Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam — Attraction in Amsterdam

Recently, I had the pleasure of visiting the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, where I attended the much-anticipated exhibition featuring works by the renowned performance artist Marina Abramović, along with pieces from various other contemporary artists. This experience left a lasting impression on me, and I highly recommend it to any art lover or tourist looking to explore the cultural depth of Amsterdam.

The Stedelijk Museum, housed in a beautiful blend of historical and modern architecture, offers a perfect environment to explore contemporary art in all its forms. The layout of the museum is thoughtfully designed, making it easy to navigate while allowing visitors to fully engage with the artworks on display. The collection spans multiple genres, from performance art and installations to paintings, photography, and design.

The highlight of my visit was, undoubtedly, the Marina Abramović exhibition. As one of the most influential and provocative figures in contemporary art, Abramović's work challenges the boundaries of performance, human endurance, and emotional vulnerability. The exhibition was a powerful journey through her decades-long career, showcasing iconic pieces such as The Artist is Present, alongside lesser-known but equally compelling works. Abramović’s ability to connect deeply with her audience through raw emotion and physicality is truly unmatched, and the exhibition provided a rare opportunity to reflect on the themes of presence, pain, and human connection.

In addition to Abramović’s work, the Stedelijk also featured an impressive collection from other modern and contemporary artists. I was particularly drawn to the variety of mediums and the diversity of artistic voices represented. From abstract paintings by Dutch artists like Piet Mondrian to thought-provoking installations by emerging international talents, the museum offers a broad perspective on both Dutch and global contemporary art.

Beyond the exhibitions, the Stedelijk Museum provides a wonderful environment to enjoy art at a slower pace. The café and museum shop are perfect spots to relax and reflect after a few hours of exploration. The museum’s location in the Museumplein is ideal for those planning a full day of cultural activities, as it is conveniently close to the Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum.

For anyone visiting Amsterdam, a trip to the Stedelijk Museum is an essential part of the itinerary. It not only offers insight into the world of contemporary art but also provides a space for reflection and inspiration, leaving visitors with a deeper appreciation for modern...

Stedelijk is a modern and contemporary art museum situated at Museumplein next to the Van Gogh Museum. The Stedelijk collection focuses on works from the 20th and 21st century and offers a rotation of impressive temporary exhibitions. Opening Hours are 10am to 6pm daily with extended hours on Friday night to 8pm.

Entry fee is €18 per adult and can be purchased on the museum website, at the Museumplein Museum Shop or at the ticket booth inside Stedelijk. We have found the queue at the museum ticket booth to be very short both times we have come by this year. This is quite unlike the Rijks and Van Gogh museums, with the long queues that form to enter, it seems ok to just walk-in, buy tickets and visit Stedelijk.

Stedelijk has a permanent collection featuring the likes of Van Gogh, Kandinsky, Chagall, Matisse, Cezzane, Litchtenstein, Warhol and Pollock. There are quite a few works by Mondriaan in particular. These works are mostly found on the ground floor, along with a nice collection of modern and contemporary furniture, household items and eclectic pieces that are interesting to view. Much creative art process on display, something that seems very worthwhile for aspiring artists and art students.

We also very much enjoyed The Beanery (1965) Installation by American artist Edward Kienholz. This is a walk-in, three dimension installation of an old West Hollywood bar. The sights, smells and crowded feel of the artwork is fantastic. If you enter, make sure to note the clock faces replacing faces of the bar patrons. Kienholz describes this as a symbolic switch from real time, a representation of why patrons are in the bar in the first place. Notice, the bartender doesn't have a clock face!

Note: As with most museums in Amsterdam, there is free locker facility so you can rid yourself of coats and bags and enjoy browsing the museum more freely. Clean toilets seemed to be readily available, gift shop was on the ground floor and there is an adjacent cafe for those who fancy a meal before or after the museum. Plenty of other food options in the Museumplein area as well.

In the end, we enjoyed our time at the Stedelijk Museum. It is a nice collection and well curated modern and contemporary art museum. Entry price is a bit steep so you probably want to have a quick look online and review what exhibitions are being held beforehand. If you fancy fine art, best to target the Rijks or possibly Van Gogh museums instead. If you like 20th and 21st century art, Stedelijk and/or the newly opened Moco museums are good options at...

Absolutely appalling experience with a guard at the Stedelijk Museum that ruined my visit!

My visit to the Stedelijk Museum today was incredibly disappointing and frankly, upsetting, due to the utterly unprofessional and aggressive behaviour of one of museum's security guards.

I was at the museum with my husband and our 3-year-old son. My son was being quiet and calm, sitting in his stroller and playing with a small toy. At one point, the toy simply fell out of his hands on the floor next to the stroller. Immediately, a guard rushed over and started lecturing me, telling me I needed to be extremely careful that my child didn't throw anything at the exhibits. My son was calm, and there was absolutely no indication he would do such a thing. I was already squatting down, picking up the toy, and talking to my son, but the guard continued to reprimand me, seemingly demanding that I assure him I would watch my child (which I was already doing without a stranger's reminder).

Then, he noticed my son's water bottle in the stroller's basket and started making comments that drinking is not allowed in the museum. No one was drinking the water; it was simply in the stroller, but this guard still felt the need to scold me for it. After this, he just stood over us, not leaving. This was absolutely disgusting behavior from an employee of one of Amsterdam's major museums.

Just 10 minutes before this incident, he had reprimanded my friend for taking a photo with an artwork, even though photography is allowed in the museum, and my friend was not getting close or doing anything prohibited. And after my own unpleasant encounter, I saw him lecturing another pregnant woman with a child on the stairs.

We paid €45 for two tickets, and this entire incident completely ruined my mood. I couldn't enjoy the art and just wanted to leave as quickly as possible. I consider this kind of attitude towards families with children absolutely unacceptable. If the museum is against visitors with children, then please state those rules clearly. But if you are not against it, then please train your staff to react appropriately to real issues, not imagined ones. This guard's behavior was an embarrassment to your institution and needs to be addressed...