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Discover Benelux | Amsterdam’s Museum Quarter | Introduction
Amsterdam’s fashion and museum district is a thriving part of the city where culture can be experienced by visitors from all walks of life.
expensive and luxurious items, from designer handbags to one-of-a-kind earrings from renowned brands such as Armani and Louis Vuitton. You can shop until you drop, just don’t forget to bring your credit card. If you are looking for local chic instead of high-end luxury, the Van Baerlestraat is highly recommended. You can continue your shopping trip to the nearby Jacob Obrechtstraat and Cornelis Schuytstraat, where you will find numerous stylish independent shops and other local brands. Next to shopping and sightseeing, this part of town also includes the Vondelpark, Amsterdam’s beautiful urban public park. It is a great place to rent a bike and go for a tour and it offers a wide variety of sights and activities. There is a beautiful rose garden, an open-air theatre and a skating rental shop. Furthermore, the park houses different cafés and teahouses that give you beautiful views over Amsterdam’s most popular green space. One of the latest additions to the Museum Quarter is the Conservatorium Hotel. Orig-
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inally built as the Rijkspostspaarbank at the end of the 19th century, the building was later occupied by the Amsterdam Sweelinck Music Conservatorium before it became a luxurious hotel in 2011 (see more on page 37, opposite).
How to get there Getting to Museum Quarter is easy; it is a 15minute bike ride from Amsterdam Central Station. There are also various trams going in that direction. And which better way is there than to travel like to locals do?
WHAT’S ON AT THE MUSEUMS Rijksmuseum – Asia > Amsterdam. Luxury in the Golden Age As Dutch merchants started to conquer the world in the 17th century, exotic treasures poured into the Netherlands. The VOC, the Dutch Each India Company, brought back stunning items of silver, ivory and ebony, superior chinaware, jewellery and silk, enriching the interiors of the increasingly prosperous Dutch bourgeoisie. This exhibition shows how these Asian luxuries were the sensation of their time in Holland. Until 17 January 2016.
Van Gogh Museum – Munch : Van Gogh Exploring the parallels between Edvard Munch and Vincent van Gogh, this exhibition shows how the work of these two artists is closely related even though they never met. Both created paintings that were radical, colourful and expressive and also their lives were remarkably similar. Iconic paintings such as The Scream and Madonna by the Norwegian artists are shown alongside some of Van Gogh’s masterpieces. Until 17 January 2016.
Stedelijk Museum – A Year at the Stedelijk: Tino Sehgal Classed as one of the most radical artists of this era, Tino Sehgal specialises in conceptual art pro jects. This year, the Stedelijk has given Sehgal a platform to consecutively present 12 different works. Sehgal does not make objects, but he creates ‘situations’ in which interpreters enact choreographed actions. He believes artworks consist of a live encounter between the work and the viewer, offering visitors a wholly unique experience of live art. Until the end of December.