Amsterdam · Museumplein · Ticketed

Stedelijk Museum: Modern Art, Design and the Bathtub on Museumplein

Amsterdam's museum of modern and contemporary art and design — Mondrian, Malevich, Warhol, De Stijl and a rotating programme of exhibitions, all under the famous white 'bathtub' roof on Museumplein.

By the AllTrips Editorial Team ·

The Stedelijk Museum's white bathtub-shaped extension seen across the Museumplein lawn on a sunny day
The Stedelijk from Museumplein — the white 'bathtub' extension floats above the old brick building.

Stedelijk Museum at a glance

Area: Museumplein, Amsterdam-Zuid — Museumplein 10. Allow: 2–3 hours. Entry: ticketed, under 18s free. Nearby: the Van Gogh Museum and Rijksmuseum on the same square, the Concertgebouw across it, Vondelpark a five-minute walk.

The highlights you should not miss

The Stedelijk mixes its permanent collection with big temporary exhibitions, so no two visits are identical. The constants worth planning around:

  • The Malevich and De Stijl rooms — the museum holds one of the most important Kazimir Malevich collections outside Russia, plus the De Stijl masters: Mondrian's grids, Rietveld's furniture and Van Doesburg's compositions.
  • Post-war CoBrA and abstract expressionism — Karel Appel, Corneille and the Dutch answer to American abstract art, shown alongside de Kooning and Pollock.
  • Pop art and the 1960s — Warhol, Lichtenstein and the museum's legendary design and poster collection.
  • The design collection — chairs, lamps, ceramics and graphic design from Gerrit Rietveld to contemporary Dutch studios; one of the strongest design holdings in Europe.
  • The temporary exhibitions — the Stedelijk's big shows are often the reason to visit; check what is on before you book.

The collection: from De Stijl to today

Founded in 1874, the Stedelijk built its reputation by buying modern art early — it was collecting Van Gogh, Cézanne and Matisse while other museums were still arguing about them. Today the collection covers roughly 90,000 objects of modern and contemporary art and design, from the 1870s to work made this year.

The galleries are bright, white and spacious, and the hang changes regularly: expect to find painting, sculpture, photography, video and design side by side rather than in separate wings.

A dark bronze walking figure sculpture in a bright white Stedelijk gallery, with large abstract paintings on the walls
Inside the Stedelijk — sculpture and large-scale painting share the bright white galleries.
A gallery wall at the Stedelijk Museum hung with De Stijl and constructivist works in black, red, yellow and blue
The De Stijl and constructivist rooms — Mondrian's world of black lines and primary colours.

The bathtub: the building itself

The museum is two buildings in one. The original 1895 red-brick building by Adriaan Weissman faces Museumplein with gables and towers; behind and above it floats the 2012 extension by Benthem Crouwel Architects — a smooth white canopy with a vast glass facade that Amsterdammers immediately nicknamed de badkuip, the bathtub.

The extension doubled the exhibition space and gave the museum its enormous ground-floor hall, which hosts the biggest installations. Walk around the outside before you go in — the contrast between the two halves is the whole point.

The glass entrance of the Stedelijk Museum under the white bathtub canopy, with the red-brick 1895 building behind
The glass entrance under the bathtub canopy, with Weissman's 1895 brick building behind.

Tickets and opening times

Entry is ticketed, with free admission for visitors under 18. The museum is open daily. Booking online ahead of time is recommended, especially in high season and when a popular temporary exhibition is on. Confirm current prices and hours before you go.

Official site

Stedelijk Museum — official website

Current prices, opening hours, temporary exhibitions and the museum's own online ticketing.

Visit stedelijk.nl

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Stedelijk Museum tickets on Tiqets

Book your ticket in advance — handy in high season, and easy to combine with the Van Gogh Museum or a canal cruise in one booking.

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Getting there

The museum is at Museumplein 10, on the south side of the square, next door to the Van Gogh Museum. Trams stop at Museumplein and Van Baerlestraat from across the city; from Centraal Station it is about 30 minutes on foot or a short tram ride. If you are cycling, there is bike parking around the square.

What is nearby?

The Van Gogh Museum is next door and the Rijksmuseum is across the square — all three can be combined in one museum day. The Concertgebouw is on the corner, and Vondelpark starts five minutes away. See all of them on our Amsterdam attractions map.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Stedelijk Museum worth visiting?

Yes, if you have any interest in modern and contemporary art or design. It is the third museum of Museumplein for a reason: the collection runs from Mondrian and Malevich to Warhol and today's artists, and the building itself is a landmark. If you only have time for one Museumplein museum and prefer old masters, pick the Rijksmuseum instead.

How much does the Stedelijk Museum cost?

Entry is ticketed, with free admission for visitors under 18. Prices change, so check the museum's official website or the Tiqets listing for the current adult rate before you go.

Do you need to book the Stedelijk Museum in advance?

It is recommended, but the Stedelijk is usually easier to get into than the Van Gogh Museum next door. Booking online ahead of time is still wise in high season and on rainy weekends, when the whole of Amsterdam heads for Museumplein.

How long does the Stedelijk Museum take?

Allow 2 to 3 hours for the permanent collection and one temporary exhibition. The museum is more compact than the Rijksmuseum, so it pairs well with the Van Gogh Museum on the same day.

What is the Stedelijk Museum famous for?

Three things: one of the world's best collections of Kazimir Malevich and De Stijl (Mondrian, Rietveld), a strong post-war and contemporary programme, and the 2012 extension nicknamed 'the bathtub' — a vast white canopy floating over Museumplein.

Sources

Reviewed October 2026. Confirm current prices, hours and exhibition dates on the official site before visiting.