The Amsterdam Museum - despite the impact of the corona pandemic and the move to a new temporary main location - had a successful year in 2022. The museum's exhibitions and public programmes attracted many visitors at various locations. The museum's pop-up exhibition at the National Monument on Dam Square was even estimated to have been seen by more than two million people during the period from mid-June to the end of November.
The Amsterdam Museum began 2022 still in the Burgerweeshuis complex, where it closed the well-attended exhibitions The Golden Coach and Freethinkers. Then, in March, the museum opened its doors at a new temporary location on the Amstel (Hermitage building). There, the Amsterdam Museum showed a new permanent collection presentation Panorama Amsterdam and several new temporary exhibitions including Collecting the City, Welcome to the Northside and The Maasdamme Collection. The museum also launched a new visual identity and a new temporary website as part of a major rebranding. These new developments are part of preparations for the upcoming renovation of the Civic Orphanage, for which an environmental permit was also issued this year.
"At the Amsterdam Museum, we look back on a dynamic year. We managed to reach a wide audience with the stories and objects of Amsterdam and Amsterdammers. In 2023, we hope to continue this line with numerous new beautiful projects at many locations in the city ," said Judikje Kiers, Amsterdam Museum director.
Steady growth after corona
Corona took a heavy toll on the Amsterdam Museum's visitor figures in 2020, 2021 and early 2022. Nevertheless, the museum managed to recover with steady growth in visits. The Amsterdam Museum attracted 106,000 visitors during the 11 months it was open in 2022 - at the Burgerweeshuis and then at the Amstel. Huis Willet-Holthuysen - part of the Amsterdam Museum - attracted 28,500 visitors. The free pop-up outdoor exhibition at the National Monument on Dam Square, about the history of Dam Square, was seen by an estimated 2 million people. In addition, the museum created 65 public programmes in 2022 and collaborated with 99 schools, welcoming 6,334 schoolchildren. The Amsterdam Museum also grew digitally in 2022: its website received 779,297 visits and the museum's social media community grew by 18 per cent compared to 2021.
Outlook 2023
The exhibition Collecting the City #2, where the Amsterdam Museum, together with partners in the city, presents small exhibitions on the Bijlmervliegramp, Club RoXY and the housing crisis in Amsterdam, can still be seen until Sunday 21 May 2023. Until Sunday 3 September 2023, visitors to the Amsterdam Museum aan de Amstel can also view the life's work of Rita Maasdamme (1944-2016). In The Maasdamme Collection, handmade fabric dolls depict colonial history and daily life in Suriname, Curaçao and Aruba in scenes.
from 17 February: Continue This Thread
From Thursday 17 February until Sunday 3 September 2023, the Amsterdam Museum will show the exhibition Continue This Thread in collaboration with fashion designers Tess van Zalinge and Karim Adduchi. Karim Adduchi x Tess van Zalinge. An exhibition about the power of crafts in over a hundred textile objects. As makers with innovative perspectives on age-old craft techniques, Van Zalinge and Adduchi show visitors how they use crafts. The exhibition connects (historical) objects from the Amsterdam Museum collection with intriguing creations by Adduchi and Van Zalinge.
from 23 June: third edition Collecting the City
Until 2025, Collecting the City is the place where the Amsterdam Museum 'collects' and presents the city of today, in cooperation with various parties and groups in the city. During this period, neighbourhood museums, networks, local artists and enthusiastic residents will share their stories and objects about the city of Amsterdam. The third exhibition of Collecting the City, which opens on Friday 23 June 2023, highlights the following themes together with partners: Spices of Nieuw-West, Indian shops, Gay Games, Unprecedented Zeedijk and the permanent section Museum om de Hoek. The exhibition will be on view until Sunday 28 January 2024.
from 7 October: Refresh Amsterdam
Refresh Amsterdam is a biennial initiative of the Amsterdam Museum where contemporary makers with an artistic practice present their views on metropolitan themes in relation to Amsterdam. The theme of the second edition of Refresh Amsterdam is 'War & Conflict'.
In May and June 2022, the Amsterdam Museum called on makers to submit a proposal for a work on the impact of war and conflict in the world on the city today. Many makers with diverse disciplines submitted a proposal. From the submissions, 20 well-known and lesser-known makers were selected by a jury. From Susanne Khalil Yusef to Gert Jan Kocken, Dina Danish, Victor Sonna, Luan Buleshkaj and Vika Mitrichenk. Their work will be part of Refresh Amsterdam.
This edition of the exhibition is organised in collaboration with, among others, art collective We Sell Reality, AGA LAB, de Appel, CBK Zuidoost, Framer Framed, De Kleine Komedie, Melkweg Expo, OSCAM, Pakhuis de Zwijger, Podium Mozaïek, Rijksakademie, ROZENSTRAAT - a rose is a rose is a rose, The Black Archives, Tolhuistuin and W139. The exhibition Refresh Amsterdam can be seen from Saturday 7 October 2023 until Sunday 25 February 2024
House Willet-Holthuysen
The Amsterdam Museum is giving contemporary makers making work on current social issues space in Huis Willet-Holthuysen, adding a contemporary look to the historic canal house. Following Maaike Schoorel's solo exhibition (until 8 January 2023), an exhibition by Anohni will open on the top floor of Huis Willet-Holthuysen on Wednesday 31 May 2023. Best known for her music (Anthony & the Johnsons), Anohni also works as a visual artist and activist, and is an associate artist for the Holland Festival this coming year. From November 2023, the baton will be taken over by another contemporary maker.
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