Sexmuseum Venustempel

The Sexmuseum is one of two museums devoted to doing the dirty in Amsterdam, and a tawdry little operation it is too. The Damrak location, just by Centraal Station, is designed to lure in masses of passing tourists, and on this count it succeeds. But with the exception of a splendid and often hilarious collection of pornographic Victorian photographs, the presentation is largely botched. There's a fascinating exhibition on the history of porn movies to be staged, but the one here ain't it. Ivory dildos, filthy porcelain, joyless cartoons, peeling pin-ups, 'happy breastday cakes' and ugly art are all shaved of eroticism by the context and the leering gangs of gigglers that make up the majority of the punters. At least admission is appropriately cheap.