Introduction
The Stedelijk Museum is a serene and cultured
museum that has in its collection paintings, sculptures, applied
art & design, works on paper, photographs, film/video and
artists’ books with descriptions of the works, and biographical
information of the artists. The museum was publicly opened in
1895. This eminent building was constructed by A.W. Weissman,
a celebrated city architect of Amsterdam. This ethnic and contemporary
art museum display traveling exhibits from other countries as
well. Picasso, Monet, Cezanne and Mondriaan have their creative
works stored in this eminent museum.
In its earlier days, however, this dynamic
museum exhibited the heritage of the lunatic Sophia Augusta
de Bruyn, Douairière Lopez Suasso that featured a heterogeneous
collection of antiques, coins, jewels, timepieces, silver knickknacks,
and other curiosa. The exquisite furniture collection of the
museum was being initiated since 1934. These include chairs,
settees, tables, folding screens, cabinets and complete interiors.
Collections of this modern and authentic museum are available
to the visitors not only in the forms of paintings and sculptures
but also in drawings and photography.
Stedelijk Museum is considered to be one of
the major attractions of Amsterdam admitting lots of visitors
from all over the world to savour the artistic touch inherent
in the exhibits.
Location
Stedelijk Museum CS enjoys a perfect location
at a walking distance of a few minutes from Amsterdam Central
Station. The Passenger Terminal Amsterdam is at stone’s
throw from the museum. Following the signs “Route Oosterdok”
from outside the train station you can drive easily to the museum.
The museum can also be reached in metros, trams and buses that
have their stoppage at Amsterdam Central Station.
Transport
Metros, Trams and Buses: Stop Central Station
Tour Buses: Load and unload passengers by the
Oosterdoksdam or the NEMO pier
Bus lines 238 and 239: Every 15 minutes from
Amsterdam Sloterdijk Station to Deccaweg from 6.45 a.m. and
9.00 a.m./ from Deccaweg stop between 3.35 p.m. and 5.50 p.m.
Westpoort Taxi: Euro 1.90 (approx.)/ to and
from Amsterdam Sloterdijk Station/ Bus number 41/47 leaves every
15 minutes on workdays from 9.00 a.m. to 2.30 p.m. and again
from 6.00 p.m. to 11.30 p.m. On weekends, this taxi runs from
10.00 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. at every 15 minutes interval.
Parking facility
Markenhoven parking garages are in the close
quarters of the museum in Anne Frankstraat allowing the visitors
a safe and secure parking space. Another spacious parking area
is ANWB Parking Waterlooplein at Valkenburgerstraat 238. The
Passenger Terminal Amsterdam is also within easy reach from
the museum at Oosterlijke Handelskade 1.
Timing
Everyday : 10.00 a.m. – 6.00 p.m.
Thuursday : until 9.00 p.m.
The museum remains closed on 1st January every year. On December
5, 24 and 31 the museum closes at 5.00 p.m.
Collections
The Stedelijk Museum initially had on display
the heritage of the lunatic Sophia Augusta de Bruyn, Douairière
Lopez Suasso and a heterogeneous collection of antiques, coins,
jewels, timepieces, silver knickknacks, and other curiosa. The
Vereeniging tot het Vormen van een Openbare Verzameling van
Hedendaagsche Kunst moved from the Rijksmuseum to the Stedelijk
Museum in 1895. A diverse collection ranging from banners of
citizen's militia units to an apothecary's shop and lying-in
room from the Medical/Pharmaceutical Museum filled up the museum.
In between 1920 and 1940 a major part of this collection moved
to the other quarters. The last of the period rooms ultimately
disappeared in the early 1970s to give a modern look to this
exclusive museum.
From 1910 onwards various private collectors
like P. Boendermaker, F. Koenigs and P.A. Regnault helped the
museum with donations. Such aids allowed the museum to store
the Van Gogh collection of V.W. van Gogh along with Vincent's
contemporaries from the collection of Theo van Gogh from 1930
to 1972. All these have been an eminent part of the Stedelijk
Museum.
The museum has in its collection CoBrA and
also evident of German and Dutch Expressionism for the visitors
to enjoy. All these were stored in the museum by the eminent
designer Willem Sandberg. He even purchased numerous paintings
and sculptures by ‘classic’ moderns. Sandberg gave
photography, applied arts, industrial and graphic design a unique
place in the acquisition policy. Sandberg collected celebrated
works of artists like Dubuffet, Tinguely, Dibbets, Van Elk,
Ryman and De Kooning along with American pop Art. Famous works
by Matisse, Newman and Rauschenberg from the 1950s were also
housed by Sandberg in this eminent museum.
A distinctive feature of the museum is the
collection that displays 29 paintings and other works by the
Russian artist, Kazimir Malevich. Other prominent works of art
by the Dutch Stijl artists Mondrian, Van Doesburg, Van der Leck
and Rietveld form an attractive feature of the museum. There
is also on display 70 art works by Moore, Saura, Van Velde,
Visser, Tajiri and Zadkine.
Since 1980 a special room has been included
in the museum that exhibited video collections of works by Paik,
Viola, Nauman and others. In the same decade paintings and sculptures
by Arte Povera artists such as Zorio, Paolini, Merz and Penone,
as well as the then still Young Italians such as Cucchi and
Chia was added to the museum’s collection. Works by the
German artists Kiefer, Baselitz, Lüpertz, Penck, Warhol,
Oldenbur, Andre, Judd and De Maria, the Minimalists were well
represented in the museum. The director Beeren collected recent
works by Stella, Kounellis, Kiefer and Polke.
In 1986 the museum added to its huge collection
Lucebert’s the Groenendijk-Voûte collection that
helped in strengthening old links with the CoBrA school. Mondrian's
'Composition with two lines' (1931) found its place in the museum
in 1988. Sculptures by renowned artists like Armajani, Cragg,
Bickerton, Deacon, Koons, Solano and Veneman add to the attraction
of the Stedelijk Museum.
Rudi Fuchs as a director of the museum helped
in accumulating a distinguished works by Americans such as Judd,
LeWitt and Nauman. German and Austrian art by Baselitz, Förg,
Herold, Lüpertz, Mik, Pichler, Rainer and Struth are also
among the wide range of collections of the museum. Gilbert &
George, Gordon and Hirst also laid special emphasis on British
art that too holds a significant position here. Fuchs is famous
for his experimental arrangements of the collection in which
works from different times are brought into dialogue with one
another.
Education
The beautiful Vondelpark has a history that
is long as well as interesting. In 1864, a group of prominent
Amsterdammers raised money to buy 8 hectares of land to found
a public park. L.D Zocher, the renowned architect, was commissioned
to design the park as an English landscape. Vistas, ponds and
pathways were used to create a natural effect. In 1865, the
park was opened to public for the first time as a horseback
riding and strolling park. It was then known as Nieuwe Park.
In 1867, when the statue of the beloved Dutch poet Joost van
den Vondel, was established here, it was renamed as Vondelpark.
By 1877, the park had spread to its current space of 49 hectares.
In 1896, a few streams from the Stadholders wharf were made
to run through the park till the Amstelveenseweg. By 1959, a
lot had changed. Management went to the hands of the municipality
who decided to renovate the park in order to attract more number
of visitors. The well-known architect E. Moss was designated
for the task. He stressed on simplicity, preservation of greenery
and functionality in use and management. In the 1980’s
the Open Air Theatre was built. In 1996, the Vondelpark received
the status of a protected realm monument. .
Library
Opening Time:
Monday – Friday: 10.00 a.m. – 5
p.m.
The Stedelijk museum facilitates a library
to the visitors who can acquire a detailed knowledge about the
history, collection and exhibitions of the museum. Initially,
the library was built as a resource to the staff and the directors;
but it took a major shape in 1957 when it allowed access to
the public. Today, this library can well be said to be one of
the largest art libraries of the Netherlands. More than 130,000
books and exhibition catalogues, 210 ongoing periodical subscriptions,
hundreds of documentary videos and a considerable documentation
system with newspaper cuttings, invitations are available in
this library. There is a blend of contemporary and modern art
in the collections of the library.
Restaurant and Coffee Bar
The visitors can rest in between their tours
in the Stedelijk Museum at the museum’s coffee bar. It
offers a relaxing atmosphere in the second floor of the museum
building. “Restaurant Club 11” on the eleventh floor
is where the visitors can have lunch and dinner.
Rental facilities
If necessary the museum allows rental facilities
for commercial and business purposes.
Stedelijk Museum Directors 1895-now
Jan Eduard van Someren Brand 1895-1906
Cornelis Baard
1906-1936
David Röell
1936-1945
Willem Sandberg
1945-1963
Edy de Wilde
1963-1985
Wim Beeren
1985-1993
Rudi Fuchs
1993-2003
Hans van Beers
(a.i.) 2003-
Gijs van Tuyl
2005
Bureau Amsterdam
Opening Time:Tuesday – Sunday: 11.00
a.m. – 5.00 p.m.
Bureau Amsterdam is a project space of Stedelijk
Museum located in the heart of the city amidst galleries for
contemporary art. This organization opened its doors in 1993
where exhibitions of international fame take place. Here special
emphasis is given to paintings and sculptures, video, photography,
performance, installation, design and new media. Apart from
this, Bureau Amsterdam is involved in exchanges with international
art organizations. Theorists, critics and artists from all over
the world impart lectures on topical issues six times a year
in this organization. All the exhibitions in this Bureau Amsterdam
provide Newsletter for the visitors to informing about the exhibitions,
the artists and the activities of this institution.
Entry Fee
Adults : Euro 9.00 onwards
Children from 7 years – 16 years : Euro 4.50
Family pass (2 adults + 2 children) : Euro 22.50
CJP : Euro 4.50
Senior Citizens (+65) : Euro 4.50
Groups (15 or more) : Euro 4.50 per person
Free: Museumkaart, Amsterdam Stadspas, Vereniging Rembrandt,
Friends of the Stedelijk Museum
Conclusion
The Stedelijk Museum is a storehouse of paintings,
sculptures, applied art & design, works on paper, photographs,
film/video and artists’ books with descriptions of the
works, and biographical information of the artists. The information
and materials available in the museum help the visitors gain
a cognitive knowledge about eminent pieces of creative art and
other related subjects. Sponsors and partners help a great deal
in aiding Stedelijk Museum and allowing it enough finance that
will enable this distinguished museum to furnish better educational
programmes and ammenities for the visitors. It is known as one
of the most dynamic museums of the country filled with valuable
informations.
The museum building is undergoing an extensive
renovation to give it a new structure by adding annexes and
introducing floors to it. The museum building needs to be restructured
to give it a new look complying with the demands of the visitors.
This expansion of the museum is being undertaken by one of the
most famous architects of Amsterdam, Benthem Crouwel. Thus,
the main building of the Stedelijk Museum at Museumsquare/ Paulus
Potterstraat is closed for the public for the time being.
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