Discover the current and upcoming temporary exhibitions at the Museum of the Canals.
UNTIL June 28, 2026
Exhibition Amsterdam, Nearly Demolished
Did you know that in the 20th century, the Amsterdam canals almost had to make way for modern boulevards and office buildings? The exhibition Amsterdam, Nearly Demolished takes you through the astonishing struggle for the heart of the city. On display until June 28, 2026.
A modern city of glass and steel
Imagine: canal houses, narrow streets, and squares in Amsterdam's city center replaced by a modern city of glass and steel. This scenario seemed very likely to happen in the 20th century. The city center was dilapidated at the time, and plans were ready to replace old neighborhoods with modern districts featuring wide highways and large office buildings. The Museum of the Canals at Herengracht 386, for example, would not have existed if all the plans for traffic breakthroughs had been carried out.
Taking action
Fortunately, things turned out differently. Amsterdammers took action. Local residents, artists, and heritage enthusiasts fought throughout the twentieth century to preserve their city. This exhibition takes you through the story of threatened demolition, fierce protests, and eventual restoration. Discover how Amsterdammers saved their city and why we can still enjoy it today. The exhibition displays archival photos, extraordinary drawings, maps, and original protest posters.
In-depth story
The exhibition was created in collaboration with the Association of Friends of the Amsterdam City Center. The book of the same name will be published in early 2026 and serves as a valuable expansion of the stories from the exhibition.
Herenstraat 10-18, corner of Keizersgracht, before and after the
demolition plans. Amsterdam City Archives
Aerial photo of the Nieuwmarkt during the Nieuwmarkt riots, 1977.
Collection Nieuwe Instituut
Step into an enchanting world. In the monumental Andriessen Room of the Museum of the Canals, an extraordinary mirror floor can be experienced until June 21, 2026.
Wall and ceiling paintings
The floor of the Andriessen Room on the main floor of our 17th-century canal house is temporarily completely covered with mirrors. In combination with the rich wall and ceiling paintings, it feels as if you are standing in the middle of a visual illusion. The 18th-century wall paintings by Jurriaan Andriessen, an idyllic landscape full of romantic details, together with the modern ceiling painting Dream of Connectivity (2022) by French artist Pascal Amblard, form a unique whole.
Reflecting Andriessen Room
The mirror floor installation enhances the interplay of the paintings and provides a unique, artistic experience. Walls, ceiling, and artworks reflect endlessly into each other. In the monumental Andriessen Room, past and present literally merge. An installation that invites you to look, reflect, and capture extraordinary images.
Watch and listen
Put on the special slippers, step onto the mirror floor, and dream away. With an audio guide, you can listen to the story of the wall and ceiling paintings, narrated by Faye Feller, known for her educational TikTok and Instagram channel.
The Mirror Floor was made possible thanks to support from the Zabawas Fund.
UNTIL June 28, 2026
Mini-expo Animalia Amsterdam: Animal Portraits
Looking at her photos, you would almost think the pets are paid models. That is the magic of Isabella Rozendaal. Admire a mini-expo of her animal portraits in the Green Salon of the Museum of the Canals until June 28, 2026.
Amsterdam pets in the spotlight
For her project Animalia Amsterdam, Isabella Rozendaal was commissioned by the Amsterdam City Archives to photograph more than a hundred Amsterdam pets. This collection of portraits of dogs, cats, birds, horses, mini-pigs, giant snails, and other exotic animals was published in 2017 in the photo book Animalia Amsterdam: Animal Portraits.
Since then, Het Parool has published one of Rozendaal's animal portraits full-page every week. Amsterdammers from all districts register their animals for a portrait. Thus, this project has grown into a long-term collaboration between the city, the newspaper, and the photographer.
Expected: Love on the Canals – 30 Years of Canal Parade
Museum of the Canals Amsterdam presents the exhibition Love on the Canals – 30 Years of Canal Parade. Unique photography, personal stories, and art show that Pride is simultaneously a celebration, a political statement, and cultural heritage. The exhibition is part of the official WorldPride 2026 program and can be seen from July 3 to September 27, 2026.
A city in motion
Love on the Canals – 30 Years of Canal Parade dives into the history, meaning, and future of the world-famous boat parade. With photos from various archives, the exhibition shows how what began in 1996 as a party to attract more LGBTQIA+ visitors to the city has grown into a nine-day festival and one of the largest and most beautiful celebrations worldwide. In addition, personal stories can be heard that bring the development of the Canal Parade to life.
Anniversary year
For 30 years now, the Amsterdam canals have been the backdrop for one of the city’s most extraordinary events. At the same time, the city is celebrating important anniversaries such as 80 years of COC Netherlands and 25 years of opening marriage to same-sex couples. Furthermore, Amsterdam will be the host city for WorldPride for the first time in 2026.
Art by Yamuna Forzani
As part of the exhibition, textile works by artist and queer activist Yamuna Forzani are on display. In her work, Yamuna depicts a colorful, utopian queer world, with her community at the center.
Guest Curator
The exhibition was developed together with Gijs Stork, a cultural organizer and facilitator from Amsterdam and Champéon (France). He works at the intersection of art, culture, and community building, with a strong focus on queer art, craftsmanship, and inclusive cultural programming. Stork is the chairman of the AVN (Craftsmanship Netherlands) and works on projects for the SALON Foundation. In 2022, he co-founded the cultural institution Château du Fresne in Champéon. Additionally, he is involved with the platform Queer Currents, where he focuses on organization, production, and strategic development within queer art and culture. Besides his work in the cultural sector, he is the co-author of the popular walking book series Amsterdam door met Gijs en Floor.
This exhibition was made possible thanks to support from the Empowerment Fund and the Pride Amsterdam Foundation.
This exhibition was made possible thanks to support from the Empowerment Fund and the Pride Amsterdam Foundation.
Oct 1, 2026 – Feb 28, 2027
Kaili Smith – Solo exhibition
October 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027
Kaili Smith (1995) was born in the Netherlands and grew up in Australia. He has now been working alternately in Amsterdam and New York for ten years. His work examines youth culture and family structures in the inner city. He introduced the term "globalized inner-city urbanism" and offers alternative perspectives through paintings and films. His work is influenced by his upbringing and experiences, as well as by his work as an art teacher and his research into behavioral psychology. Earlier works, from before 2017, highlighted lives influenced by globalization and the blending of cultures.
His graduation exhibition in July 2018 at WdKA in Rotterdam, where he earned his bachelor's degree in fine arts, was completely sold out. Afterward, Kaili earned a Master of Fine Arts at the Parsons School of Design in New York and participated in the Rijksakademie Residency Program 2023–2025 in Amsterdam.
He has participated in various group exhibitions, including the 2021 and 2023 editions of the Amsterdam Royal Palace Painting Prize Show. In 2021, he won the public prize, and in 2023, he took second prize. His work has also been shown at Het Noordbrabants Museum (2026), Museum Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder (2025), MORE Museum (2025), the Museum of Art & History in Lancaster (2019), and the Honolulu Museum of Art (2018).
The exhibition at the Museum of the Canals is his first solo museum exhibition. In addition to existing work, he is also creating new pieces specifically for this exhibition.
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