There is always something fun to do in Amsterdam, but what will we do in June 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.
Since summer is now in full swing, I have tried to recommend as many open-air theaters, concerts, and much more as possible. Have fun and don't forget to apply sunscreen!
Museums and exhibitions
Crossings – The Rijksmuseum (July 4 to October 12)
Crossings brings together colonial and contemporary perspectives in photography from the Indian subcontinent. The exhibition shows how the past and present meet. British colonial photography from the 19th century meets the contemporary work of French-Sri Lankan artist Vasantha Yogananthan. The Rijksmuseum has more than 1,200 19th-century photographs from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, and Tibet in its collection. These photographs were often commissioned, while Yogananthan now traveled to these areas in search of his own background.
Website & tickets:www.rijksmuseum.nl
Memento, photography, interrupted – Huis Marseille (until October 12)
Not only the city of Amsterdam has a birthday to celebrate this year, Huis Marseille is also celebrating a birthday in 2025. Its 25th, to be precise. From June 28 to October 12, the exhibition Memento. Photography will be on display 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 Thomas Struth, Andres Serrano, Viviane Sassen, and many more. Well worth a visit!
Website & tickets:www.huismarseille.nl
And don't be late for these current exhibitions!
The Birth of the City – Amsterdam City Archives (until July 6)
The Birth of the City beautifully illustrates how Amsterdam became the city we know today. At the City Archives, you can immerse yourself in medieval Amsterdam, a time known for trade, growth, and change. Using old maps, archaeological finds, and historical documents, you can discover how the first Amsterdammers lived, worked, and built their city. A fascinating exhibition that shows how a settlement on the water grew into a bustling trading center.
Website & tickets:www.amsterdam.nl
Miracle of Amsterdam – Our Lord in the Attic (until September 7)
In 1345, a miracle is said to have taken place 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 destination. A fascinating exhibition about faith, devotion, and the traces that the past has left behind in today's Amsterdam.
Website & tickets:www.opsolder.nl
Formafantasma, Oltre Terra – The Stedelijk Museum (February 15 to July 13)
The Oltre Terra exhibition is a study by design studio Formafantasma. Wool is the central theme here. With Oltre Terra , the design studio reveals the history and ecology behind the fabric, as well as how the global dynamics of production work. Formafantasma is known for its broader ecological perspective and effectively illustrates the complexity of the relationships between humans, animals, and the environment.
Website & tickets:www.stedelijk.nl
The worker's paradise: garden villages and garden cities – Museum Het Schip (until July 27, 2025)
At the end of the nineteenth century, the garden city concept emerged: a form of public housing and urban development that originated in England. It was a dream for workers, an escape from the slums and shacks in which many lived. The garden city concept offered a beautiful and healthy living environment with lots of greenery. Ebenezer Howard, an English social reformer, played an important role in this development. Because the current debate also revolves around sustainable living and healthier lifestyles, this exhibition is very relevant to today's issues. Informative and inspiring!
Website & tickets:www.hetschip.nl
Amsterdam Eet. A history in dishes – Allard Pierson Museum (until September 7)
For its 750th anniversary, the Allard Pierson Museum is presenting Amsterdam Eet : a delightful 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, the discussion about returning collections to the countries where they originated is becoming increasingly common. Not only politicians, activists, and communities from former European colonies are taking the position that objects should be returned, but museums themselves are also 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
Physical Therapy, Conner Schumacher, Julidans – Vondelpark Open Air Theater (July 4)
In the beautiful Vondelpark Open Air Theater, ARK and Connor Schumacher take you on a rave session/dance trip. The floor transforms into a place where anything is possible. Joy, surrender, and connection. In Physical Therapy , the creators invite the audience to challenge themselves, reinvent themselves, and above all, have fun through dance.
Website & tickets:www.openluchttheater.nl
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 show 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
Revenge of the Extras, Het Zuidelijk Toneel – De Parade, Paradetheater 1 (July 25-29) Martin Luther Kingpark
This year, De Parade is coming to Amsterdam earlier than in previous years. Starting at the end of July, Martin Luther Kingpark will be transformed into the magical traveling theater festival: De Parade. Het Zuidelijk Toneel has become a regular feature at this festival, and I can understand why. Revenge of the Extras is a sci-fi performance about extras – people who will never be at the top of the call sheet. A revolution breaks out behind the scenes of a sci-fi film set, leading to a hilarious satire.
Website & tickets:www.deparade.nl
PROHIBITION, Unwanted Words – Theater Bellevue (July 5)
PROHIBITION at Theater Bellevue is a sparkling spoken word performance full of glamour, queer expression, and raw honesty. Four powerful artists take you back to the roaring twenties, followed by an open mic where everyone can make their voice heard. A must-see for lovers of poetry and diversity, in a safe and vibrant atmosphere!
Website & tickets:www.theaterbellevue.nl
Films in various arthouse cinemas
Hot Milk
In Hot Milk, Rebecca Lenkiewicz's directorial debut, based on Deborah Levy's bestseller of the same name, Emma Mackey plays a young woman who travels to southern Spain with her sick mother (Fiona Shaw) for alternative treatment. Under the blazing sun, their dependent relationship comes under pressure. With Mackey's understated performance and a dreamy directing style, the film explores themes such as freedom, desire, and letting go. A subtle and atmospheric summer film that will linger in your mind for a long time to come.
Perla
Perla is a quiet force of a film: highly cinematic images and full of underlying tension. Perla lives with her daughter in the free Vienna of the 1980s, but when her sick ex-partner contacts her, she travels back to her communist homeland. What follows is a confrontation with a past that never completely went away. Director Alexandra Makarová tells the story in a subdued but precise manner, with an eye for the traces that history, love, and loss leave on a person.
Le deuxième acte
Le Deuxième Acte is a dry, sharp, and delightfully self-aware film. Director Quentin Dupieux has actors Léa Seydoux, Louis Garrel, and Vincent Lindon clash in an isolated location in a play-like game full of bickering, clichés, and hidden agendas. What starts as a simple relationship comedy unfolds into a clever, absurdist satire about acting, the film industry, and human insecurities. With tight dialogue and a minimal setting, Dupieux keeps the momentum going, keeping the viewer captivated throughout.
