Museum Quarter – The home of art and culture in Amsterdam
Ideally located within easy reach of the bustling city centre and close to many of our Amsterdam Museum Square apartments, the Museum Quarter is an attraction certainly not to be missed. Centred around Museumplein (Museum Square) and boasting an effortless blend of green open spaces, iconic museums and magnificent buildings, Amsterdam’s Museum Quarter offers an action packed day for visitors to this fascinating city.
Positioned just south of the city centre, close to the wonderful Vondelpark and easily accessible either on foot or by taking public transport from the city’s main transport station – Centraal Station, the Museum Quarter is often referred to as the cultural hub of Amsterdam. Spanning across an immense space, which was created in the 19th century and is filled with stylish cafes and entertaining facilities, together with the eye-catching ‘I Amsterdam’ letters, the Museum Quarter welcomes thousands of visitors from all over the world every single day and is definitely worthy of a visit.
At the heart of the area is the Museumplein (Museum Square) which is known as an art lover’s paradise due to its collection of notable museums and galleries. It is here that you will find three of Amsterdam’s most impressive museums – the Rijksmuseum, the Stedelijk Museum and the Van Gogh Museum. The Rijksmuseum, which translates to the State Museum, showcases a superb array of Dutch artwork and includes many of the well-known Rembrandt’s masterpieces. The Stedelijk Museum, which has recently undergone an incredible refurbishment, is dedicated to modern art. The Van Gogh Museum hosts the world’s largest collection of the popular artist’s much-loved work and is amongst the top 25 museums on the planet.
Several more remarkable buildings can also be found alongside Museumplein, such as the magnificent Concertgebouw, the home of the fantastic Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. This simply stunning building, which dates back to the late 1800s, is said to be one of the world’s most exclusive concert halls and is renowned for its exceptional acoustics and simply breath-taking interior. Also close by is the striking Diamond Museum, which allows visitors the opportunity to explore the history of diamonds and browse through the exquisite gems that the museum exhibits.
To the rear of the museums, cafes and shops, which adorn the Museumplein, is a beautiful green open space where people often come to relax and enjoy the afternoon sunshine. During the summer months, the area is used to host various festivals which often attract large crowds. In wintertime, the space becomes the setting for a delightful, open air ice skating rink, which is a sight not to be missed. At the far edge of the greenery is a skateboarding park as well as a paddling pool, which is ideal for children and those still young at heart. Below street level there is a fabulous shopping mall with its very own underground car park, which ensures that the Museum Quarter really does offer something to everyone who visits.
