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At Badass Tours, we’re passionate about sharing the hidden histories that have shaped Amsterdam’s past and present. From inspiring women and LGBTQ+ trailblazers to Jewish figures, and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, we craft experiences that highlight the diverse people who made this city what it is today, and we tell those stories.
We love hidden history and stories! It’s plain and simple. Founded in 2017 by our Storyteller-in-Chief, Elyzabeth Gorman, Badass Tours started with a simple goal: to fill the gaps in Amsterdam’s history by sharing stories that have been overlooked or forgotten. We believe history holds the keys to understanding how society has evolved, and these lessons are vital for creating a more inclusive future.
After 8 years, we’ve grown into a company that works with individuals, groups, and organizations to bring these stories to life. Whether you’re exploring solo or with a group, our tours help you connect with Amsterdam on a deeper level.
We like to describe our group tours as a storytelling rijsttafel—a feast of diverse narratives from Amsterdam’s history. Just like a traditional Indonesian rijsttafel, which brings together a variety of flavors in one meal, our tours blend interconnected stories that highlight the city’s rich and multifaceted past. Each tour is intersectional, weaving together the histories of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) alongside stories of women, Jewish communities, and LGBTQ+ pioneers.
These tours are thoughtfully curated and well-researched, ensuring a rich and engaging journey through Amsterdam’s past. No matter which theme you choose, you’ll experience a layered narrative that brings together voices too often left out of history.
Every story we share is carefully researched using reliable sources to ensure authenticity. We believe in the power of storytelling to transform how we see the past—and the present.
Our stories come from a wide variety of sources. You can find them here.
We also bring these inspiring, intriguing, and sometimes infuriating stories to a wider audience through storytelling performances and our columns, Blamsterdam and Ask a Badass.
Storyteller-in-Chief
Elyzabeth is the passionate founder and sole researcher behind Badass Tours, dedicated to uncovering and sharing Amsterdam’s hidden histories. Her storytelling journey began in American theater, where she wrote and researched plays about women in history.
After moving to Amsterdam, Elyzabeth discovered a wealth of untold stories about women, Jewish communities, LGBTQ+ pioneers, and Asian, Black, and Caribbean figures. These incredible narratives, often buried in either Dutch or the Dutch-language archives, inspired her mission to make Amsterdam’s diverse history accessible to an international audience.
Elyzabeth has performed at renowned venues like the Amsterdam Museum, Van Gogh Museum, and Jewish Museum and has been a regular storyteller at Mezrab House of Stories. She has personally guided thousands through Amsterdam, blending her deep research and passion for storytelling to bring history to life. Her work, along with the guides she onboards, ensures that the stories of Amsterdam’s changemakers are remembered, celebrated, and shared with the world.
Executive Director
As the Executive Director of Badass Tours, Shea oversees company strategy, partnerships, and operational development, ensuring the organization maintains its reputation for integrity and innovation. Collaborating closely with Elyzabeth, he plays a pivotal role in shaping the vision and strategic direction of the company.
Shea’s expertise extends beyond executive leadership. He designed the digital functionality of our self-guided tour, and has spearheaded the development of the company’s website.
Prior to his role at Badass Tours, Shea built a dynamic career in New York City as an international producer with Blue Man Group, where he gained valuable experience managing large-scale productions and engaging audiences around the world. After relocating to Amsterdam, he pivoted to focus on the intersection of technology and performance, carving out a niche with Smartphone Orchestra as a producer and co-writer.
Combining his storytelling with production work, he aims to broaden the impact of storytelling and deepen our connection to it.
Astrid was born in the south of the Netherlands to a Dutch-German family and moved to Amsterdam to study Psychology because she wanted to know what motivates people. As a tour guide, she uncovers the untold sides of Amsterdam’s history. She’s also working on her PhD project on gender stereotypes, which is a topic we love to explore in our stories.
She gets inspired by the stories of Amsterdammers of all backgrounds and is excited to share these stories with you. She says: “In my tours, it is important to me that you feel safe and that you hear stories that you will remember”.
Meet Astrid on one of our Hidden Gem Tours or on a Customized Private Tour.
Guus Møystad is a Dutch/Norwegian visual artist, writer, and storyteller based in Amsterdam. His multicultural upbringing in Lebanon, Norway, and Belgium has resulted in a chaotic hodgepodge of identities that never settle for long.
This tangle is continued in his work, where story, text, image, truth, and fiction weave in and out of each other, expressed in various art forms. He draws from history, fantasy, and folklore, where he looks for themes of identity and queer undercurrents. His comics and illustrations have appeared in various print and online magazines and platforms, including The Low Countries, Stripgids, and Hard//Hoofd, in addition to which he self-publishes and sells his work.
Meet Guus on one of our LGBTQ+ History Tours or on a Customized Private Tour.
Jugal is a storyteller from India. He has a background in journalism and thrives on illustrating stories from his experiences working in Indian-administered Kashmir, Jordan, and the West Bank. He believes there are several stories about people that get lost in mainstream media and that it is the subjugated, discriminated against, and victims of violence who deserve a platform. Jugal aims to bring these stories to the stage and act as a vessel for the voiceless.
Paola fell in love with art during high school – and she’s never looked back! It was a painting by Vincent Van Gogh that caught her eye and the coincidences of life brought her to Amsterdam, where that very painting is housed.
As a professional guide, Paola combines her in-depth knowledge of art and history with years of experience in the field of art education. She likes her tours to be interactive and meaningful as she sees them as a moment of discovery and dialogue. Living and working in different countries – Italy, France, the Netherlands – has provided her with a wider understanding of history and society, lots of empathy, and a critical eye. She immediately felt at home with Badass Tours because they share the same vision: uncovering untold stories and making art and history relevant to everyone.
Meet Paola on one of our Customized Private Tours.
Rissa Ellis grew up in the suburbs of Cincinnati, Ohio, in the US. As a Black woman with a deep love for history, she is inspired by the resilience and contributions of those who paved the way for women like her today.
With a background in historical and folklore storytelling, Rissa has a passion for sharing the untold stories from cultures around the world. Now based in Amsterdam, she blends her love for history and storytelling to lead engaging, inclusive tours that explore the city’s diversity.
Meet Rissa on one of our Women’s History Tours or on a Customized Private Tour.
Shiro was born and raised in Kenya and has spent her life fascinated by history and storytelling. As a professional actress, she’s told the stories of characters fictional and not. Now, as a part of the Badass team, she can combine that storytelling with history. She’s particularly taken by the history of lesser understood cultures. Coming from Africa herself, Black and Indigenous history is of special and personal interest. She deeply enjoys being able to share that with everyone who takes the time to listen. When she’s not leading tours, you might just catch her performing on stage in the bustling Amsterdam English-language theatre scene.
As a certified art mediator and practicing artist Tanja will be sure to show you Amsterdam through a new and colorful lens. With an M.A. in Arts and Heritage from Maastricht University, and many years of experience educating in art spaces under her belt, Tanja uses fun and exciting methods to connect a visitor to subjects she is passionate about; notably: art, feminism, history, and decolonization. Combining art mediation techniques with traditional tour guiding and storytelling, her aim is always to create discussion and to intrigue, as well as providing an unforgettable experience for her guests.
Meet Tanja on one of our Jewish History Tours or on a Customized Private Tour.
Social Media Guru
Dana Marin is a digital creator with a passion for people and understanding what drives them to read, watch, create and connect. She loves telling stories through both words and images, and she’s using her varied background in marketing, writing and photography to do that.
After a career in market research, Dana left the corporate world to start her journey in the freelancing world in 2021. She now works as a social media expert, writer and photographer. As the Social Media Guru of Badass Tours, Dana manages TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram and is in charge of creating the strategy and content for these channels.
We’re excited to partner with various organizations to expand how we tell Amsterdam’s stories. For example, our Rijksmuseum tour takes you inside the museum to uncover the hidden narratives behind famous Dutch artworks. See the works of the Dutch masters in a new light, guided by a storyteller who reveals the diverse figures and stories often left out of the frame. We’re also expanding our collaborations with companies and event organizers to use storytelling as a tool for broadening understanding and fostering connection.
Further, Badass Tours is proud to be a selected SME (small-medium enterprise) of the Tourban Sustainable Urban Tourism Acceleration Programme! This recognition highlights our commitment to innovation and sustainability in urban tourism, as we continue to explore ways to redefine the travel experience with a focus on environmental and social impact.
As our official partner, Able Amsterdam ensures that all of our public tours are wheelchair-accessible, making inclusive travel experiences a reality. We are committed to creating accessible tourism opportunities for all.
We’re a proud member of IGLTA, the world’s leading network of LGBTQ+-welcoming tourism businesses.
Uniworld is known for offering alternative cruises for their guests. We’re thrilled to offer them a range of tours in 2025!
OUTbound curates specialty travel experiences for the LGBTQ+ community, and we’re so happy to be their partner when they visit Amsterdam.
We proudly partnered with TUI to develop a one-of-a-kind National Geographic Day Tour, blending expert storytelling with immersive, eco-conscious travel experiences.
We have indirectly received funding from the European Union’s COSME programme, via an Open Call issued and executed under project Tourban (grant agreement No 951089).
