 200 real human bodies and organs preserved by plastination, a technique developed in 1977 by the German anatomist Gunther von Hagens. Its theme, "The Happiness Project", connects the workings of the body with happiness and health: what makes us happy, and how our habits affect our organs. Allow 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours. An adult ticket costs €22.50 online.
Highlights
A visit from the top down
A lift takes visitors up to the sixth level of the building, and the route then works its way down floor by floor. Each level covers one theme: how the organs work, common diseases and their effects, or the consequences of habits such as smoking.
Bodies from donors
The bodies on display come from the body donation programme of the Institute for Plastination in Heidelberg, founded by Gunther von Hagens in 1993. Body Worlds describes itself as the only exhibition in the world based on a donor programme, which around 19,000 people have signed up to.
The "Happiness Project"
The common thread of the exhibition is happiness: what makes us happy, and how our everyday choices affect our health, shown through the bodies and organs on display.
The InBody scan
The ticket includes an InBody test of about one minute, painless, which measures body fat, muscle mass and the body's water ratio.
The Damrak in the evening
Open every day until 10pm, the exhibition is easy to fit in at the end of the day or on a rainy day (see [what to do in Amsterdam when it rains](/fr/articles/que-faire-a-amsterdam-quand-il-pleut)).
Infos pratiques
Tips
Prices checked in October 2026 on the official website: adults €22.50 online against a standard price of €24.95; a child rate applies from 6 to 17 (price shown when booking). Online tickets can be cancelled free of charge up to 8 hours before the chosen time slot. The I amsterdam City Card is accepted at the entrance; the Museumkaart is not. There is no minimum age: the museum recommends the visit from age 6 and advises preparing children for what they will see. Photography is allowed, but eating, drinking and touching the specimens are not. An audio guide is available in French, Dutch, English, German, Spanish and Italian. Pushchairs are allowed; the route is served by a lift, except for part of the basement, which is not wheelchair accessible.
How to get there
Damrak 66, 1012 LM Amsterdam. A 5-minute walk from Amsterdam Centraal (less than 500 m): leave on the city side (Stationsplein) and follow the Damrak straight ahead. The tram stops at Dam are a few minutes' walk away.
Opening hours
Nearby
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