There is always something fun to do in Amsterdam, but what shall we do in August 2025? Check out our latest cultural tips here. My name is Annabelle Hinam. I am 26 years old, born and raised in Amsterdam. I graduated from the theater academy in Utrecht in July 2021 and am currently working as an actor, writer, voice-over artist, and cook. In addition to working in the cultural sector (and not just in the theater world), I also enjoy visiting other forms of art. Museums, films, exhibitions, local neighborhood initiatives, and more. Every month, I write a series of tips that I think are worth visiting. Questions or tips? Email me! You can do so at: hinamannabelle@gmail.com. At the bottom of my tip, you will always find the website and/or Instagram of the place for more information.
August is sometimes less busy in terms of theater and dance because the festival season is in full swing. But don't worry, there's still plenty to do during this summer month. It's also Pride Month, which is why my top tip for this month is the performance "Weg met Eddy Belleguele" (Away with Eddy Belleguele) by ITA/Toneelschuur productions, directed by Eline Arbo. A performance you really shouldn't miss.
Museums and exhibitions
Refresh Amsterdam #3 – Amsterdam Museum (t/m 30 november)
Refresh Amsterdam #3 – Imagine the Future in the Amsterdam Museum invites reflection: what does the future look like, and what role can artists and the public play in it? What is special is that not only fifteen contemporary artists — including Raquel van Haver, Minne Kersten, Brigitte Louter, Fiona Lutjenhuis and Frank Ammerlaan — present new work, but the public is also actively involved. In a spacious wing of the Amsterdam Museum, the permanent collection is replaced by experimentation, imagination and collective exploration.
Website & tickets: Tickets
Pride Photo 2025
Pride Photo 2025 – Queer Havens (Ways of Being: Queer Realities) is not a cheerful pride show, but a visual journey through global queer identities and communities. An honest and sometimes moving exhibition that invites you to reflect on the safe places that many people search for so desperately and try to create themselves. Curator Mohamad Abdouni and an international jury selected eleven photo projects, six from World Press Photo and five from Pride Photo, which together comprise more than forty images. They tell stories about chosen families, nightlife, transitions, memory, and solidarity, and reveal the complexity of queer existence across different parts of the world.
Where and when: Westerpark & Het Meterhuisje (Amsterdam-Noord): July 12–August 10, outdoor exhibition open 24/7, indoor exhibition open during the day.
Melkweg Expo (Amsterdam-West): from July 17 to the end of August, indoors in a more intimate setting. In addition to the exhibition, a meet & greet with the winning photographers will be held at the Melkweg Expo on August 29.
Website & tickets:About
And don't be late for these current exhibitions!
Crossings – The Rijksmuseum (July 4 to October 12)
Crossings unites colonial and contemporary perspectives through photography from the Indian subcontinent. The exhibition explores the intersection of past and present, juxtaposing 19th-century British colonial photography with contemporary works by French-Sri Lankan artist Vasantha Yogananthan. The Rijksmuseum's collection includes over twelve hundred 19th-century photographs from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, and Tibet. While these photographs were often commissioned, Yogananthan sought his own background in these regions.
Website & tickets: www.rijksmuseum.nl
Memento, fotografie, onderbroken – Huis Marseille (t/m 12 oktober)
Not only does the city of Amsterdam have a birthday to celebrate this year, but Huis Marseille is also celebrating a birthday in 2025, its 25th. From June 28 to October 12, the exhibition Memento. Photography interrupted will therefore be on display, which can be admired in both buildings of the museum. Huis Marseille is exhibiting more than a hundred contemporary photographic masterpieces, taking you on a wonderful journey through time. Huis Marseille was the first photography museum in Amsterdam and therefore owns a number of leading works by, among others, Thomas Struth, Andres Serrano, Viviane Sassen and many more. Worth a visit!
Website & tickets: www.huismarseille.nl
Miracle of Amsterdam – Our Lord in the Attic (until September 7)
In 1345, a miracle is said to have occurred in Amsterdam that changed the city forever. The Miracle of Amsterdam exhibition at the Our Lord in the Attic museum tells the story of this mysterious event and its impact on the city. Through art, historical objects, and documents, you will discover how the miracle made Amsterdam an important pilgrimage city. A fascinating exhibition about faith, devotion, and the traces that the past has left behind in today's Amsterdam.
Website & tickets:www.opsolder.nl
Amsterdam Eet. A history in dishes – Allard Pierson Museum (until September 7)
To mark its 750th anniversary, the Allard Pierson Museum is presenting Amsterdam Eet : a delicious exhibition about cooking and eating in Amsterdam. Through cookbooks, archaeological finds, manuscripts, and other sources, you will discover what the people of Amsterdam have eaten throughout history. The exhibition also focuses on the various culinary traditions that the city was, and still is, rich in.
Tickets
Unfinished past: return, keep, or…? – Wereldmuseum Amsterdam (on display from May 9)
Today, there is increasing discussion about returning collections to the countries from which they originate. Not only politicians, activists, and communities from former European colonies are taking the position that objects should be returned, but museums themselves are also becoming increasingly critical of the objects in their collections. Who do they belong to? And this discussion automatically raises more interesting and complex questions about ownership. The exhibition focuses on an important debate and displays historical objects and contemporary art.
Website & tickets:Tickets
Theater, dance, opera
Bosfest – Amsterdamse Bostheater (August 20-30)
At Bosfest, you choose your own route, your performances, and your taste. There is everything to see, from spectacular shows to intimate twilight tours, from concerts to funny performances. But one thing remains the same throughout: the breathtaking backdrop of the Amsterdamse Bos. My tips for this year are:
Het Dromenpaleis (The Dream Palace) – Zephyr Brüggen, Han Ruiz Buhrs, and Niels Kuiters
Runner – Orkater/De Nieuwkomers: Patrick Ribeiro
Madame Jeanette – Sidar Toksöz/Theater Rast
Website & tickets: https://bostheater.nl/bosfest/
Hadestown – Carré (until August 31)
The global musical sensation Hadestown was already an international success. It won eight Tony Awards and a Grammy for Best Musical Theatre Album, which is not surprising. This wonderfully swinging show of jazz, blues, and folk music bursts off the stage. It has already been showered with stars in the press, and the actors and directors have been praised for their performances. One thing is certain: any musical lover should not miss Hadestown this summer.
Website & tickets:Tickets
Heel Amsterdam Danst (All of Amsterdam Dances) – Dutch National Opera (NPOStart)
Because the National Opera and Ballet is on summer break, there is no regular program. What there is, however, is the beautiful documentary about the final performance of Heel Amsterdam Danst on the stage of the National Opera and Ballet on NPO Start. This participatory project in honor of Amsterdam's 750th anniversary brought together Amsterdammers from all parts of the city, and the NTR was there to follow the process with a camera. We see a diverse group of people, from young to old, from professional dancers to amateurs, from experienced dancers to people who have never danced before. A playful, moving, and beautiful film about rapprochement, dance, encounters, and challenges.
Website & tickets:www.operaballet.nl
Weg met Eddy Bellegueule (The End of Eddy Bellegueule), ITA Ensemble/Toneelschuur Producties – ITA Amsterdam (August 25 to September 1)
This performance was actually the breakthrough for Norwegian director Eline Arbo, then still at the Toneelschuur in Haarlem, now artistic director of the largest ensemble in the Netherlands, Internationaal Theater Amsterdam. The performance Weg met Eddy Bellegueule is a beautiful coming-of-age story based on the book of the same name by Eduard Louis. In this musical adaptation, we follow Eddy's life, see his family members and the influence they have on Eddy, and listen to the beautiful singing voices of the talented actors. A theater performance that sparkles, moves you, and lingers in your mind long after it's over.
Website & tickets: Tickets
And don't be late for these ongoing performances!
Willem II, Amsterdamse Bostheater in collaboration with Out of Office Productions and Nite – Het Amsterdamse Bostheater (July 1 to August 2)
Every year, the gigantic open-air theater in the Amsterdamse Bos hosts a spectacular theater performance. And in 2025, they have once again succeeded in putting on a fantastic show. With leading roles for Sanne den Hartogh, Alex Hendrickx, Julie Boellaard, and many more amazing actors, it couldn't be any other way! The director is Tom de Ket, who uses his exciting and daring direction to showcase the flamboyant life of King William II. A celebration of being different, queerness, and much more. The Battle of Waterloo has never been so sexy, according to one review, and that's exactly what it is!
Website & tickets:www.bostheater.nl
Music
Bimhuis stage: Bnnyhunna, Chatlein I Su Zumbi, Nausyqa, Danspaleis, and Yoran Vroom: Groove Beest, Southeast Jazz – BIMHUIS Stage (Hoekenrodeplein, Southeast) (August 30 and 31)
During this two-day free jazz festival in Amsterdam Zuidoost, the versatility of jazz is celebrated in the broadest sense of the word. There are soulful classics and electronic improvisation, musicians young and old, international and local talent. As a jazz lover, you can't miss this fantastic festival.
Website & tickets:www.bimhuis.nl
The Waterboys + The Deep Blue – Paradiso Amsterdam (August 26)
The Waterboys have been active since the 1980s. This timeless Scottish band continues to storm the stage, and I can see why. They exude energy, and Scottish singer and guitarist Mike Scott is and remains a phenomenon. For anyone who wants to hear Fisherman's Blues and The Whole Of The Moon live , this is your chance, at the most beautiful concert venue in Amsterdam.
Website & tickets:www.paradiso.nl
Festivals
De Parade Amsterdam
Last month, I recommended a few performances, because this year, De Parade Amsterdam is not at the end of August, but at the end of July and beginning of August. You still have ten whole days in August to be amazed in Martin Luther King Park. Theater, concerts, or a ride on the merry-go-round—it's all possible. A few tips:
Faded Glory – Sanne Vogel & Patsy Kroonenberg
Cruel Summer – Hadewych & Stephanie
The Philosophical Consultation Hour – HUMAN
Love in Times of Hopjesvla – Joost Oomen, Kruidkoek & ETN
Website & tickets:www.deparade.nl
Films in various arthouse cinemas
Sorry, Baby
Agnes is stuck. Something terrible has happened to her, but while the world around her continues, her life has come to a standstill. When an old friend visits at an important moment, Agnes is confronted with the distance that has grown between them. With sharp dialogue and painful silences, Sorry Baby shows how loss doesn't always scream — sometimes it's in what isn't said. A tender, uncomfortable, and relatable film about stagnation, pride, and cautiously opening a door to something new.
Enzo
Enzo is sixteen and lives in a villa on the Côte d'Azur. He leads a life of luxury that he doesn't really want. Without his family knowing, he starts training to become a bricklayer. During his new training, he meets Vlad, a Ukrainian boy who turns his life completely upside down. A beautiful coming-of-age film with unparalleled acting.
The North
In this film, we follow two friends, Chris and Lluis, who embark on a 600 km hike through the Scottish Highlands. What makes this film special is that it was made on a low budget of €75,000, with the cast and crew of The North walking through the Highlands themselves, carrying backpacks weighing 20 to 30 kilos. This allows the director to truly capture what long walks do to you. As a viewer, you also get to experience the almost meditative state of being. A beautiful film about friendship, walking, and what being at home can actually take on.
