The Museum Quarter is a unique location in Amsterdam with no fewer than four world-class cultural institutions: the Rijksmuseum, the Stedelijk Museum, the Van Gogh Museum and the Concertgebouw. For the people of Amsterdam, the best works of Rembrandt, Van Gogh and Rietveld, and concerts with Bach, Händel or Liszt in one of the world's best concert halls, are just around the corner.
What needs to be done to get Museum Square and the surrounding area in shape before the museums re-open? How can we make this into a metropolitan location that is better equipped to welcome future visitors? A vision of the identity, structuring and programming for the cultural heart of Amsterdam.
The Museumplein at the heart of the Museumkwartier, right in the center of Amsterdam. To the top of the Museumplein (the green area) you can see the Rijksmuseum, with its famous collection of Rembrandts, Vermeers and many others. To the left the Van Gogh Museum, which attracts 1.5 million visitors each year. Below it the Stedelijk Museum for modern arts. Below the Museumplein the Concertgebouw, which is said to have the best accoustics in the world and is home to the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Above the Museumplein and the Rijksmuseum you can see the canals.
Since January 2008, Stipo and the Amsterdam Project Management Office (PMB) have been working on the creation of this vision for the authorities of Amsterdam Centre (Maarten van Poelgeest and Carolien Gehrels) and the Old South district (Egbert de Vries and Paul van Grieken). The vision was established in close consultation with the directors of the museums and the Concertgebouw, the business community of PC Hooft Street, residents, representatives from the cultural world, the tourist sector and many others.
Museum Quarter Vision
The authorities of the city of Amsterdam and the Old South district have a vision that extends beyond the Museum Square. It covers the entire Museum Quarter, with Museum Square at its heart. There are four world-famous cultural institutions dotted around a single square: the Rijksmuseum, the Stedelijk Museum, the Van Gogh Museum and the Concertgebouw. And in the immediate vicinity, there is Vondel Park, P.C. Hooft Street (the most up-market shopping street in the Netherlands), Van Baerle Street, the Spiegel Quarter and the northern section of the Pijp district.
Museum Square was created at the end of the 19th century after the building of the Rijksmuseum. It's nothing less than a minor miracle that such a large area, immediately adjoining the historical centre of Amsterdam, was not built on. Ten years ago, the landscape architect Andersson banned cars from Museum Square. At present, developments in the city mean the next step has to be taken. There are far-reaching changes in store around the square.
New design for the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, design by Mels Crouwel of Benthem Crouwel Architects. The Stedelijk Museum will have its new main entrance on the Museumplein side, so it will 'turn its face' to the square. The old building will house the Stedelijk Museum's own collection, including paintings of Mondriaan and Malevic. The new building will function as a podium for modern arts and house the library, bookshop and a new restaurant.
Half a billion for culture
The national government, the city and private investors will be putting more than half a billion euros into the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, Stedelijk Museum and the Concertgebouw. They are doing this not only because of the enormous contribution these institutions make to the cultural life of Amsterdam and the Netherlands but also because of the appeal the institutions have for tourists and the benefits for the economy of Amsterdam.
The top 10 of attractions in The Netherlands by annual numbers of visitors. The four cultural institutions at Museumplein are the main attraction of The Netherlands with an annual 3.5 million visitors. Numbers are expected to increase to at least 5 million visitors annually.
The largest attraction of The Netherlands
The museums are one of the main reasons why tourists come to Amsterdam. Three quarters of all tourists visit a museum here, with the Museum Quarter being at the top of the list. In terms of visitor numbers, the four cultural institutions lead the Dutch top 10. Strong cultural institutions enhance Amsterdam's leading position as a global city, and contribute to the creation of employment opportunities, just like the South Axis business district, the IJ riverbank development and the North-South underground line.
More visitors, from another direction
The new Stedelijk Museum will be opening its doors on Museum Square in late 2009. And the rebuilding work at the Rijksmuseum is forging ahead. The entrance will be located in the passage under the museum, bringing the museum into closer contact with Museum Square. The Van Gogh Museum and the Concertgebouw are working on investment plans and improvements in the orientation towards the square. There are implications for the surrounding area. The rebuilding work on the cultural institutions will result in higher visitor numbers: from 3.5 million to 5 million annually.
Furthermore, visitors will move around the area differently because of the changes in the positions of the entrances. Another factor is that Amsterdam Central Station will expand in the years to come from 230,000 to 280,000 passengers a day. Passenger numbers at South Station will also rise: from 50,000 to 170,000 passengers a day. The two stations will be linked by the North-South underground line. For visitors to Museum Square, the closest underground stations will be Vijzel Street and Albert Cuyp. So in a break with the past, many visitors will now be coming to the square from the east.
"The grass of the Museumplein is recovering. Please do not walk on the grass!"
Museumplein can't cope with the current situation
There is another reason to make changes. In 1999, Museum Square was restructured at a cost of 20 million guilders. This relatively limited budget is one of the reasons why a fundamental overhaul is needed now after 10 years. At the moment, the square is not an appealing, convivial location where something is always going on and that people are happy to visit again.
Every day, we see evidence that Museum Square can't cope with the current situation, let alone more intensive use. There aren't enough places to sit and the footpaths are too narrow. There are hardly any amenities such as good restaurants and cafés where you can go after a visit to the museum or a concert. Almost every inhabitant of Amsterdam cycles past the square regularly, but few of them see any reason to stop. In addition, the links with Vondel Park, P.C. Hooft Street, Leidse Square, the Spiegel Quarter and the northern section of the Pijp district are inadequate.
A better welcome pays off
A stronger Museum Quarter is a major asset for revenue and employment in Amsterdam. Five million visitors generate no less than € 1.25 billion in spending and 12,500 jobs in the tourist sector every year.Metropolitan, cultural and linked
Metropolitan, cultural and linked: these are the three basic principles underlying this vision for the future of the Museum Quarter. The Museum Quarter will become a location with an international allure where the people of Amsterdam and visitors from elsewhere can feel at home and meet one another. We want to enhance the cultural look of the area and establish better links with the vicinity.
This means, for example, that the structure of the Museum Quarter will be improved and embellished. The essence of the current design of the square – such as the open central field and the unobstructed view of the buildings – will remain. More unity will be created by using the same furnishings – such as materials and colours – throughout the area.
That implies that Concertgebouw Square will be redesigned, establishing a closer relationship with Museum Square. There will be more activities and amenities in the area, such as shops, galleries and, above all, more good restaurants, cafés and brasseries. There will be new guidelines for events on Museum Square.
Finally, we want more partnerships between the city, the three museums and the Concertgebouw in the areas of marketing, promotion and programming. In that way, Museum Square can be transformed into the fifth cultural institution.
The 2009 Master Plan map of the Museumplein and Museumkwartier Amsterdam. Click on image for larger version.
Ten challenges in the planning area
What needs to be done to make the Museum Quarter metropolitan, cultural and linked? At present, a number of measures are already in place for the short term. People are already working on a design for the vicinity of the Stedelijk Museum, which will have to be ready when the museum opens its doors again in late 2009. Overdue maintenance on the square is also in progress. Everything that is broken or doesn't work is being repaired.
For the longer term, ten challenges have been formulated for the Museum Square. Taken together, they will improve the quality of the public space and give the Museum Quarter a strong position in developments in the city. We provide a brief overview below but the vision documents contain more detail.
From pearls to necklace
We want to make the area stronger by looking at it as a single whole. This may involve more intensive partnerships, appointing a supervisor, and more flexible permit procedures for institutions. We also want to encourage the establishment of extra amenities such as book or art markets, good hotels, restaurants and brasseries. We want to open up the catering facilities in the cultural institutions to the public.
Master plan for the public space
There will be a master plan specifying the requirements for the restructuring process. For the square and the streets leading to the planning area.
Museumplein Field
The field should be the place where you have a view of the wonderful Dutch skies. The quality of the greenery should be upgraded and maintained, routes should be reviewed and the space must be appropriate for cultural events that don't cause any lasting damage.
Museumplein, northern section
Here, the atmosphere of the Museum Square should extend through to Stadhouderskade and the Spiegel Quarter so that the Rijksmuseum is situated on the square itself. Public gardens adjoining the Rijksmuseum and pavilions with pavement terraces will complete this section.
Museumplein, western section
This will become the new hub for Museum Square, with entrances, sanitary facilities, parking and shopping amenities, and the transformation of the ‘ezelsoor’ (‘donkey’s ear’, an oblique grassy incline covering an entrance to a lower-level supermarket).
Museumplein, eastern section
The eastern part of the square will become the place for the public after they visit the institutions. With cafés or pavement terraces. Culture and music will become possible in pavilions.
Concertgebouw square
This will become a stylish square. An urban meeting place, rather than the passageway and dangerous crossroads that it is now. It will be the home to up-market catering, and the light line will end here in a second fountain.
Links to the western side
To the west, the structure of Museum Square will be extended to provide clearer links to the P.C. Hooft Street. We also want to activate the ground floor of the streets in between for the public.
Links to the eastern side
The routes in the eastern direction will have to be restructured. We may move the entrance to the car park.
Links to the new North/South metro line
Here, we will be creating logical and attractive routes with bridges and public amenities. In addition, the vision sets out a number of recommendations for areas not covered by the plan. These relate to the route linking up to the Carmiggeltplantsoen, Stadhouderskade, Eerste Jacob van Campen Street, Albert Cuyp Street and the South Axis.
IAmsterdam, the Amsterdam city marketing campaign, at the Museumplein Amsterdam.
Ten years
Some of the ten challenges sketched out here are destined for completion in the long term. Among other reasons because of the involvement of the North-South line or because they depend on initiatives from property dealers in the vicinity. The establishment of a coalition with the cultural institutions has been initiated, but time will be needed to develop it further.
For example, all the different components of the plan have different time scales. That is why this vision concentrates on the development of the Museum Quarter over the next decade. Implementation will take place in phases. The first step will be to draw up a ‘Proposed Plan of Action for the Master Plan Phase’ that includes the selection of a designer.
The costs are high…
The exact measures and costs will become clear in the Master Plan. At present, initial estimates indicate that, if all the measures are implemented, an investment will be needed of about € 75 million, 30 million of which will come from third parties, with 45 million being contributed by government authorities. Some of the government investment comprises items budgeted under normal maintenance work for Old South (approximately 9.5 million). On the basis of the initial estimates, then, more than 35 million remains as additional one-off investment costs for the Museum Quarter. Of course, it should be pointed out that the Master Plan allows for options to reduce this amount.
In addition to one-off investments, the increasing visitor numbers and the basic principles of "metropolitan, cultural and linked" mean that structurally higher costs must be taken into account. These costs relate to more intensive management and a number of new amenities in the public space (a supervisor for the square, sanitary amenities, wifi...), investments in the arts, and the costs for the joint programming and marketing of the Museum Quarter.
An initial estimate shows that these structural costs will vary – depending on the goals adopted – from 1.5 to 4 million a year. These costs will also be detailed in the Master Plan and accompanied by proposals for ways to cover them.
… but the returns are even higher
The measures will generate returns in the form of a higher profile, a more welcoming square and higher quality. In the longer term, this will also have a financial impact. A Museum Quarter with a strong cultural life that is a more pleasant place to spend time in, and that has more international appeal, will draw in more tourists who will spend more time there. It is not easy to quantify this effect. Nevertheless, we have drawn up three scenarios in order to get an idea of the benefits of the measures.
-
If the tourists who come now stay on for half a day extra, that will generate an additional € 175 million a year.
-
And if they spend € 20 more, that will also generate an additional € 175 million a year.
-
And if 1.5 million more tourists do indeed visit us, that will generate an additional € 375 million a year.
And an increase in tourism generates more jobs in the Amsterdam hotel and catering sector: 5 million visitors a year generate 12,500 full-time jobs a year in Amsterdam. In other words, by investing in the leading tourist attractions, the Netherlands will attract more tourists. The Museum Quarter is the biggest tourist draw in the Netherlands.
Vision for the future
The Museum Quarter should be finished in ten years from now. When it is, Amsterdam will have a renewed cultural heart where the people of Amsterdam and 5 million visitors will feel at home, and where they can enjoy art and culture, eat well and spend time on pavement terraces or just on a bench, go shopping and be tempted to discover the sights in the surrounding area.More?
You can download more information below. These PDFs are only available in Dutch.
The vision in two parts:
- Vision Museumkwartier, part I (Dutch, PDF, 9 Mb)
- Vision Museumkwartier, part II (Dutch, PDF, 9 Mb)
The interviews with experts:
- Museumplein, experts aan het woord (experts talking about the Museumplein) (Dutch, PDF, 4 Mb)
The cultural historian analysis:
- Plein, park of veld, cultuurhistorische verkenning Museumplein en omgeving (Square, park or field, cultural historian analysis of Museumplein and surroundings) (Dutch, PDF, 9 Mb) of Bureau Monumenten en Archeologie (the Amsterdam Office for Monuments and Archeology)
The Museumplein Atlas:
- Museumplein Atlas en Kaartenboek, part I (Dutch, PDF, 6 Mb)
- Museumplein Atlas en Kaartenboek, part II (Dutch, PDF, 8 Mb)