Cultural Events in Amsterdam: Exhibits, Lates and Festivals in 2020

“Amsterdam is one of the Europe’s most vibrant cultural capitals, and its many museums and cultural institutions have special events, year-round. The calendar for 2020 is no exception, with lots of festivals, exhibitions and late openings held across the city. Read on for the best cultural events in Amsterdam in 2020.

Spring
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### Exhibitions

Caravaggio-Bernini. Baroque in Rome

Rijksmuseum

14 February-7 June

Explores the early Baroque style through works by painter Caravaggio and sculptor Bernini.

Nam June Paik – The Future Is Now

Stedelijk Museum

14 March-23 August

Major retrospective of early video-artist Nam June Paik, in collaboration with Tate Modern and San Francisco MoMA.

Jewels! The Glitter of the Russian Court

Hermitage Amsterdam

14 September 2019-15 March 2020

Collection of 200 years’ worth of jewels, paintings and textiles from the Russian court.

HERE – Black in Rembrandt’s Time

Rembrandthuis

6 March-31 May

Works depicting the impact of the slave trade and the small community of free black people who lived in Amsterdam in the 17th century.

### Lates

Vincent on Friday

Van Gogh Museum

Last Friday of every month

Themed evening tours and activities with a focus on younger audiences and creativity.

### Festivals

Open Tower Day

21 March (may change to 23 March)

The city’s historical and contemporary towers open to the public for one day.

Amsterdam Tulip Festival

1-30 April

Tulips in bloom at dozens of public spaces, gardens, museums and notable buildings.

DGTL

NDSM Docklands

11-12 April

Amsterdam’s flagship electronic music festival, held over Easter weekend.

King’s Day

27 April

One of the biggest and brightest Dutch festivals, with events, parades and food festivals across the city.

Hemeltjelief Festival

NDSM

21 May

Theatre, music and entertainment in celebration of Ascension Day.

Architecture Day

19-21 June

Showcases new and upcoming architecture through events and building openings.

Open Garden Days

12-14 June

Peek inside the elegant private gardens of some of Amsterdam’s canal homes.

Summer
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### Exhibitions

Hansken: Rembrandt’s Elephant

Rembrandthuis

19 June-27 September

Rembrandt’s drawings of the 17th century’s most famous performing elephant, Hansken.

What a Genderful World

Tropenmuseum

11 October 2019-23 August 2020

Festival-like exhibition on how culture determines human views of gender.

### Lates

Vincent on Friday

Van Gogh Museum

Last Friday of every month

Themed evening tours and activities with a focus on younger audiences and creativity.

ARTIS Summer Nights

Amsterdam Royal Zoo

6, 13, 20 & 27 June

Evening programme of family-friendly workshops and musical performances.

### Festivals

KinderKunstBiënnale

September 18-October 31

First-ever Amsterdam children’s art biennale.

Amsterdam Pride

25 July-2 August

Parades and festivities celebrating Amsterdam’s LGBTQ+ community.

Awakenings

Spaarnwoude Houtrak

27-28 June

Massive techno festival held just outside Amsterdam.

Milkshake

Westerpark

25-26 July

Multi-genre entertainment and music festival with an ethos of freedom and tolerance.

Loveland

Sloterpark

8-9 August

The 25th anniversary of this electronic and dance event.

Autumn
——

### Exhibitions

Slavery, an exhibition

Rijksmuseum

25 September 2020-17 January 2021

Exhibition on slavery in the Dutch colonial period, from the 17th to the 19th centuries.

RAW – The Aversion to Idealization

Rembrandthuis

6 November 2020 to 2021

Exhibition comparing how contemporary artists tackle similar themes, problems and experiments to those of Rembrandt.

### Lates

Vincent on Friday

Van Gogh Museum

Last Friday of every month

Themed evening tours and activities with a focus on younger audiences and creativity.

Museum Night Amsterdam

November (exact dates TBC)

For one night a year, Amsterdam’s museums and galleries host events, parties and festivals until the small hours.

### Festivals

The Big Draw

Rijksmuseum

October or November (exact dates TBC)

Open day for drawing in the museum, with tours and workshops.

Open Monuments Day

12 & 15 September 2020

Unprecedented access to some of Amsterdam’s most iconic buildings and spaces for one day only.

Unseen Amsterdam

Gashouder Westergasfabriek

18-20 September

Annual art and contemporary photography fair.

Afrovibes Festival

1-11 October

Performing arts festival celebrating African cultures and artists.

Amsterdam Art Weekend

22-24 November

Cutting-edge modern art exhibitions and showcases spanning media and genres.

Winter
————-

### Exhibitions

Dutch Masters Revisited

Amsterdam Museum

30 September 2019-2 February 2020

Portraits of prominent Dutch citizens posing as people of colour from the 17th and 18th centuries.

Banksy – Laugh now

Moco Museum

Until 6 January

An unofficial exhibition of iconic Banksy works on loan from collectors.

### Lates

Vincent on Friday at Van Gogh Museum

Last Friday of every month

Themed evening tours and activities with a focus on younger audiences and creativity.

Finissage Migrant Artists in Paris

Stedelijk Museum

31 January

Special final evening opening of the Chagall, Picasso, Mondrian and Others exhibition.

### Festivals

Amsterdam Light Festival

28 November 2019-19 January 2020

Amsterdam’s city centre dazzles with light installations and alluminated artworks.

National Tulip Day

Dam Square

18 January

Official start of Dutch tulip season marked with a special ‘picking garden’ to pick your own flowers.

Find somewhere to stay by checking out our hotels in Amsterdam.“