Amsterdam - Art & Entertainment

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Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Vermeer and Frans Hals are the Old and Great Masters of Holland. As a result, Amsterdam has some of the finest art museums in Europe. As Amsterdam is the most liberal of cities, the museums are not purely of the conventional kind, but whatever your interest, you will be able to find it at one of the city's museums. The majority of museums are placed within a short range of one another, so you can easily walk from one to the next.

Museums

Many of Rembrandt, Vermeer and Frans Hals' finest works are part of the national heritage and housed in the State Museum. Take your time in this beautiful museum, as it is huge, and the exhibitions and surroundings need your attention for more then just an hour. Rembrandt's paintings are also largely represented in Rembrandt's House. The life and works of Van Gogh are presented in the Van Gogh Museum. For modern art you should definitely visit the exhibitions in the Municipal Museum.

Nature & Science

If you're interested in science and interactive entertainment, don't miss New Metropolis, a place designed for children with a lot of hands-on exhibits and technology. The Museum of Navigation will appeal to anyone who's interested in maritime and nautical experiences. Nature lovers should visit the Hortus Botanicus, which has over six thousand different kinds of plants.

History

In Amsterdam, there are a lot of historical museums. One of the best is Amsterdam's Museum of History, where you will learn about the city's developments from the thirteenth century to the present day. The popular Anne Frank's House has recently been restored and is able to accommodate a lot more people then before. In the former Jewish quarter you will find the Verzetsmuseum Amsterdam (Resistance Museum), which deals with the history of the Resistance during the Second World War.

Cinema

Amsterdam has only a few cinemas, but they show a great combination of big Hollywood blockbusters and European movies. The cinemas can be divided into two main categories: popular cinemas (with big movie successes) and filmhuizen (art houses), where art films, documentaries and retrospectives are shown. Tuschinski is a beautiful cinema with original art deco architecture and a beautiful theatre where you feel you should be watching an opera instead of a movie. The Movies, with its extravagant interior, is a great place to visit and view art films.

Theatre & Dance

Amsterdam has a lot of theatrical events, and more in English than in Dutch. The Parade is the prelude of the theatre season, and is a great event at the end of summer with lots of different little shows, food and drink. The most important theatre venues are Carr, once home to a circus, now a beautiful theatre by the Amstel Canal and Stadsschouwburg (Municipal Theatre), with a wide variety of contemporary national and international productions. Amsterdam's dance scene is quite lively. There are two main companies, Nederlands Dans Theater and Het Nationale Ballet. Besides these companies there are a lot of established dancers and companies worth watching.

Music

This city has a lively music scene, with lots of festivals and events and numerous concerts in different venues. There is everything from classic to rock. Tickets for concerts can be bought in advance at the AUB Ticketshop, located centrally on the Leidseplein.

Classical

The acoustics in the Concertgebouw offer a great sound, and it is therefore the favored venue of many soloists and orchestras. It has its own Concertgebouw Orchestra, which has a regular programme. At Beurs van Berlage there are a lot of classical concerts on a regular basis. If you're more into opera, you should go to the Opera Muziektheater (Stopera) on Waterlooplein, where the Netherlands Opera is often to be seen, or go and see an opera at the Carr.

Jazz and Blues

Local groups and jam sessions can often be heard in the lively city during the night. International stars visit the city to play at different venues. The best places to catch jazz legends in intimate confines are Casablanca and Bimhuis.

Rock

Big international stars such as the Rolling Stones enjoy playing in venues like Paradiso and Melkweg. Besides this there are a lot of rock festivals, eg. Drum Rhythm Festival, which takes place at Westergasfabriek or the Amsterdam Pop Prijs Wanted R & B & Hip Hop Prijs Finals, held at Melkweg.

House, Disco & World Music

The VIP Club on Fridays and Paradisco on Saturday evenings in Paradiso are hip dance evenings where a lot of cool people are to be seen. Techno, house and hip hop music can be heard. Melkweg has dance evenings with hard house and drum and bass. The crowd is diverse but mainly young, and the atmosphere is relaxed.

DISTRICTS

Amsterdam can be divided into different areas, each with its own history and attractions. Try to go beyond the Grachtengordel, where every tourist tends to get stuck. There are lots of other things to see than just the tourist area.

The Old Centre

Amsterdam's old centre can be described as being surrounded by the Central Station, the Singel, and the Kloveniersburgwal canals. The central points are Dam Square, with the Royal Palace, Madame Tussaud's, the New Church and department stores such as Bijenkorf and Magna Plaza.

The Red-Light District

Not far from Dam Square you will find the Red Light District. Many people visit Amsterdam mainly to go and see this area for the ‘window shopping', but this beautiful, old and historical area contains a lot of other attractions, such as Nieuwmarkt with its characteristic building De Waag, which dates from 1488, formerly built as a gatehouse for the city's defences. Near Nieuwmarkt you will find Amsterdam's small Chinatown.

The New Side

This area starts at the west end of Central Station and ends at Spui. In between you will find Amsterdam's Museum of History and the Begijnhof. This area is worth a relaxed stroll; at Spui you can have a cup of coffee at one of the cafés on the square.

Jordaan

This is a beautiful artistic area, where you will find lots of galleries and cosy little restaurants. Typical Amsterdammers live here; the area still doesn't see as many tourists as the other areas, although it has a very typical Amsterdam atmosphere. With a lot of greenery outside, it feels like a little village within a big city.

Waterlooplein, Rembrandtplein and Leidseplein

Leidseplein and Rembrandtplein are Amsterdam's tourist centres, packed with outgoing people and cafés and bars. During the summer months they are packed with people sitting on the terraces watching others go by. Waterlooplein is famous for its second-hand market, where you will find plenty of bargains.

GARDENS & PARKS

Amsterdam has some beautiful gardens and parks, the Vondelpark being the most famous park amongst tourists and Amsterdammers. You will also find the Film Museumhere, which has a beautiful terrace where you can spend a whole afternoon sitting, relaxing and watching the strangest people going by. The Amstel Park is located a bit away from the centre, but is a good retreat with rose gardens and a glasshouse. The Amsterdamse Bos is a busy park where you can be as sporty as you like. Fancy a swim? Go to the Bosbaan, used for boating and swimming.

If you want a tour around Amsterdam's private gardens, go and inform yourself at the VVV, where they can tell you what's going on in Amsterdam at the particular time you're there.

SPORTS

Holland is well known for its passion for football, but besides football, the Dutch play a lot of other sports such as hockey, skating and cycling. Amsterdam has many cycling lanes, although you have to watch the traffic, especially the trams that won't stop for you; in comparison to other cities though, the traffic is a lot more used to cyclists. The parks are excellent for outdoor sports: running, skating and cycling. A lot of sports centres are to be found as well, for fitness and sauna, swimming and bowling.







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Rembrandtplein
Amsterdam
Rembrandtplein
Leidseplein
Amsterdam
Leidseplein
Anne Frank House


Anne Frank's Hideaway
 Prinsengracht 267
Amsterdam 1016 GV
+31 (0)20 556 7105
http://www.annefrank.org
Anne Frank House
Beurs van Berlage


Architecture, Exhibitions & Concerts
 Damrak 277
Amsterdam 1012 ZJ
+31 (0)20 530 4141
http://www.beursvanberlage.nl/
Beurs van Berlage
Dam


War Memorial
 In Old City
Amsterdam 1012 JS
+31 (0)20 201 8800 (Tourist Information Centre)
Dam
Bijenkorf


Amsterdam's largest department store
 Dam 1
Amsterdam 1012 JS
+31 (0)20 552 1700
http://www.bijenkorf.nl
Bijenkorf
Magna Plaza


Fabulous shopping centre
 Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 182
Amsterdam 1012 SJ
+31 (0)20 626 9199
http://www.magnaplaza.nl/
Magna Plaza
Filmmuseum


A museum for film buffs
 Vondelpark 3
Amsterdam 1071 AA
+31 (0)20 589 1400
http://www.filmmuseum.nl/
Filmmuseum
Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam


Contemporary Art Museum
 Oosterdokskade 5
Amsterdam 1011 AD
+31 (0)20 573 2911
http://www.stedelijk.nl
Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam
Shipping Museum


For old times sake
 Kattenburgerplein 1
Amsterdam 1018 KK
+31 (0)20 523 2222
http://www.scheepvaartmuseum.nl
Shipping Museum
Koninklijk Palace


Former City Hall, now the Royal Palace
 Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 147
Amsterdam 1012 RJ
+31 (0)20 320 4060
http://www.koninklijkhuis.nl/english/content.jsp?objectid=13411
Koninklijk Palace
Amsterdamse Bos


Playground, lake and woods...
 Amstelveenseweg
Amsterdam 1083 EA
+31 (0)20 0900 9292
http://www.amsterdamsebos.nl
Amsterdamse Bos
Begijnhof and Begijnhof Chapel


Begijnhof and Begijnhof Chapel
 Begijnhof 30 (chapel)
Amsterdam 1012 WT
+31 20 622 1918
http://www.begijnhofamsterdam.nl
Begijnhof and Begijnhof Chapel
VondelPark


City Center Green
 vondelpark
Amsterdam 1054 ET
+31 20 523 7790
VondelPark
New Market


Authentic Piece of Amsterdam
 Nieuwmarkt
Amsterdam 1012 CR
New Market
Melkweg


Performance, dance and theater in a former dairy
 Lijnbaansgracht 234a
Amsterdam 1017 PH
+31 (0)20 531 8181
http://www.melkweg.nl
Melkweg
NEMO


Educational Museum with a View
 Oosterdok 2
Amsterdam 1011 VX
+31 (0)20 531 3233
http://www.e-NEMO.nl/
NEMO
Amstel


The river after which Amsterdam is named
 Muntplein
Amsterdam 1012 WP
+31 (0)20 201 8800 (Toerist Bureau)
Amstel
Waag


Old weighing house
 Nieuwmarkt 4
Amsterdam 1012 CR
+31 (0)20 557 9898
http://www.waag.org
Waag
Western Gas Factory


Old factory, now a beautiful monument
 Haarlemmerweg 8
Amsterdam 1014 BE
+31 (0)20 586 0710
http://www.westergasfabriek.nl
Western Gas Factory
Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam


More than 6,000 different kinds of plants
 Plantage Middenlaan 2a
Amsterdam 1018 DD
+31 (0)20 625 9021
http://www.hortus-botanicus.nl
Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam
Parade


Circus & Theater
 Martin Luther King Park
Amsterdam 1079 NG
+31 (0)33 465 4555 (Organisatoren)
http://www.deparade.nl/
Parade
Amsterdam Historical Museum


The History of the Capital
 Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 357
Amsterdam 1012 RC
+31 (0)20 523 1822
http://www.ahm.nl
Amsterdam Historical Museum
Madame Tussaud


Wax Figures
 Dam Square 20
Amsterdam 1012 NP
+31 (0)20 523 0623 / +31 (0)20 522 1010
http://www.madame-tussauds.nl
Madame Tussaud
Rembrandt House


House of Rembrandt
 Jodenbreestraat 4
Amsterdam 1011 NK
+31 (0)20 520 0400
http://www.rembrandthuis.nl
Rembrandt House
Rijksmuseum


Holland's most famous museum
 Jan Luijkenstraat 1
Amsterdam 1071 ZD
+31 (0)20 674 7000
http://www.rijksmuseum.nl/
Rijksmuseum
Van Gogh Museum


Largest Van Gogh collection
 Paulus Potterstraat 7
Amsterdam 1071 CX
+31 (0)20 570 5200
http://www.vangoghmuseum.com
Van Gogh Museum
Amsterdam
Amsterdam - Historical Background
Amsterdam - Where to Stay
Amsterdam - Neighborhood Guide
Amsterdam - Dining & Drinking
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