Amsterdam Arts

Besides its stunning collection of visual arts, Amsterdam offers a whole host of cultural attractions to travelers and locals alike. The music and film scenes here rival those of any other city in Europe, and many argue that the Concertgebouw concert hall has the best acoustics in the world. Comedy shows have been increasing in popularity, and with large summer festivals held each year, you can see some wonderfully innovative theater and dance if you time your visit right. As befits a city where the most cutting-edge photography exhibits are held in a 17th-century canal house, the performing arts in Amsterdam run the gamut from high-quality traditional performances to some of the weirdest (and quite brilliant) new art you might ever see. Many troupes and establishments make an effort to provide significant student discounts or rush tickets so that you can take a trip to the theater or opera without having to miss out on Amsterdam's other delights.

Classical Music, Opera, And Dance

For a city of its size, Amsterdam has a bounty of performing arts venues. Classical music is a particularly strong presence here, thanks to high-caliber orchestras and innovative chamber ensembles. Use ...more

Live Music

There is a dizzying array of awesome music to hear in Amsterdam. Some of the major venues are all-purpose entertainment spaces where you could hear a Snoop Dogg concert in the evening and then stick around ...more

Theater And Comedy

Traditional theater and showy musicals don't have the same presence here as they do in other cities, leaving room for more modern pieces in Dutch or English. The comedy scene is perhaps more varied and ...more

Film

The Amsterdam film scene benefits not only from screenings of a wide variety of old, new, and totally out-there cinema, but also from its character-filled theaters, many of which are in old Art Deco buildings ...more