Continuous
ELJA Children’s Museum Lab
For Amsterdam children aged 9-12
Continuous
ELJA Children’s Museum Lab
At the ELJA Children’s Museum Lab, Amsterdam children aged 9 to 12 are working on the city museum of the future. By creating, playing and designing together, they are helping to build a museum that is not only for children, but also by children.
As child artists, they create their own artworks, design their own exhibitions and organise their own children’s festivals. In this way, these critical, independent and creative Amsterdammers help to make the museum a special and fun place for everyone.
The Amsterdam Museum Camp
Since 2023, the Amsterdam Museum Camp has been organised during the school holidays, in which children work alongside professional artists on their own artworks. At centrally located partner venues across all districts of Amsterdam, and in the Weesp area, children spend a whole week working on a special artwork in their own neighbourhood. Equality is central: together, they create an artwork that everyone can be proud of.
From 2024 to 2026, the artworks created during the Amsterdam Museum Camp will be exhibited by the Amsterdam Museum as part of the celebratory exhibitions ‘Freedom’ (2024), ‘Identity’ (2025) and ‘Future’ (2026). A number of works from the ELJA Children’s Museum Lab, selected by the children, were purchased for the Amsterdam Museum’s leading collection following the exhibition.
Je kunt gewoon zijn wie je bent.”
Ameya, 9 jaar
Kinderkunstenaar
Art Workshops
During the summer holidays, children will also have the chance to help build the new museum alongside artists. During special art workshops, they will spend an afternoon creating a small piece of art. It’s not just about making things, but also about playing and designing. In this way, the Amsterdam Museum is working with children to explore what they do and don’t want to do in the new museum. These workshops will also take place at partner venues across all districts of Amsterdam.
Children’s Board
Since 2024, the Amsterdam Museum has had its own children’s board. These children represent the children’s voice in the museum. They get a glimpse behind the scenes, decide which artworks from the ELJA Children’s Museum Lab are purchased, and curate the ELJA exhibitions together with colleagues from the museum. The children’s board also offers solicited and unsolicited advice on other topics. A new children’s council will be appointed in the summer of 2026.
ELJA Children’s Festivals (from 2027)
From 2027, the Amsterdam Museum will organise special ELJA Children’s Festivals at various locations across Amsterdam. Not only will art from the Amsterdam Museum Camp be showcased, but there will also be an extensive programme of art, performance, food and much more. The children’s council organises these festivals, together with colleagues from the Amsterdam Museum. They decide on the programme, help with the decorations, and think about how we can reach as many children as possible. That way, it will be one big party!
This video was made during the Amsterdam Museum Camp in the summer holidays of 2023.
Made possible by
The ELJA Children's Museum Lab is made possible by the ELJA FOUNDATION.
The Amsterdam Public Library is programme partner of the ELJA Children's Museum Lab.
The lectorate Art Education of the Amsterdam School of the Arts supervises and researches the ELJA Children's Museum Lab.
Nieuws
Amsterdam Museum opent stadsstrand ‘Louisa Beach’ aan de Herengracht
Boekenweek 2026
Extended through August 30: Mini-expo 'Merchant with tattoo'
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