The Hermitage on the Amstel is a very unusual and unique Museum. First, it is a branch of the famous Hermitage in St. Petersburg. Secondly, all of the exposition in it is replaceable, and there is a constant. Thirdly, it does not and cannot be their own collections, because at shows, exhibits from the archives of the St. Petersburg Hermitage. Such branches existed in London and Las Vegas, but now they are closed.

Since 2009 the Museum is housed in the Amstelhof building, on the banks of the river Amstel. In this period building in the classical style with a large square courtyard with 1682 housed a nursing home. First lived here only women, 1817 – both women and men. The last inhabitants of the nursing home was started only in 2007, and the building was reconstructed. At the opening ceremony in 2009 was attended by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and the President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev.

A branch of the Hermitage Museum in Amsterdam holds exhibitions since February 2004. First, these exhibitions were held in a nearby building, in a small Annex to the Amstelhof. Now this building is a Children's Museum.

Exhibitions in the new Hermitage on the Amstel change in March and September. All exhibits from the State Hermitage Museum, and one Euro from the cost of the ticket goes to the Foundation of the Hermitage in St. Petersburg. In addition to the exhibition halls in the Museum there is an educational centre, lecture halls, restaurant. Much attention is paid to work with children and their learning.

The Museum takes up to 300 thousand visitors a year.