Culture Guide (October 2024)

Amsterdam Museum

For: the city dweller...

In collaboration with Amsterdam Museum

Amsterdam is a living museum where every street, canal, and bridge tells a story of the city's past, present - and the possibilities for its future. Amsterdam Museum captures these stories by exploring the city’s history, art, and culture. Visitors can explore works by Rembrandt or check out edgy modern street art, and learn about pivotal moments in Amsterdam's past, such as the world’s first-ever legalisation of same-sex marriage. Immerse yourself in exhibitions that reflect Amsterdam's diverse and evolving narrative.

Amsterdam Museum | open daily, 10:00 – 17:00 | Amstel 51, De Plantage

Vive l’impressionnisme

For: the art lover…

Vive l’impressionnisme marks 150 years since Claude Monet’s influential painting Impression, soleil levant, which inspired a critic to coin the term “Impressionism”. This sweeping showcase of art brings together masterpieces by Monet, Degas, Pissarro, and many more in collaboration with some of the best museums in the country. The exhibition, housed in the striking compounds of the Van Gogh Museum, will feature a range of iconic paintings, sculptures, and drawings by famed artists from the Impressionist period.

Vive l’impressionnisme | 11 October – 26 January | Van Gogh Museum

Amsterdam Dance Event

For: the party fiend…

Amsterdam is a city deeply rooted in dance culture, with electronic music at its core. Each year, Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) reinvents the party scene, showcasing the best in electronic music across 1,000 events over five days. Expect performances from top DJs in both intimate spaces and iconic venues like the Gashouder, fittingly baptised as the “temple of techno”. But ADE isn’t just about parties – its extensive program includes unique experiences like techno yoga or a photography exhibition at Het Stenen Hoofd, where music and art collide. ADE promises to captivate and excite every electronic music enthusiast and those just starting to dip their toes into the genre.

Amsterdam Dance Event | 16 – 20 October | citywide

All those Amsterdam people

For: the archive aficionado…

This exhibition at the Amsterdam City Archives captures the city in transformation from 1970 to 1990. Witness urban renewal and economic strife as well as the arrival of new residents through the lens of renowned photographers like Ed van der Elsken and Koen Wessing. The exhibition offers a rich glimpse into the lives of the city’s residents during two turbulent decades in the capital’s history, paying homage to the resilience and diversity of all those Amsterdam people. 

All Those Amsterdam People…Photos from 1970–1990 | from 3 October | Amsterdam City Archives

Peter Grimes

For: the old-school maestro…

Benjamin Britten's post-war psychological thriller opera Peter Grimes unfolds in an unlikely setting: an ordinary English fishing village. Britten composed some of the finest operas in England’s history, and this story is no exception. We follow the titular Peter, a local fisherman who struggles against a community bent on his destruction, brought to life under the baton of the Concertgebouw's trailblazing conductor, Lorenzo Viotti.

Peter Grimes | 6 – 22 October | Dutch National Opera & Ballet

EUTERPIANS

For: the dancing queen…

Euterpians by dance company LeineRoebana is a bold celebratory performance that emphasises feminine power. Weaving together the playful spirit of Euterpe, one of the mythological muses, the allure of the Sirens, and the fierce strength of the Amazons, this performance is more than just a dance – it’s a tribute to women and their enduring creativity and resilience through the ages. Choreographers Andrea Leine and Harijono Roebana, known for their imaginative fusion of dance and music, create something truly mesmerizing. With a mix of elegance, ferocity and irony, EUTERPIANS takes you on an unforgettable journey led by the undying power of the woman.

EUTERPIANS | 26 – 27 October | International Theatre Amsterdam

Imagine Film Festival

For: the cinephile…

Imagine Film Festival is the largest Dutch festival for fantasy, horror, sci-fi, and beyond, celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Embracing the motto "Weird Is Wonderful," Imagine showcases the best in fantastical cinema, with beloved classics shown alongside fresh talent and new voices in film. Imagine provides a platform for Dutch filmmakers and brings them to the international stage. With screenings at Lab111 and De Filmhallen, prepare for a journey into the whimsical and the absurd.

Imagine Film Festival | 24 October – 3 November | Lab111 & Filmhallen

Shadow Self: Portrait to a Parallel World

For: the digital dreamer…

Huis Marseille presents Shadow Self: Portal to a Parallel World, featuring works by contemporary artists Shuang Li, Charmaine Poh, Heesoo Kwon, Xiaopeng Yuan, and Diane Severin Nguyen. The exhibition explores how images can serve as portals to parallel worlds, blurring the lines between reality, memory, and imagination. From deep-fake childhood avatars to feminist reinterpretations of ancestry, these artists examine how technology continues to reshape identity and memory. Visitors will encounter immersive, thought-provoking digital artworks that challenge the boundaries of time, space, and self, including photography and video.

Shadow Self: Portrait to a Parallel World | 19 October – 9 February | Huis Marseille

Looted

For: the history buff…

Closing at the end of this month, Looted is a dual exhibition at the Jewish Museum and the newly opened National Holocaust Museum that takes a sobering look at the devastating loss of Dutch Jewish cultural property during the Holocaust. The display of drawings, photos and objects brings eight powerful personal stories to life. Delving into the emotional weight of stolen objects, the exhibition highlights survivors' struggles and their descendants, such as Leo Isaac Lessmann and Dési Goudstikker-Halban, as they fought to reclaim their stolen possessions. Looted offers visitors a profoundly reflective and emotional journey into the lingering pain of cultural theft.

Looted | until 27 October | Jewish Museum and the National Holocaust Museum 

Afrovibes Festival

For: the cultural explorer…

Afrovibes Festival returns with an exciting program of contemporary dance performances, music, theatre, and design by artists from the African continent and its diaspora. This year’s theme, Belonging, highlights North African experiences in the Netherlands, celebrating the creativity and power of diversity in the world of art and performance. Experience engaging talks and performances at some of the city's best cultural venues, including the performing arts centre Frascati Theatre and De Balie, a hub for art, culture and politics right in the city's heart.

Afrovibes Festival | 2 – 13 October | citywide

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