Museumplein

Museumplein
Museum Square in 2014
Museum Square in 2014, with the Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum
Museumplein is located in Amsterdam
Museumplein
Location within the city of Amsterdam
LocationAmsterdam
Coordinates52°21′26″N 4°52′54″E / 52.357262°N 4.881602°E / 52.357262; 4.881602
NorthPaulus Potterstraat
EastStadhouderskade
SouthGabriel Metsustraat
WestVan Baerlestraat
Construction
Construction startc. 1885[1][2]
Other
DesignerPierre Cuypers
Known forthe Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, Stedelijk Museum and the concert hall Concertgebouw
International Colonial and Export Exhibition in 1883
Demonstration against government policies in 2004

The Museumplein (Dutch pronunciation: [myˌzeːjʏmˈplɛin]; English: Museum Square) is a public space in the Museumkwartier neighbourhood of the Amsterdam-Zuid borough in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Located at the Museumplein are three major museums – the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, and Stedelijk Museum – and the concert hall Concertgebouw.[1]

The area was originally a wax candle factory and marshy meadows. Construction began following the completion of the Rijksmuseum in 1885, with a street plan based on the design of Pierre Cuypers, the museum's celebrated architect.[1] The area was the location of the International Colonial and Export Exhibition in 1883.

The Museumplein was reconstructed after a design by the Swedish/Danish landscape architect Sven-Ingvar Andersson in 1999. It now includes underground parking spaces and an underground supermarket. In the winter, the pond can be transformed into an artificial ice skating area.

The space is also used for (mass) events such as festivals, celebrations, and demonstrations and Armin Van Buuren honoured The Dutch Team at Museumplein in 2010 by playing Swedish House Mafia.

In July 2017 the 2017 FIBA 3x3 Europe Cup, the European 3x3 basketball tournament, was held at the Museumplein.[3]

The main "I AMsterdam" sign was also located here in front of the Rijksmuseum, until 4 December 2018, when it was removed at the behest of the city council.[4]

The sculpture "Self Portrait of a Dreamer" by Joseph Klibansky was exhibited within the pond from 26 June 2018 to 28 Aug 2018.[5]

  1. ^ a b c "Museum District". iamsterdam.com. Amsterdam Marketing. Archived from the original on 24 June 2017. Retrieved 22 April 2016.
  2. ^ "Rijksmuseum". iamsterdam.com. Amsterdam Marketing. Archived from the original on 28 April 2016. Retrieved 22 April 2016.
  3. ^ "Getting there – FIBA 3x3 Europe Cup 2017". FIBA.
  4. ^ Stamp, Jimmy. "Rebranding Amsterdam and What It Means to Rebrand a City". Smithsonian. Retrieved 2018-08-05.
  5. ^ "News: 13 meter tall "Self Portrait of a Dreamer" sculpture on Museum Square Amsterdam". Joseph Klibansky. Retrieved 2018-08-05.