Museum of Prostitution
Posted on: January 1, 2026
The Museum of Prostitution — better known as Red Light Secrets — is the one place in Amsterdam where you can step behind the red-lit glass yourself. Most visitors only ever see the Red Light District’s windows from the street, left guessing what actually happens on the other side. This guide covers what you see inside, current ticket prices, opening hours, and whether Red Light Secrets is worth your time.
Last updated: 6 October 2026
What is Red Light Secrets?
Red Light Secrets is the world’s first museum of prostitution. It opened in 2013 inside a historic canal house on the Oudezijds Achterburgwal, the main street of Amsterdam’s Red Light District, directly opposite Café The Old Sailor.
The building was a working window brothel until the museum took it over. Today it lets you go inside a trade most people only glimpse from the pavement — the rooms, the red windows, and the stories of the women who worked here.
The museum is part of “Project 1012“, the city’s long-running plan to cut the number of window brothels and bring more variety to the area. Many former windows on this street have since become galleries, shops and museums like this one.
What you see inside the Museum of Prostitution
The museum is built around recreated working rooms from a real window brothel. You can sit on the stool behind an authentic red-lit window and see the street the way a sex worker does, while passers-by look back at you. It is the one spot in De Wallen where photographing the window is not only allowed but encouraged.
Inside you also find themed bedrooms, a BDSM room, and displays that explain how legal sex work is organised in the Netherlands. A personal audio tour carries you through 12 stories from “Inga”, a woman who worked the windows for years, available in English, Dutch, German, French and Spanish.
Two things stick with most visitors: the wall of anonymous erotic confessions left by other guests, and the unsolved case of “Chinese Annie”, an Amsterdam sex worker whose murder the museum documents. Your ticket also includes a small history book about the district.
Red Light Secrets tickets & prices
Standard entry is €17 at the door. Booking online in advance is cheaper — around €14.50 — and lets you skip the queue, which pays off on busy evenings. Prices can change, so check the live ticket page before you go.
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Online / skip-the-line (in advance) | from €14.50 |
| At the door | €17 |
| Souvenir window photo | available on site |
Opening hours & location
Red Light Secrets sits at Oudezijds Achterburgwal 60, in the heart of the district — the same stretch as the sex shows and most of the red-lit windows. It’s a few minutes’ walk from the Oude Kerk and Dam Square.
| Address | Oudezijds Achterburgwal 60, 1012 DP Amsterdam |
| Opening hours | Daily, 11:00–01:00 (last admission 00:00) |
| Visit length | Compact — about an hour |
| Audio tour | English, Dutch, German, French, Spanish |
Opening hours can shift around holidays and events, so check redlightsecrets.com before a late visit. Use our Red Light District map to find it alongside the other landmarks nearby.
Is Red Light Secrets worth it?
Honest answer from our own visits: yes, if you’re curious how the window trade really works and you treat it as a short, revealing stop rather than a grand museum. The window-sitting photo op and Inga’s audio stories are the highlights, and you leave understanding the district far better than the crowds walking past outside.
It’s compact — most people are done inside an hour — so it pairs well with a wider walk through De Wallen. If you want a large, exhibit-heavy museum, this isn’t that; its strength is the authentic setting and the personal stories, not scale.
For the bigger picture — the rules, the window prices and the history — start with our complete Amsterdam Red Light District guide. Prefer to explore at your own pace? Our self-guided Red Light District audio tour walks you past the museum and every other landmark with the stories behind them.
Frequently asked questions
Is Red Light Secrets worth it?
Yes, for most first-time and curious visitors. It is the only place where you can go inside a former window brothel, sit in the red-lit window and hear a real sex worker’s stories. Treat it as a compact 30–60 minute stop rather than a large museum and you’ll get the most from it.
How much are Red Light Secrets tickets?
Entry is €17 at the door, or around €14.50 when you book online in advance, which also lets you skip the line. Prices can change, so check the current ticket page before visiting.
What are the opening hours of the Museum of Prostitution?
The museum is open every day from 11:00 to 01:00, with last admission at midnight. Evenings are the busiest and the most atmospheric, with the red lights on outside.
Where is the Museum of Prostitution in Amsterdam?
It is at Oudezijds Achterburgwal 60, 1012 DP Amsterdam, in the heart of the Red Light District. It sits on the main canal of De Wallen, a few minutes from the Oude Kerk and Dam Square.
What do you see inside Red Light Secrets?
You see recreated window-brothel rooms you can sit in, themed bedrooms, a BDSM room, and displays on how legal sex work is organised. A personal audio tour shares 12 stories from a woman who worked the windows, plus a wall of visitors’ anonymous confessions.
How long does a visit take?
It is a compact museum, so most visitors spend about an hour inside. That makes it easy to combine with a wider walk through the Red Light District.
Can you take photos in the museum?
Yes. Sitting in the red-lit window is the signature photo, and you can buy a souvenir shot on site. This is important because photographing the real sex workers in the street windows is strictly forbidden.
Can you photograph the real Red Light windows outside?
No. Taking photos of the sex workers in the working windows is not allowed and is taken very seriously in the district. Red Light Secrets is the one place where you can legally take a red-window photo.
Is the museum suitable for children?
The subject matter is adult and explicit in places, so it is aimed at adults. Check the museum’s current age policy before visiting with anyone under 18.
Is there an audio guide?
Yes. A personal audio tour of 12 stories is included and is available in English, Dutch, German, French and Spanish. It is what turns the rooms into real, human stories.
Who was Chinese Annie?
Chinese Annie was an Amsterdam sex worker whose murder remains unsolved. The museum documents her case as part of the district’s real, and sometimes dark, history.
How is the museum different from the windows outside?
The street windows are working brothels you view only from the pavement. The museum lets you step inside a recreated window room, sit down, and understand the trade up close — something the street never shows you.
Also discover:
Amsterdam Brothels: Prices & Best Venues
Moulin Rouge Amsterdam Tickets
Written by the Amsterdam Red Light District Tour team — licensed local guides who have walked De Wallen and visited its venues since 2014. Primary source for prices and hours: redlightsecrets.com (verified 6 October 2026).
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What an eye-opening read! I had no idea about the rich history and the stories behind the lives of those who worked in the Red Light District. The museum sounds like a fascinating place to gain a deeper understanding of this aspect of Amsterdam’s culture. Definitely adding this to my itinerary!