Heineken Experience in Amsterdam

The enormous old Heineken Brewery on the northern edge of De Pijp has been a tourist attraction for decades. It stopped brewing in 1988, when production moved to a bigger plant outside town, and the company has run tours through the building ever since.

The old free-flowing brewery tour closed in 2000 and came back in 2001 as the Heineken Experience, which celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2026. People who remember the old version still grumble that one of the city's most fun attractions was replaced by an expensive corporate infomercial. It's hard to argue with that, but the current version is slick, and if you actually like Heineken, it's a fun 90 minutes.

Quick facts (as of September 2026)

• Where: Stadhouderskade 78, on the canal at the top of De Pijp
• Tickets: Heineken Tour 24.95 euros, Tour + Rooftop 29.95 euros (both 5 euros cheaper during the September 2026 anniversary offer)
• Drinks: one beer with the basic tour, two drinks with the rooftop ticket
• Age: 18 and over only, with ID
• Hours: daily from 10:30, last entry 17:15 on regular days

All details are from the official Heineken Experience site. Prices and hours change, so check before you go.

Memories of the old tour

Through 2000, the tour was very different. It cost 2 guilders (about 1 euro), and groups of about 40 were led by a local guide through a fairly standard industrial tour for about 45 minutes. Then everyone sat down in a big beer hall and the Heineken started flowing. The servers refilled your glass almost as fast as you could empty it, and if you knew the trick it was easy to get six or seven small beers, plus some cheese cubes, with all your new friends.

That's not coming back.

What the tour is like now

The Heineken Experience is a self-guided walk through several floors of the old brewery, with exhibits on the company's history, the brewing process, its sponsorships and how to pour and taste a beer properly. There are plenty of interactive displays and photo stops. In some ways it feels like wandering through Itchy and Scratchy Land from The Simpsons, but as long as you like the beer, it holds your attention. The official estimate is about 1.5 hours, and determined visitors can get through faster.

If you've been to the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin, you'll recognize the format.

Tickets and prices

Tickets are sold online for a set time slot through the Heineken Experience ticket shop. The main options, per the official tour page:

During September 2026, the site is running a 25th-anniversary offer that knocks 5 euros off the tour (19.95) and the tour with rooftop (24.95). There are also combination tickets with a canal cruise and the Moco Museum.

If you're going to do this, the rooftop ticket is the better deal. Five euros more gets you an extra drink and the best part of the visit.

Is it worth it?

If you don't like Heineken much, probably not. At 25 euros for one beer, it's one of the pricier attractions in town, and some visitors feel they paid to walk through an advertisement. The older versions gave away enough beer to make it worthwhile for that alone. Now you're paying for the show.

If you're a fan, or you're traveling with a group that wants a fun hour or two, it's well done, and the rooftop view is a nice finish.

Children aren't allowed

This catches families out. According to the official policy, you must be 18 or older to enter, and minors aren't allowed even with an adult. Bring ID. If you're in Amsterdam with kids, try our guide to things to do in Amsterdam with kids instead.

Getting there and timing your visit

The building is on Stadhouderskade, a short walk from the Rijksmuseum and the Museumplein, and right at the top of the Albert Cuyp Market. De Pijp station on metro line 52 is a few minutes' walk away. See our getting around Amsterdam page for how to pay on trams and the metro.

It opens at 10:30 every day. On regular days it closes at 19:30 with last entry at 17:15, and it stays open later on some weekend evenings, so check the time slots when you book. This place gets crowded, especially on weekends and in summer. Book the earliest slot you can and you'll dodge most of the slow-moving crowds.

Want to combine it with some art? The Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum are both within a 10 to 15-minute walk. For the rest of the city's drinking scene, see our Amsterdam nightlife guide.