From November 18 through 22, 2026, the capital will be all about contemporary visual art during Amsterdam Art Week. More than 250 artists will showcase their work at over 75 locations.
Major museums charge regular admission fees, but a huge portion of the festival is free. More than seventy contemporary galleries are opening their doors for free: the perfect way to discover new talent in an accessible setting without an admission ticket.
Five days of art throughout the city
With its fourteenth edition, Amsterdam Art Week once again brings the entire Amsterdam art scene together. For five days, the capital serves as a backdrop for contemporary visual art: from leading museums and raw project spaces to artist residencies and corporate collections.
The event is designed so that you can set your own pace and choose your own route. Spread across every corner of the city, from the canal district to Southeast Amsterdam, more than 75 venues will open their doors simultaneously. This way, you can discover work by over 250 international artists simply by stepping inside wherever you like.
The main highlights of this edition
The most popular attraction is Rijksakademie Open Studios, where nearly fifty top international talents open their studios to the public. To attend, you must reserve a paid time slot online in advance.
On Thursday evening, November 19, the Festive Gallery Night takes place: dozens of leading galleries, such as GRIMM and Ron Mandos, will open their doors until 8:00 p.m. for free admission. Those who don’t want to wander on their own can join the organization’s official walking and biking tours.
For major retrospective exhibitions, head to the museum circuit. Both the Stedelijk Museum and the Oude Kerk are hosting leading solo exhibitions during Art Week. Here, you’ll pay the regular admission price, unless you enter with a valid Museum Card.
Gallery tours: guided or free on your own
This year, the organizers are offering eleven curated routes to explore on foot or by bike. To secure a spot on an official guided tour with an art guide, book a paid ticket in advance via the festival website. Those who’d rather not spend any money can follow the exact same routes for free.
The official guided tour (paid)
The organization offers eleven curated walking and cycling tours throughout the city. A guide will take you on a roughly two-hour tour of four to six galleries and provide commentary on the exhibitions and artists. For these group tours, you must purchase a separate ticket in advance via the official festival website.
Follow the curated routes via the website (free)
If you’d like to follow the itinerary of the guided tours without paying a guide fee, use the free tour overview on the website. Amsterdam Art Week publishes the exact order of the galleries for each tour. By entering these four or five locations into Google Maps, you can follow the same route on your own. Admission to all participating galleries is free.
Create your own neighborhood itinerary using the program booklet (free)
If you don’t want to be tied to a predetermined route, download the festival’s digital program booklet. It includes a complete map listing all participating venues by city district. This way, you can choose a specific neighborhood—such as the Jordaan, De Pijp, or Amsterdam-Noord—and pop into the galleries that fit your schedule.
While admission to participating galleries is always free, museums charge their regular admission fees, and studio visits—such as Rijksakademie Open Studios—require a pre-booked time slot. For current opening hours by location, special exhibition programs, and tour details, always check the official daily schedule on the Amsterdam Art website in advance.
