Homeless in the City

Personal stories

Homeless people have no fixed abode: they travel from sofa to sofa, from a friend to a relative to an acquaintance. For homeless people, there is no such opportunity: they have to find their place on the streets. This exhibition focuses on the personal stories of people experiencing homelessness.

A complex problem

Homelessness is a growing, complex problem. It affects a diverse group of Amsterdammers: young and old, men and women, with and without work. From born-and-bred Amsterdammers to migrants, everyone can be affected by the growing housing shortage and lack of affordable (rental) housing. Just one setback, such as dismissal, divorce or health problems, can lead to losing a home. Sometimes it proves too difficult to find a new place after that.

Experience experts

This exhibition is a collaboration between the Amsterdam Museum, De Regenboog Groep and HVO-Querido. The latter two organisations are dedicated to the support, shelter and day care of homeless people. The exhibition also involved experts by experience, people who have experienced homelessness themselves. Together, we tell the stories of the people behind the numbers, the stories of the street.