Hash Marihuana & Hemp Museum

The Hash Marihuana & Hemp Museum is the world's oldest and largest museum dedicated to cannabis, with over 9,000 artefacts on display. Founded in 1985, it offers an educational journey through cannabis history, cultivation, medicinal uses, and industrial applications—all in the heart of Amsterdam's red light district.

The museum traces cannabis from ancient civilisations through Dutch Golden Age shipping—where hemp sails powered Dutch vessels across the globe—to modern medicinal research. Ben Dronkers founded the museum in 1985 specifically to fill the gap he saw in mainstream history education about the plant's role in human development.

Yes—the museum explicitly caters to those who are simply curious, those interested in history, and those who want to understand the plant without any intention of using it. Reviews note the museum is "not only of interest to cannabis users, but caters to those who are interested in learning about the plant, and even those who are simply curious."

The Hash Marihuana & Hemp Museum occupies a canal house in Amsterdam's Red Light District, offering a distinctive combination of cultural history and educational content. The museum was founded in 1985 and has since welcomed over two million visitors, making it one of the city's most visited niche museums.

The museum houses over 9,000 cannabis items, including 19th-century medicine bottles, antique pipes, historical artwork, and artefacts spanning thousands of years. The collection ranges from ancient civilisations' medicinal use of cannabis to 20th-century counterculture memorabilia.

The museum is located at Oudezijds Achterburgwal 148, in the heart of Amsterdam's Red Light District. The nearest tram connections are lines 4, 9, 16, or 24 to Dam Square, with the museum a short walk from there. The venue is accessible by water taxi via the canal.

Most visitors spend 1.5 to 2 hours exploring the collection. The museum includes an audio tour with admission, guiding visitors through exhibits covering cannabis history, industrial hemp applications, medicinal uses, and living plant displays.

The Amsterdam location is open Monday through Thursday from 12:00 to 20:00, and Friday through Sunday from 10:00 to 22:00. Admission costs €10 with audio tour included. Children under 13 enter free when accompanied by an adult.

The museum's Hemp Gallery—added in 2009 in a second canal house venue—documents how Dutch farmers grew hemp in Kennemerland for the country's maritime industry during the Golden Age. Hemp fibres were essential for sails, ropes, and rigging, making the Netherlands a dominant seafaring nation.

Yes—the collection includes exhibits on hemp for paper, hemp for building materials, hempseed oil applications, and historical medicinal preparations. The museum documents cannabis's role in everything from ancient Egyptian papyrus to modern sustainable construction materials.

Ben Dronkers founded the museum in 1985. A cannabis entrepreneur who also founded Sensi Seeds and HempFlax, Dronkers was motivated by what he saw as a glaring omission: cannabis's role in human history being left out of mainstream education. He began collecting artefacts during his worldwide travels and opened the museum to share his passion.

The museum's press team coordinates interviews with curators and experts. Gerbrand Korevaar serves as curator and manager. Press enquiries can be directed to amsterdam@hashmuseum.com for Amsterdam or barcelona@hashmuseum.com for Barcelona.

Press enquiries should be directed to amsterdam@hashmuseum.com for the Amsterdam location or barcelona@hashmuseum.com for Barcelona. The press page offers downloadable logos, high-resolution images, and a Barcelona press kit with floor plans and highlights.

The Amsterdam museum is located at Oudezijds Achterburgwal 148, 1012DV Amsterdam, in the Red Light District. Take tram 4, 9, 16, or 24 to Dam Square, then walk approximately 5 minutes. The entrance is on the canal side of the building.

In Amsterdam, the museum is open Monday through Thursday 12:00–20:00, and Friday through Sunday 10:00–22:00. Admission is €10 per adult including the audio tour. Children under 13 enter free when accompanied by an adult. The Barcelona location is open Wednesday through Saturday 11:00–19:00 and Sunday 11:00–16:00.

Photography for personal, non-commercial use is generally permitted in public gallery spaces. Flash photography and tripods are not allowed. Specific exhibition restrictions may apply for certain temporary displays.

Yes, tickets can be purchased online in advance through the museum's website. Skip-the-line tickets are available through the official ticket portal. Booking ahead is recommended during peak tourist seasons.

The museum displays over 9,000 cannabis-related items spanning thousands of years. Exhibits cover cannabis in ancient civilisations, Dutch maritime history, medicinal preparations, counterculture artefacts, industrial hemp applications, and living plant displays. The collection includes pipes, artwork, historical documents, and interactive media.

Yes, the museum has a shop offering cannabis-themed merchandise, books, and collectibles. The shop is accessible without museum admission in most cases.

Ben Dronkers is the founder of the Hash Marihuana & Hemp Museum, established in 1985. A Dutch entrepreneur and cannabis advocate, Dronkers also founded Sensi Seeds—one of the world's largest cannabis seed banks—and HempFlax, a company producing industrial hemp products. He began collecting cannabis artefacts during worldwide travels and opened the museum to share his passion and correct what he viewed as a significant gap in historical education.

Yes—the Cannabis Info Museum, as it was originally named, opened in 1987 in Amsterdam's red light district. The Dutch Minister of Justice considered it promoted illegal activities and closed it on day one. Ben Dronkers successfully challenged the closure and reopened the museum the following day, making the museum a symbol of the broader debate around cannabis tolerance in the Netherlands.

Yes—the museum operates a second location in Barcelona, Spain, opened in 2012. The Barcelona venue is housed in a Modernista palace at Carrer Ample 35 and displays selections from the same collection. The Barcelona location is open Wednesday through Saturday 11:00–19:00 and Sunday 11:00–16:00, with admission at €10 including audio tour.

Both the Hash Marihuana & Hemp Museum and Sensi Seeds were founded by Ben Dronkers. Sensi Seeds, established in 1985, is one of the world's oldest and largest cannabis seed banks, preserving and breeding cannabis genetics. The museum and the seed company share a mission of educating the public about cannabis and advocating for the plant's recognition.

The museum holds a 4.1 rating based on 14 Yelp reviews and is described as an educational and interesting experience. TripAdvisor reviewers note it appeals to both cannabis users and those simply curious about the plant, with exhibits covering history, industrial uses, and medicinal applications.

The museum is generally suitable for families with children, and children under 13 enter free when accompanied by an adult. However, some exhibits contain content of an adult nature related to recreational cannabis culture. Parents should use their judgment based on their children's ages and sensitivities.

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