The canal house at Oudezijds Voorburgwal 40 looks much like its neighbors in the Red Light District. Take a look at the photo below, it’s the one with white window frames, just to the left of the tree. But if you step inside, you’ll discover that it hides a little secret.
Or rather, not such a little one – a hidden Catholic church for up to 150 worshippers! It functioned for nearly 200 years. Today, it houses the museum Our Lord in the Attic (Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder).
It’s a wonderful and unique museum in Amsterdam, highly recommended if you’re looking for something interesting and off the beaten track!
How much are tickets to Our Lord in the Attic?
- €18,00 – adults. Buy tickets >>
- €7,50 – children. Buy tickets >>
- Free entrance with the I amsterdam City Card.
Tip. There are many other interesting small museums in canal houses in Amsterdam — for example, the Museum of the Canals (Herengracht 386), the Willet-Holthuysen Museum (Herengracht 605), the FOAM Photography Museum FOAM (Keizersgracht 609), and the Van Loon Museum (Keizersgracht 672). Admission to each costs around €15 – €17,50, but all are free with the I amsterdam City Card.
Where is Our Lord in the Attic museum located?
The museum’s address is Oudezijds Voorburgwal 38–40. It is located in the Red Light District. To enter the house with the hidden church, you first need to go into the neighboring building and then pass through an underground corridor into the house itself.
How to get to the museum with the hidden church?
You can walk to the museum in 5 – 7 minutes from Amsterdam Central Station. If you’re coming from another part of Amsterdam, use the free journey planner 9292.nl, it will suggest the best transport options.
Opening hours of Our Lord in the Attic in 2026
- Monday – Saturday: 10:00 – 18:00
- Sunday and public holidays: 13:00 – 18:00
The museum offers an audio guide, so you can easily listen to all the stories this unusual house has to tell.
By the way, did you know that the house at Oudezijds Voorburgwal 38–40 is far from the only one that once concealed a church? Below is a map of houses in Amsterdam that also contained hidden Catholic churches between 1578 and 1853. You can learn more about this and much more inside the museum.
It’s nice to note that Our Lord in the Attic offers special activities for children. Kids aged 5 – 10 can take part in a free quest — searching for ladybugs (in Dutch lieveheersbeestje, which echoes the museum’s name Ons Lieve Heer op Zolder). For children aged 10 – 12, there is a special audio guide.
P.S. The views from the museum windows are a special treat!
Enjoy your visit!
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- How to book tickets for the Anne Frank house
- Canal cruises in Amsterdam
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