Amsterdam: An overview - Part 6

Van Gogh Museum

After a nine month refurbishment the Van Gogh Museum has returned to its original home at the Museumplein and celebrated the 160th anniversary of the artist’s birth. The Van Gogh Museum is already the only place in the world to view Van Gogh’s most famous paintings all in one in one location. However a new display called ‘Van Gogh at Work’ is the culmination of seven years of painstaking research into his life and work as an artist. There are more than 200 paintings, drawing on paper, sketchbooks and letters by Van Gogh and his peers. These offer new insights into the thinking that went into the creative processes he used on his paintings and drawings. It is something that goes beyond what most collections can offer and is something that marks the museum’s 40th year on Museumplein.

Hermitage Amsterdam

The Hermitage Amsterdam is the Dutch branch of the world famous Hermitage in Saint Petersburg, Russia. You will find it located on the banks of the Amstel River. If you have ever visited the original then you will know what to expect. The Hermitage Amsterdam is an exhibition space and cultural display which naturally focuses on Russian history and culture. It was in 1696 that the Russian ruler, Tsar Peter the Great, visited Amsterdam to learn about Dutch trade and ship building. He would without doubt have seen the building which now, over 300 years later, is the home to some of the art collection that he and his descendants built up. The classically designed Amstelhof building on the Amstel River is in a wonderful position to host this every changing display at Amstel 51, Amsterdam

Stedelijk Museum

The Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam is an international institution dedicated to modern and contemporary art and design. The museum opened in 1895 and has since been through a number of upheavals until it has reached its current position. In 2006 the city privatised it and in 2008 major construction started which was finally completed in 2012. It has collected anything that can be classed as modern art. This means that is has photo journalism exhibitions alongside Jackson Pollock. You can find all this at Museumplein 10, Amsterdam

Frans Hals Museum

Haarlem’s Frans Hals Museum is a great place for adults and children. It is home to the largest collection of paintings by Frans Hals in the world. However it also has a display of over 70 tiny rooms from historical Dutch dolls’ houses which give a view of life in the 17th and 18th centuries. Hals was a famous Haarlem painter who specialised in portraits. As well as the paintings by Hals, the museum also has works by his predecessors and his contemporaries. In addition there are displays of furniture, ceramics, glass and silver. The earliest paintings in the collection date from the 16th century and they are primarily biblical depictions. It was around1590 Haarlem became the centre of a new style of painting called Mannerism. The style is typical of many of Hals famous works. The museum can be found at Groot Heiligland 62, Haarlem

Continued in part 7