Amsterdam 2023: Amsterdam-Noord
On our third full day in Amsterdam we took the free ferry from behind Central Station to Amsterdam-Noord, North Amsterdam. We last visited in 2017 to take the giant swing at the top of the A’DAM Tower, which I think scared some of you, but this time, after a coffee stop, we headed off straight away to walk to NDSM-werf.
Amsterdam-Noord is a fast developing area with lots of building still going on, interspersed with sculptures such as above and below.
Before we got to the wharf we discovered a museum we didn’t know about, Nxt Museum, which features “large-scale & immersive installations fusing technology & creativity with psychedelic light & sound”. We enjoyed this, though I can’t remember much about the significance of the installations now so the gallery below is uncaptioned – just enjoy the colours!
By good fortune, the museum had an excellent café where we had lunch before continuing our walk to the wharf and our main destination, STRAAT: the museum for street art and graffiti which is based in an 8000 square-metre former ship-building warehouse. We could tell we were getting closer.
Then we arrived! How to describe it? Difficult – there are over 160 artworks by artists from all over the world (mostly done on site) and we must have photographed most of them. It’s impossible to pick out favourites. Here are some general views to give an impression of how vast it was.
When we were there they had a spotlight on women street artists, so I’ll include a few of those works, which are captioned because we were sensible enough to photograph the information panels too.
This truck hanging from the ceiling caught my eye and I’ve included its description, because otherwise it’s too hard to explain.
There was so, so much more! And, as luck would have it, this place also has a café, complete with periscopes for the engineer to play with, so we were able to have a coffee stop before we left.
By now it was almost 16:30, so rather than walk back to the original ferry terminal we caught one straight from NDSM, passing the Botel which always looks an interesting place to stay.
In a final end-of-post gallery, here are two lovely buildings we passed going to and from Central Station.
And then home to our apartment. That night we ate Italian in Casa di Leo, another restaurant we had visited in the past. The next day we had tickets booked for Moco Museum, and would have an unexpected artistic encounter in the afternoon. Coming soon!
The Glasgow Gallivanter 
Interesting day. I would love to visit the street art museum; looks amazing. (Suzanne)
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It was a great place to visit.
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Thanks for taking me to Amsterdam, especially as we didn’t visit there last October.
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A pleasure!
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What great art works you saw and experienced. I love the street art because they are so vibrant and often poignant and, at times, fun. Love the last 2 pictures with the bells.
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I loved the street art too. We spent a couple of happy hours in there.
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Wow! Such a feast for the eyes. 😁
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I know, so colourful!
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What amazing museums! I’ve never been to Amsterdam, but I’d better put it on my list!
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You really should! Wonderful place.
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That street art museum looks fabulous and colorful! And I imagine it must be pretty cool to stay in the Botel. Fun times you two had in Amsterdam. 🙂
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It was a really good museum, we definitely had fun in Amsterdam (and more to come).
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Your cafe radar seems well developed.
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The result of much practice.
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That art is incredible! Some of it also a bit disturbing, but good art always makes an impact.
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Very true. And the sheer volume was impactful too.
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Wow – the Straat Museum is amazing! I have sent a link to Frodrik as he definitely needs to see it. Maybe one day he can exhibit there!
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That would be cool!
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We visited the former shipyard building a couple of years BC. It was being developed as a space for creatives with their studios in shipping containers. There was a lot of street art as I recall but it wasn’t a gallery devoted to it as far as I can remember . Times have moved on.
(I recall seeing the shipyard and area around it in an episode of that inferior reimagining of Van de Valk)
I wouldn’t be so keen on staying on that Botel. Shades of something nasty in Portland
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We were there in November 2017, so maybe around the same time, and there was obviously work going on in the warehouse but it wasn’t accessible to the public. Lots of street art around then too though. You’re right about the Botel, Margaret pointed out it looked like the Stockholm Bibby.
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I’ve checked. We were there June 2018 and the visit to the NSDM was inspired by one of your posts! https://greatacre.wordpress.com/2018/07/07/ndsm/
Time flies
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Well whaddya know! Eventually, when my blogging catches up, I can credit you with the same inspiration for our Yorkshire Sculpture Park visit.
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Getting away from the city centre, and wow more interesting art. I think more people are rethinking how they do things with the world’s temperament weather. As it’s all about the art, I think the indoor exhibition is absolutely fine as it highlights artists to the wider community. That’s what it’s all about.
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Yes, I think you’re right. We would never have seen the work of some of these artistes otherwise.
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I like the idea of gathering a collection of street art from around the world. There is so much fun in this exhibition.
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There really was. Quite amazing to see so much under one roof.
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What a fantastic trip with so much packed in!
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It was! It’s also not a terribly touristy part of the city so not overwhelmingly busy.
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Goodness such a huge amount of artwork to see. It takes time to look and enjoy so I’m calling back later to have another look! The two buildings at the end of your post are wonderful.
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I liked those buildings – and yes, that amount of art is overwhelming all at once!
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No shortage of diversions, Anabel. I find it kind of strange that they are now bringing street art indoors. I do like to see it in situ but I suppose it’s available to more people in a museum.
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I suppose, and it’s also a chance to see a lot of different styles and themes at the same time. But yes, there is something artificial about it and you lose the joy of serendipitously spotting something.
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That’s the bit I love- coming round a street corner and… bam!
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That artwork is amazing, Anabel! I’m sorry to hear about the cold interior. I would definitely had stayed bundled up as well!
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Isn’t it! Didn’t notice the cold so much when we were walking about looking at things, but sitting in the cafe was chilly.
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I like all the artwork. Bob. BSS.
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Thanks, so did I!
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Wow! The street art is fabulous – hard to pick a favourite but if anything it has to be Nectar 🙂
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Yes, I like that one too, and the mountain landscape is my other favourite.
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I loved all the colorful art in this. The periscopes were clever fun. What are we saying about girls who would hold a spiked mace behind their back while a boy has flowers? Not sure I like the message in that one.
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That wasn’t part of the museum, it was genuine street art, so I don’t know the significance. It was so colourful and on the face of it romantic, until you looked more closely. I agree, not a good message! The only problem with the museum was, being a big warehouse, it was cold! As you can see, we are still wearing our outdoor jackets even with a warming cup of coffee in our hands.
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Hi Anabel – I’ve noticed probably from you – how the ‘harbour’ area of Amsterdam is being revitalised … it does look amazing- incredible warehouses being put to cultural use. Lots and lots to see – I’d love to visit … all of it … including your dinner suggestions! Cheers Hilary
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Yes, there’s a lot of interesting stuff there which is slightly off the general tourist beat – I like that!
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The more you post about Amsterdam the more I feel we must give it a second chance one day. Both these museums sound fascinating, even though I’m slightly ambivalent about street art in a museum or gallery – much as I love it, that seems to go against the main principle!
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I agree, although as I said to Laura earlier, it is a bit false but at least the techniques are the same. I hope you do give Amsterdam a second chance someday.
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Wow, that street art installation is magnificent and seems so worth a visit. Do you think it’s “always” there, or was it a temporary exhibition?
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I’m sorry, Liesbet, you ended up in spam there! I’ve rescued you 😃. It’s a permanent street art museum – the exhibits may change over time, but I imagine quite slowly given the scale.
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Wowee. What a lot of interesting experiences you packed in! But I think the Botel is not for me. It reminds me too much of the Bibby Stockholm and all it represents …
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You are right, I hadn’t thought of it that way before.
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A bit unfair of me. I’m sure it’s a perfectly nice hotel.
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I love the look of the street art museum. It looks like a really interesting place to visit. I know you are drawn to street art that you encounter on your wanderings so what a perfect museum for you.
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It was perfect – slightly false, in that all the artwork was done on site so not strictly ‘street’ but the techniques were the same.
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I find street art fascinating. What a great exhibition
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It was marvellous to see so much in one place.
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Two wonderful galleries that I must visit. I liked the silhouette of the “romantic” couple. 😂
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Yes, I fear his flowers will not go down well!
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