Utrecht

Aboriginal Art Museum

a fairly large museum dedicated exclusively to Aboriginal art.

Nationaal Museum van Speelklok tot Pierement

a surprisingly pleasant museum on all kinds of mechanical music, including carillon clocks, musical boxes, pianolas, belly organs and much more.

Moluks Historisch Museum

museum on the history of the Moluccas.

architecture

The defining building of Utrecht is the 13th century Domchurch, part of a larger cathedral which was partially destroyed by a severe storm while under construction. The main tower is the highest building in the city by municipal mandate.

De Uithof, which is the campus of Utrecht University on the outskirts of Utrecht, near the stadium of FC Utrecht. De Uithof is a strange mix between grey concrete buildings and buildings here that are designed by famous modern architects, like the Educatorium (http://www.galinsky.com/b...) designed by Rem Koolhaas, the University Library (http://www.architectenweb...) and the Minnaert building (http://www.architectenweb...). There is also a beautiful botanical garden (http://www.bio.uu.nl/bott...) that is 8 acres big and houses 6 thousand different sorts of plants. Also worth a look: the bicycle track at the Heidelberglaan which is broad enough to function as a two-way car-track.

The Post Office

is an outstanding and surprising building. The Utrecht main Post Office is a great example of Dutch Art Deco architecture. The Post Office, located on the Neude Square, was designed by the architect J. Crouwel and completed in 1924. The barrel-vaulted ceiling is made up of glazed yellow-brick ribs alternated with diagonal glass panes that fill the hall with natural light. The black-and-white floor is set off by five carved black statues set in the walls, each representing a continent. America is a stylized American Indian with two buffalo at his feet. Over the main entrance are magnificent stained glass windows.

Rietveld Schröder House

Prins Hendriklaan 50 Tours organised by Centraal Museum for €16, which includes travel from Centraal Museum, Entry to Museum, Tour of House and Rietveld designed apartment, and a tea/coffee at museum. See website (http://www.rietveldschrod...) for full details. The Rietveld-Schröderhuis, designed by Gerrit Rietveld, was built in 1923-1924 in Utrecht. The structure of the house is completely in line with the the ideas of the art movement De Stijl The Style. The house was designed and built for Truus Schröder-Schräder, who lived there from 1924 till her death in 1985. It can only be visited under supervision of a tour guide. In 2000 the house was placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The Stadsschouwburg Lucasbolwerk 24 was designed in 1937 by the famous architect Willem Dudok.

The Inktpot

is an eyecatcher, seen when arriving by train. This is the biggest brickstone building in the Netherlands. Currently headoffice of ProRail. ‘De Inktpot’ is at walking distance from the ‘Utrecht Centraal’ train station. When leaving the station, walk in the direction of Hoog Catharijne/Centrum. About 400 metres into Hoog Catharijne, go right towards Godebaldkwartier. Follow the walking route to the exit of Moreelsepark. You will see ‘De Inktpot’ about 150 metres from this exit at the right hand side of the park.

city centre

Dom church

(http://www.domkerk.nl), Domplein, open Mo-Fr 10am-5pm October-April 11am-4pm, Sa 1011am-3.30pm, Su 2pm-4pm. The Gothic Dom church built between 1284 and 1520 is the major religious building in the city. When a hurricane hit the town in 1674, the badly constructed nave collapsed, which is the reason that today the Domtoren Bell Tower and the church itself are separated by the Domplein Dom Square. The interior of the church was stripped of all sculpture during Reformation, but its exterior remains a lavishly decorated example of Dutch Gothic architecture.

112 meter tall Domtoren (http://www.domtoren.nl/) is the highest church tower in the Netherlands. Climbing up the stairs to see the magnificent view on the top is highly recommended, but beware of the narrow, steep stairs. On clear days you can look as far as Amsterdam and Rotterdam. Open daily, climbing of the tower only through guided tour, admission charge.

Next to the Dom church, the cloister garden is ideal to sit down and relax, and listen to a Saturday morning carillon concert.

In addition, due to being the Netherland's centre of catholic religion for centuries, many very old churches 19+ are scattered around the city centre. You'll find a list of them at the Dutch Wikipedia.

Oudegracht – A canal going through the heart of the city, with shops and restaurants on both sides. This canal is unique because of its many picturesque cellars on water level. Centuries ago they were used for storage and commerce. Nowadays, many of them host fine restaurants and pubs. In the summer you can find nice terraces at the water here. A poem in the pavement runs along Oudegracht from house number 279 onwards: the 'Letters of Utrecht' (http://en.wikipedia.org/w...). Every Saturday at 1pm the next letter is hewn from the next stone and added to a poem without end. Year markers for the coming decades and centuries up to 2300 are embedded in the pavement further along.

The Vismarkt Fishmarket, a lovely street in the plain centre.

Stadsschouwburg

(http://www.stadsschouwbur...) Lucasbolwerk 24, the city theatre. Almost all theatre performances are in Dutch, but there are also dance and music performances. There are two halls inside the Stadsschouwburg, the Douwe Egberts Zaal Douwe Egberts Hall and the Blauwe Zaal Blue Hall. Students can buy tickets 30 minutes before the start of a show for a reduced fee €9 for shows in the Douwe Egberts zaal, €7 for shows in the Blauwe Zaal, provided the show is not sold out yet.

The City Hall (http://nl.wikipedia.org/w...) Korte Minrebroederstraat 2, close to the Oudegracht, has a rather unique look.

Close to the city hall is Theater Kikker (http://www.theaterkikker.nl) Ganzenmarkt 14, a small theatre. Every month they have a Kikker Koopje, a performance by budding artists for €7 (http://www.theaterkikker....).