Red Light Secrets is a small museum in a former brothel at Oudezijds Achterburgwal 60, in Amsterdam’s De Wallen district. Its rooms and displays give context to sex work, including the legal framework and accounts of workers’ lives. You can sit behind a red-lit window to see the street from that perspective, and listen to an audio guide as you explore. Allow about 40 minutes, even if you stop to read the information in each room. It works well as an evening visit, when other museums have closed.
A museum inside a former brothel
Red Light Secrets is on Oudezijds Achterburgwal, in De Wallen, Amsterdam’s red-light district. The museum occupies a former brothel, and its rooms offer a closer look at the work and lives connected to the district. Displays cover the history of prostitution in Amsterdam and the legal aspects of sex work.
The focus is on context and personal stories, including accounts from sex workers. Rather than viewing the district only from its busy streets, you can learn about some of the realities behind the windows and the people who work there.
Rooms, stories and the window
As you move through the museum, you can explore rooms associated with the former brothel and see displays about daily life and work. One distinctive feature lets you sit behind a red-lit window and look out towards the street, experiencing the view from the other side of the glass.
A free audio guide adds information as you go. The museum also has a confessions corner and hand-drawn pictures by John Lennon among its exhibits. It is compact, so you can make a fairly quick visit, or take longer to read the information in each room.
Planning a visit in De Wallen
The address is Oudezijds Achterburgwal 60, close to the canals in De Wallen. The museum stays open into the night, so it can fit into an evening after other museums have closed. Around 40 minutes is a useful estimate for a visit that includes reading the displays.
De Wallen is a working neighbourhood as well as a place people come to see. Be considerate of the people who work there and do not photograph anyone in the windows. If you want a calmer museum visit, avoid the busiest periods.
FAQ
How long does a visit to Red Light Secrets take?
Allow about 40 minutes to go through the compact museum, including time to read the room displays.
Where is Red Light Secrets Museum?
It is at Oudezijds Achterburgwal 60 in Amsterdam’s De Wallen district.
What can you see inside the museum?
The museum has rooms in a former brothel, displays about sex work and its legal context, personal accounts, a confessions corner and a red-lit window experience.
Is there an audio guide?
Yes. A free audio guide provides additional context as you explore.
