The Amsterdam Museum’s anniversary program officially kicked off with a festive opening on Thursday, September 3. Through December 11, the museum will celebrate its 100th anniversary with a program lasting exactly one hundred days. With the Amsterdam Museum Festival—packed with activities throughout the city—the museum invites all Amsterdammers to join in celebrating this special anniversary. The program, which is largely free, offers something for everyone: from creative workshops and exclusive tours of the Collection Center to an anniversary book, a podcast series, and a symposium.
Visitors received a commemorative medal
With the festive kickoff on Thursday, September 3, from 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM, the Amsterdam Museum’s main location at Kalverstraat 92 opened its doors for free one last time. Although the building is closed for renovation, visitors flocked in during the afternoon and evening to celebrate the start of the festival together.
Attendees enjoyed various performances, had their photos taken, and, of course, got to enjoy a slice of cake. Many visitors also took the opportunity to leave a personal message for the future in a special time capsule.
It’s the birthday boy’s treat: to mark the museum’s 100th anniversary, all visitors that day received a unique surprise to take home. They were given a limited-edition anniversary medal—a replica of the historic Burgerweeshuis medal from 1749—which grants free admission to the renovated Amsterdam Museum during its opening weeks in 2030.
About the Festival
The Amsterdam Museum Festival takes place throughout the city. For 100 days, the museum will organize daily activities for a wide range of audiences, with the museum’s collection taking center stage.
Visitors can take part in special 100th-anniversary guided tours, stop by one of the Amsterdam Museum’s locations each week to enjoy a slice of birthday cake, and take a peek inside the Collection Center—which is normally closed to the public—at various times. In addition, everyone can have their own birthday portrait made and participate in workshops on disciplines featured in the Amsterdam Museum’s collection, such as ceramics, textile arts, and paper. There is also a ten-part podcast series, an anniversary boat tour, and two anniversary books.
At the end of the festival, the Amsterdam Museum is organizing a symposium on a century of collecting. The focus will be on how the collection has evolved over the past hundred years and what stories still need to be told in the future. The festive conclusion to the 100-day celebration will feature the Grand Collection Polonaise Show and a quiz about the collection, organized in collaboration with Ons Amsterdam.
The festival will take place from Thursday, September 3, through Friday, December 11, 2026. For more information, visit the festival page.
Coming up: Creative Grounds, September 18–20
As part of its anniversary celebration, the Amsterdam Museum is also launching the Creative Grounds program. The Amsterdam Museum’s main location, the former Burgerweeshuis on Kalverstraat, is currently undergoing renovation. With this event, the Amsterdam Museum aims to connect young artists with the city center and the museum’s collection while it is temporarily closed. The museum is doing this through art commissions, research, and an annual three-day event featuring showcases, workshops, talks, tours, and performances at various locations throughout the city center. The first edition, centered on the theme of craftsmanship, will take place on September 18, 19, and 20, featuring artists and designers such as Ella de Haas, Jero Leeflang, Zoe Smith, and Tijmen IJsendijk, as well as partners including BIZ Kalverstraat, Athenaeum Nieuwscentrum, De Nachbar, Het Vrijpaleis, Spui25, and Theater de Richel.
Head Curator Imara Limon: “The museum’s mission is to connect people with the city and with one another. We’re doing just that with this festival. The anniversary isn’t just a retrospective, but also a celebration of the fact that the Amsterdam Museum and the heritage we manage belong to and are for everyone.”
