Amsterdam is known for many famous museums and art galleries like the Rijksmuseum and the Stedelijk. Many are the tourists who come to Amsterdam just for a Rijksmuseum tour. Indeed, it will be a great loss if you do not go on Rijksmuseum private tours while visiting the city of Amsterdam.
However, the art and culture of Amsterdam are not limited to these famous museums. In addition to them, there are numerous other smaller museums and art galleries, which offer a mesmerizing feast for your eyes. The numerous independent galleries in the city are not just art galleries but multifunctional platforms. There are exhibitions, food, music, and much more in many of these galleries.
Here are some of such contemporary art galleries which you must visit along with your Rijksmuseum private tours.
Mediamatic
This is a place where there is much for you to explore. Its headquarters is multifunctional and is located on Dijksgracht. There are many projects related to bio-art and agriculture that are run by them. On the eastern side of the headquarters is located, a vast area of exhibition space. You can also find several other smaller art projects and design projects all around the establishment.
There is a waterside restaurant situated close by, where the visitors can relax and spend their time after watching the exhibitions. You can grab some vegetarian food here, which is prepared from the plants grown in the onsite greenhouse. There are also many workshops held here for those who want to learn about ecological farming and modern gastronomy.
Flemish Cultural Centre De Brakke Grond
This is a cultural center, which mainly displays the works of contemporary writers, artists, and performers, who hail from Flanders in Belgium. Thus, it is a cultural center, which is multi-disciplinary. The center was created to maintain good communication between the Dutch and Flemish art scenes. It is presently Flanders’ embassy for art. There are events throughout all the days of the week in the center. There will be talks, exhibitions, and other performances held here. Get to know what happens on the day you are visiting the center. The Belgian style bar at the site has the biggest terrace in Central Amsterdam.
P/////AKT
It is an exhibition space where numerous contemporary solo art presentations are displayed. This is the space that you have to visit if you are interested in the emerging artists of the current time. It is a non-profit establishment, and the funding is done by many Dutch art supports like the Mondrian Fund. One can have a fair idea about contemporary artistic developments by visiting and seeing the exhibition here.
It encourages developing site-specific works, which can be exhibited, and many additional performances will be hosted. There is also a small area, which is set apart for those traveling artists who wish to rent a place to stay here.
De Appel
It is one of the most adored and oldest cultural centers in the city. Since the middle of the 1970s, this cultural center has a significant role to play in the contemporary art world of Amsterdam. Though the center has been shifted to different locations over time, exhibitions and other performances have found their place always. There is a yearly program conducted by the center in which the upcoming talented artists will be given priority. Another main attraction of the center is that it has a very vast and big library, which is apt for research-minded people. There are also training programs held for curators.
Melkweg
This is a gallery and a venue that is more associated with music than art. However, there are spaces for exhibitions, and several shows are hosted here which coincides with the events planned on the monthly calendar of the venue. Before many of the notable festivals and events, there will be displays of related artworks for several weeks. There are also group and solo exhibitions held here which gives a highlight to the upcoming artists who are from the Netherlands.
GO Gallery
The GO Gallery was located below a building, which displayed a street artwork, on Prinsengracht. However, later its location was changed to a location on Marnixstraat. It started in the 1990s and exhibits pop art of the contemporary time along with street art. The popular works of many famous personalities have been displayed here in the past. The gallery won the Dutch Street Art Prize for Greatest Gallery in the years 2016, 2017 and 2018.
CORRIDOR Project Space
This is an art gallery, which features new artworks regularly. Every four weeks, the exhibitions are changed, and hence, one can behold new innovative art forms here. Those works that deal with political theory, social sciences, and humanities are presented here regularly. There are also a series of dinners and social events organized by the establishment.
If you are on your Rijksmuseum tour in Amsterdam, make sure that you also visit some of these smaller art galleries in the city. These visits can be memorable experiences in your Amsterdam tours.