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| Amsterdam Culture
& Entertainment |
| Museums
& Galleries |
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Van Gogh Museum
 A
visit to the Van Gogh Museum is a unique experience. There is no other
place in the world where you can see so many of Vincent van Gogh's
paintings under one roof. The Museum is situated on the Museumplein
in Amsterdam, between the Rijksmuseum and the Stedelijk Museum. The
Museum's collection is in three parts. The Van Gogh collection, work
from other artists and the collection concerning the Van Gogh Museum's
history. The Museum contains the largest collection of Van Gogh's
work.
You will find more than 200 exceptional canvases from the Master's
hand, as well as 500 drawings and 700 written documents. Together
these provide a fantastic insight into his life and work. In the Museum,
Van Gogh's work is arranged in five chronological periods. These periods
correspond with a certain phase in Van Gogh's life and work. The phases
in order are: the Netherlands, Paris, Arles, Saint-Remy and Auvers-sur-Oise.
Vincent van Gogh made many self-portraits.
The Self-Portrait with Felt Hat is one
of these. Another of Van Gogh's well-known paintings is 'The
bedroom'. In this painting, Van Gogh portrays his own simply
furnished bedroom.
Address: Paulus Potterstraat 7
Open: Monday- Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm.
Website: www.vangoghmuseum.nl
Rembrandthuis
 Rembrandt
lived for twenty years in this charming house, until he left it bankrupt
in 1658. It might be interesting to know that his bankruptcy came
about because the company who commissioned the Night Watch was totally
dissatisfied with the painting, which eventually ruined his career!
His house is now faithfully restored, and on display are over 250
of his etchings, and some paintings from his pupils.
Address: Jodenbreestraat 4-6
Open: Monday to Saturday from 10 am to
5 pm,
and Sunday 1 pm to 5 pm.
Website: www.rembrandthuis.nl
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Rijksmuseum
 The
Rijksmuseum is sometimes called Holland's treasure trove. The largest
museum for art and history in the Netherlands, is world famous for
its collection.
The Rijksmuseum has five departments: Paintings, Sculpture and Applied
Arts, Print Cabinet, Asian Art and Dutch History. The centerpiece
of the collection is the renowned paintings from Holland's
Golden Age. Here you will find works from Vermeer, Frans Hals,
Jan Steen and Rembrandt. The jewel in the crown is of course Rembrandt's
masterpiece, the Night Watch. In the Rijksmuseum you will also
find magnificent collections of silver, Delft Blue, dolls houses,
prints, drawings, mysterious Asian art and a completely renewed presentation
on the history of the Netherlands.
The Rijksmuseum is located in a monumental building designed by the
architect Cuijpers. The building dates from 1885 and has beautiful
details such as tile tableaus, sculptures, proverbs and ornaments.
The Rijksmuseum's garden was also designed by Cuijpers and is certainly
worth a visit.
Address: Stadhouderskade 42
Open: Monday- Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm.
Website: www.rmo.nl
Stedelijk Museum of Modern
Art
 The
Stedelijk Museum is one of Europe's most important museums for modern
and contemporary art. The Stedelijk Museum has a wide-ranging program
of exhibitions. Impressionism, pop art or minimalism: you can see
it all in the Stedelijk Museum. It is a dynamic museum that closely
follows developments in art, particularly those of the second half
of the 20th century. It is famous for the collection of paintings
and sculptures, drawings, prints, photography, graphic design, applied
art, and new media.
The Stedelijk Museum is well known for its trend-setting and discussion-provoking
exhibitions. Large retrospectives of famous modern artists can be
seen, for example, works from Cezanne,
Chagall, Picasso
and Monet. However, you can also find
smaller exhibitions on young artists. A changing selection from the
permanent collection can be seen in various arrangements.
Address: Paulus Potterstraat 13
Open: Monday- Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm.
Website: www.stedelijk.nl/eng
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| Festivals
& Events |
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Queen's Day
April 30
City center, Vondelpark.
 This
is a real festive occasion in the Netherlands, and Amsterdam is famous
for staging an all out street party, which starts the night before
and lasts well into the small hours the next day. Dressed in orange
(the Queen is from the House of Orange), a beer in hand and the national
colors painted on their face people stroll through the city. Queen's
Day (aka Koninginnedag, in the local lingo) is, in theory, a one-day
celebration of Beatrix's birthday. In reality, though, the Queen is
soon forgotten amid the wild revelry. More than a million folk pour
into the city, making every single street and canal dense with different
sounds, suspicious smells and second-hand sellers in the process.
On this day, actually the Queen Mother's birthday, all street trade
is unregulated, so a lot of people shovel unused surplus from their
attics onto the sidewalk and have fun all day selling it to passers-by.
Real bargains can be had, but it helps to get there early. Getting
there late means you probably won't get there anyway, because on a
sunny Queens day the center tends to block up in the afternoon. To
escape the crowds you could try venturing out into the surrounding
neighborhoods.
Amsterdam Roots Festival
June 21-30, 2002
 The
Amsterdam Roots Festival is a festive manifestation of World Music
and World Culture. Spread over several locations: Melkweg, Concertgebouw,
Tropeninstituut and an open-air event in the Oosterpark - presenting
in eight days 60 different groups and artists from around the globe.
Website: www.amsterdamroots.nl
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Holland Festival
June 8-29, 2002
Kleine Gartmanplantsoen 21
 Innovative
performing arts in Amsterdam. During this month the most renowned
artists of the world will perform in the City Theatre, the Music Theatre
and the Concertgebouw. Visitors can enjoy opera, drama, music, dance
and film performances. Traditionally, the Holland Festival strives
to present top achievements in the area of the performing arts - music
(al theatre), theatre, and dance - in both the more classical and
experimental forms. This formula encompasses productions and artists
who have proved their quality and made their name, as well as daring,
unknown artistic expressions. The shows included in the Holland Festival
are as likely to be sensational and with a broad appeal as specialized
and for connoisseurs.
Website: www.holndfstvl.nl
Amsterdam Pride
August 2-5, 2002
Various locations in city center.
 The
Amsterdam Pride, by far the largest gay event in the Netherlands,
starts on Friday August 2. One of the highlights of Amsterdam Pride
is the Canal Parade on Sunday, an extravagant parade of showboats
along the Amstel River and the Prinsengracht, which draws huge crowds.
This festive procession of 65 boats makes its way through the heart
of Amsterdam. Well-known discotheques and bars, such as the It and
Havana, are represented.
Other features of Amsterdam Pride are an extensive cultural program
and of course numerous street parties
Website: www.amsterdampride.nl/index2.htm
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Cannabis Cup
November 18-22, 2001
Various locations
 The
High Times Cannabis Cup is the biggest, best-known and most anticipated
event in the marijuana world. What began 14 years ago as a small professional
search for the best seed company strains in Holland, by Steven Hager
Editor-in-chief of High Times, has become the largest international
marijuana tasting festival in the world. It has appeared on the cover
of the New York Times magazine and in a special segment of 60 Minutes.
It features everything from hemp clothing to Eagle Bill's Vaporizer.
Best of all, Dutch growers break out their best new strains for the
Cup, held in Amsterdam since 1988, in hopes of winning first prize.
Website: http://www.hightimes.com/welcome.html |
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