Culture Guide (April 2025)

Banksy: Laugh Now

In collaboration with Moco Museum

For: the street art fanatic…

As Amsterdam's Museumplein bursts into spring blossom, Moco Museum presents an unmissable exhibition dedicated to Banksy, the world’s most famous anonymous street artist. His thought-provoking works use sharp wit and bold imagery to challenge war, authority, and social issues. This collection highlights his globally recognised impact, proving that street art can be both visually striking and politically powerful. Iconic pieces like Laugh Now, Girl with Balloon, and Flower Thrower are on display, offering visitors a thought-provoking opportunity to get to grips with the rockstar British artist.

Banksy: Laugh Now | permanent exhibition | Moco Museum, Museumplein

Saul Leiter

For: the photography enthusiast…

An innovative voice in colour photography, Saul Leiter captured the poetic of the every day through his lens. With over 200 works on display, this extensive retrospective pays homage to a photographer and artist whose visionary eye transformed passing moments into enduring art. In his very own words, Leiter expressed how “photographs are often treated as important moments, but really they are fragments and souvenirs of an unfinished world.” This spring, step into Leiter’s very own unfinished world at Foam.

Saul Leiter | Until 23 April | FOAM Museum

American Photography

This luminary showcase of American photography invites a glimpse into the spirit of a complex nation. With over 200 photographs – ranging from the intimate grit of Nan Goldin’s work to the striking monochrome of Richard Avedon’s oeuvre – this sweeping portrait of a nation bears witness to America’s ever-changing visual and cultural identity. 

American Photography | Until 9 June | Rijksmuseum

Die Frau ohne Schatten

For: the not-so old-school maestro…

In Richard Strauss’s operatic masterpiece Die Frau ohne Schatten, an otherworldly empress is caught between the worlds of spirit and flesh. As she sets out on a troubled journey to return to her bodily form, desire and sacrifice are tied together in precarious ways. Under the direction of Katie Mitchell, this poignant story is brought to life on the stage of the National Opera and Ballet.

Die Frau ohn Schatten | 23 April – 10 May | National Opera & Ballet

Falling Into Shadow

For: the dance aficionado…

A compelling triptych of dance performances, Falling into Shadow represents the intricate connections of the human spirit. Johan Inger, Marco Goecke and Botis Seva create striking works of choreography that dig into the darkest corners of the psyche, exploring inexplicable human impulses. Pushing the boundaries of choreography, expect everything from hip-hop to physical theatre and contemporary dance. 

Falling into Shadow | 2 – 4 April | International Theatre Amsterdam 

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

For: the Bardolater…

Shakespeare’s enchanting theatrical world returns to Mike’s Badhuistheater, once again under the leadership of William Sutton. Following his successful adaptation of As You Like It, Sutton breathes fresh life into Shakespeare’s universe, weaving a mischievous tale of love and metamorphosis. Set in a twilight realm where fairies meddle and identities converge, this iconic play unfolds on the fine line between reality and illusion. 

A Midsummer Night’s Dream |  22 – 23 April | Mike’s Badhuistheater

Amsterdam Eats

For: the food fanatic…

The Allard Pierson Museum presents Amsterdam Eats, a sensory feast that traces the city's gastronomic evolution over 750 years. The exhibit, which includes cookbooks, menus and archaeological pieces, reveals Amsterdam's curious tastes and its predilection for mixing flavours from different cultures. From medieval herring breakfasts to postwar nasi goreng, each dish tells a story about the city’s history at the crossroads of culinary culture.  

Amsterdam Eats | 11 April – 7 September | Allard Pierson

For: the dance devotee...

Delusion 2.0 – The Final Chapter

Blockbuster dance troupe Oxygen takes to the stage of DeLaMar with Delusion 2.0 – The Final Chapter. Jennifer Romen's captivating dance allows her performers to embark on a surreal journey of evolution and discovery. As the protagonist tackles her toughest struggle yet, the performance culminates in a compelling blend of dance and illusion. Blacklight, shadow play and projections come together to keep the audience on their toes. 

Delusion 2.0 – The Final Chapter | 23 April | DeLaMar Theatre

Person Longing for Human

The moving visual dance piece "Person Longing for Human" by Charles Pas touches on the universal need for human connection. Three actors explore the wide range of love by navigating the complex nature of lust and alternating between the need for self-preservation and the need for total togetherness. This production offers a moving commentary on the frailty of intense love and life, raising doubts about the sense of fighting a war where grief is inevitable.

Person Longing for Human | 22 – 23 April | Bellevue Theater

Between You and Me

For: the history buff…

Created by artist Amos van Gelder and composer Amit Gur, Between You and Me traces personal stories of the Holocaust from the perspective of a single Dutch family. On show at the National Holocaust Museum, this moving exhibit features twenty portraits that are encapsulated within Memory Boxes. These boxes represent individual memories from the past – stories of resistance, survival, betrayal, hiding, deportation and murder – that weave a painful and enduring tapestry of remembrance. 

Between You and Me | Until 24 August | National Holocaust Museum

Tulip Festival

For: the green thumb...

During the month of April, Amsterdam explodes into a kaleidoscope of colour with the Tulip Festival. The capital is transformed as hundreds of thousands of tulips fill the streets with the many spring hues. Experience the magic of these sweeping tulip arrangements across the city’s parks, streets, squares, bridges and museum gardens as Amsterdam embraces its national flower in all its glory. 

Amsterdam Tulip Festival | 1 – 30 April | citywide

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