Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam Unveils Ambitious Program of Exhibitions and Events for 2025-2027
The Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam has announced its comprehensive program for late 2025, 2026, and extending into 2027, promising an engaging array of exhibitions, performances, and public events. Visitors to Amsterdam can anticipate a rich cultural experience showcasing modern and contemporary art and design, with a strong focus on both established icons and emerging talents.
Major Exhibitions and Retrospectives Coming to Amsterdam
The upcoming seasons at the Stedelijk Museum will feature significant solo and group exhibitions, offering diverse perspectives on art, identity, and society.
Fall 2025 Highlights
Beginning September 13, 2025, Sandra Mujinga – SKIN TO SKIN will transform the museum's lower-level gallery into an otherworldly realm with 55 identical figures, exploring themes of identity, digital space, and the perception of Black bodies. This interdisciplinary artist, also a DJ and musician, will present an ambitious work inspired by science fiction and posthumanism, including a special live sound performance during Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) on October 24 and 25, 2025. Tickets for this unique experience can be purchased online.
From October 11, 2025, the museum will host Erwin Olaf – FREEDOM, the first museum retrospective since the renowned Dutch photographer's passing. This exhibition pays tribute to Olaf's multifaceted work, charting his journey from journalistic black-and-white reportages to provocative series and his contemplative late work, all driven by his pursuit of personal freedom and advocacy for identity and equal rights.
Additionally, in November 2025, the Prix de Rome Visual Arts exhibition will showcase new works by the four nominated emerging artists from the Netherlands and the Caribbean, culminating in the selection of a winner. Coinciding with this, BLUE DOTS will explore the museum's collection through the lens of a historical categorization system, focusing on works once deemed "less important," featuring artists like Nola Hatterman and Thérèse Schwartze. From November 8, 2025, the annual presentation of The Best Dutch Book Designs 2024 will celebrate the country's strong tradition of innovative graphic design and book production.
Early to Mid-2026 Features
The IN SITU series continues its experimental focus with its second edition, featuring Farida Sedoc from November 9, 2025, to July 2, 2026. Sedoc's multimedia triptych, Social Capital, will explore community dynamics in a metropolitan context.
Conceptual artist Danh Vo will have a solo exhibition, πνεῦμα (Ἔλισσα), opening February 14, 2026, where he will develop new work exploring history, religion, freedom, and eroticism. Following in March 2026, Ivna Esajas, winner of the ABN AMRO Art Award 2025, will present a solo exhibition of her poetic work, known for its powerful sense of stillness and nuanced compositions.
From May 14, 2026, a comprehensive retrospective of Kho Liang Ie will be presented, highlighting his central role in Dutch design from the late 1950s to the mid-1970s. This exhibition will explore his furniture designs, interiors, and collaborations, connecting diverse international styles. In April 2026, MANOSPHERE – MASCULINITY TODAY will critically reflect on contemporary masculinity through works from the Stedelijk's collection, loans, and new commissions, featuring artists like Lucy McKenzie and Salman Toor.
Anticipated Late 2026 and Beyond
A landmark retrospective of the renowned artist Yayoi Kusama is scheduled to open on September 12, 2026, spanning two floors of the museum. Organized in close collaboration with the artist, this exhibition will offer a complete overview of Kusama’s more than seven-decade career, including iconic works, early pieces never seen in Europe, and new productions such as a new Infinity Mirror Room.
Also from September 2026, an exhibition dedicated to Adam Pendleton will highlight his unique contributions to contemporary painting and his concept of Black Dada, engaging with the historic architecture of the museum's central spaces.
From mid-October 2026, a major group exhibition, Collaborative Artistic Practices, will serve as a platform for new collection acquisitions, exploring how collective work generates new artistic forms and relationships. The year 2026 will conclude with The Best Dutch Book Designs 2025 in the fall.
Looking further ahead, a monographic exhibition of Marc Chagall is planned for mid-May 2027, marking the first such presentation at the Stedelijk since 1956. Drawing from the museum's extensive Chagall collection, the exhibition will offer new insights into his vibrant, surreal work.
Dynamic Public Programs and Special Events
Beyond its exhibitions, the Stedelijk Museum will host a variety of public programs, including performances, lectures, and interactive experiences.
Artist Nora Turato will present her new performance, pool7, on August 29, 2025, a deeply personal and raw exploration of language and emotional states. The museum's 2025-2026 performance program will also feature newly commissioned works by artists like Miles Greenberg and the art collective Slavs and Tatars. For the most current information on dates and specific programs, visitors are encouraged to subscribe to the Stedelijk's official newsletter.
The annual Museum Night on November 1, 2025, will feature the Erwin Olaf – Freedom exhibition as a central highlight. Details on the night's program are available on the Museum Night website.
Other notable events include the Badkuip Lecture 2025 on December 13, 2025, with writer and curator Ekow Eshun discussing resilience and diverse perspectives in the arts. In November 2025, a Sunday Talk will present research by fellow Sooyoung Leam from the Stedelijk X MMCA Seoul collaboration, focusing on industrialization, resource extraction, and colonial influences in Asia.
The museum's experimental Buro Stedelijk program will continue with several manifestations in late 2025, including works by Dion Rosina, Thato Toeba, Razia Barsatie, Sarojini Lewis, and a solo project by Kevin Osepa. For more details on these and other experimental projects, visitors can consult the Buro Stedelijk website.
Publications and Research Initiatives
The Stedelijk will also launch several publications and research initiatives. In November 2025, The 1000 Posters Book from the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam will provide a visual statement featuring a selection from the museum’s impressive collection of over 20,000 posters, tracing the evolution of graphic design.
The irregularly appearing zine Szine will publish its fourth edition in 2026, exploring various aesthetic, ethical, or social issues relevant to the museum. Furthermore, the Stedelijk Studies Journal will release its fifteenth and sixteenth editions in February and September 2026, focusing on "Audiences for Contemporary Art Museums" and "Art History, Exhibitions: Re-Thinking Relationships," respectively. The second edition of Stedelijk Studies Masters, showcasing abridged MA theses, will follow in Fall 2026.
Currently on View: Don't Miss These Exhibitions
Visitors to the Stedelijk Museum can also explore several compelling exhibitions and installations currently running. Highlights include:
- Donation Fons Welters – Things I’ve Never Seen Before (until October 19, 2025), a showcase of works donated by gallerist Fons Welters, featuring artists like Olga Balema and Gabriel Lester.
- POST/NO/BILLS #6 Hedy Tjin — UNIVERSAL COLOR (until April 6, 2026), presenting vibrant murals by Hedy Tjin that celebrate communal experiences.
- Karel Martens – UNBOUND (until October 26, 2025), the first major retrospective of the influential graphic designer, displaying over 1200 works from his 65-year career.
- Wael Shawky – DRAMA 1882 (until October 26, 2025), a video installation that reimagines the Urabi Revolution through a unique artistic lens.
Ongoing displays also include the Don Quixote Sculpture Hall, featuring modern classics and contemporary icons, and a large LED screen in the entrance hall presenting a rotating program of video art from the collection, both with free entry. The Stedelijk's comprehensive Collection display continues to offer a deep dive into art and design from various periods, including "Tomorrow Is a Different Day" (1980–Now), "Everyday, Someday and Other Stories" (1950s–1980s), and "Yesterday Today" (1880–1950).
This extensive program underscores Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam's commitment to presenting groundbreaking art and engaging with critical contemporary issues. To plan your visit and discover more cultural experiences in the city, browse the various museums in Amsterdam or explore other cultural spots on the map with Musemap (musemap.art).
