Rising magnificently at the end of Plantage Middenlaan (home to Artis Zoo) and around the corner from the beautiful, peaceful Oosterpark, this museum is reason enough to head to the east of Amsterdam, and beyond the well-worn trail of the Canal Belt and Museumplein. The building itself is stunning, with the entrance more like that of a grand opera house than a museum. Inside is one of the most respected anthropological museums in Europe, with temporary and permanent exhibitions dedicated to non-western art and culture. The photographs and paintings are fascinating in themselves, but also come with informative texts, music and film. Permanent exhibitions cover Africa, Latin America, South-East Asia, New Guinea, India, and old Dutch colonies.