Amsterdam in Motion: world's largest multimedia model of a city opens on 750th anniversary of Amsterdam

Compelling time travel from the Amsterdam of 1275 to the metropolis of tomorrow
 
On 27 October 2025, exactly on Amsterdam's 750th anniversary, it will openAmsterdam in Motion at Westergas' Purification Hall East. Eye-catcher is the world's largest multimedia model of a city. In immersive projections on it, visitors experience the development of Amsterdam: from village on the Amstel River in 1275 to the metropolis of tomorrow.One floor up in this hall goes Amsterdam in Motion continues with an interactive exhibition on themes such as living, Ajax and fashion.The project is an initiative of Duncan Stutterheim, in collaboration with the Amsterdam Museum and creative agency Monks. Amsterdam in Motion will be a permanent cultural total experience for Amsterdam residents and visitors from all over the world.

Talking model and interactive exhibition

A visit toAmsterdam in Motion in Westerpark begins on the ground floor of Purification Hall East. Here is a startling, multimedia maquette. The largest multimedia model of a city in the world even, with 30,500 manually attached buildings on an area of 200 square metres and at a scale of 1:1300. An immersive show with sound, voice-over and projections on maquette and walls places the visitor in the heart of the city. From the Vondelpark to the harbour, you imagine yourself on the spot.

In a 15-minute time journey, audiences will experience the story of Amsterdam, from the village of 1275 to the city of today and the expectations of tomorrow.

Director of the Amsterdam Museum Judikje Kiers:"This project is a total experience that immerses a wide audience in, and engages them with, Amsterdam's many stories in an immersive way. You learn about the city's history - from Dam in the Amstel to today - and about current developments. About World War II and where and how 17th-century wealth was earned. How Amsterdammers in the 1970s resisted demolition, high-rise buildings and highways with protests and squatter actions. How Amsterdam became a bicycle city. How green-conscious Amsterdammers now enrich their own immediate surroundings with planted roofs and façade gardens. And how Amsterdam has traditionally profiled itself as a breeding ground for innovation and creativity - from Spinoza and Sarphati to today's scientists, artists and creative thinkers."

One floor up, visitors explore the metropolitan challenges of today and tomorrow through an exhibition with interactive installations. This presentation encourages the public to think along on topics such as housing, recreation, fashion, Ajax, innovations, migration, protests, biodiversity and ecology. They show how government, scientists and companies deal with problems such as climate change and housing shortages. But also, for instance, how a coot builds a sustainable nest from McDonalds packaging, mouth caps and sunglasses. Or how the canals receive countless bicycles every year. And that these sometimes lie there for so long that they grow full of mussels.
 
For schoolchildren and students, Amsterdam in Motion offers a special education programme; they also have access to an education room.

Iconic Purification Hall becomes heart of city experience

The Purification Hall East in Westergas is whereAmsterdam in Motion will start in October. Originally, this 1885 neo-Renaissance hall, now a national monument, served to purify raw gas of undesirable substances such as sulphur. In the more immediate past, it housed the NEP studio of, among others The World Turned Door. In view of the new destination, the property has now been fully refurbished for use.

City museum as storyteller and director

The Amsterdam MuseumThe Amsterdam Museum, founded in 1926, is Amsterdam's city museum and tells the story of the city: about then, now and later. The museum manages over 100,000 objects in its art and heritage collection. The Amsterdam Museum creates exhibitions, publications and public programmes, always in cooperation with many partners. As a network museum, the museum programmes throughout the city: in its main location on Kalverstraat (the former Burgerweeshuis, which is closed until 2028 due to renovation), in its temporary location on Amstel 51 (H'ART Museum building, until the end of 2025), in Huis Willet-Holthuysen on Herengracht and at various partners in the city.
Some time ago, initiator and co-owner of the buildings on the Westergas site, Duncan Stutterheim, requested the Amsterdam Museum to take responsibility for concept and interpretation ofAmsterdam in Motion to take on the task. Since then, the Amsterdam Museum has worked with various partners to develop the model show and put together an interactive exhibition. From the opening, the Amsterdam Museum will operate theAmsterdam in Motion perform.

Director of the Amsterdam Museum Judikje Kiers: "Towards the reopening of our renovated main location on Kalverstraat in 2028, we are constantly looking for new ways to tell the city's stories. It is wonderful to be able to work with so many top specialists on Amsterdam in Motion. With this non-profit initiative that addresses urgent issues and appeals to everyone's social responsibility, we hope to make connections that benefit the whole city. We will take this experience and the collaborations with the various partners into the development of the new Amsterdam Museum." Initiator Duncan Stutterheim adds: "With Amsterdam in Motion, we want to inspire Amsterdammers and visitors from all over the world. It is a gift to the city, a place where history, innovation and future come together.“

Collaboration of creatives, institutions and businesses

The Amsterdam Museum is collaborating with Westergas for this project. The model show of Amsterdam in Motion was designed and built by creative agency Monks, which combines content, data, media and technology to develop interactive experiences to inspire the world.

Amsterdam in Motion is further made possible by Westergas Vastgoed C.V., Familie Stutterheim, Hartwig Foundation, JCDecaux, Rabobank Amsterdam, Port of Amsterdam and Phanta Vision. And XPEX, ORAM, Amports, BPD Cultuurfonds, Fiction Factory, Dell, Scenexus, Capgemini, AMFI, Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions, Hogeschool van Amsterdam, NWO, Maeson, Epson, MassiveMusic, Gemeente Amsterdam, Stichting Zabawas, Amsterdam 750, IJsfontein, Shosho, Total Design, Triply, Universiteit van Amsterdam, Arcam, NEMO and many others.