The NDSM shipyard area serves as a raw hub for graffiti and street art, with an industrial atmosphere that’s evident everywhere in the murals on shipping containers and warehouses. At the heart of this area is STRAAT, the world’s largest museum entirely dedicated to urban art, housed in a historic shipbuilding warehouse. The space exudes the history of shipbuilding, with steel trusses and an immense space that showcases the artworks in an impressive way.
Eva de Klerk serves as a community builder here, while Niels van Swaemen and Kaspar van Leek, from Studio Giftig, shape the artistic direction of the space. Together, they ensure that the museum remains a platform for both local and international artists. Their vision is directly reflected in the curation of the rotating exhibitions held within the building.
The collection of more than 160 works of art—most of which were created on-site—showcases exactly what this place stands for
The museum building offers 8,000 square meters of floor space. Thanks to the 25-meter-high ceiling, artists can work on an enormous scale. Visitors don’t just view the art from the ground floor; there’s also a panoramic viewing platform on the second floor. The building is divided into five thematic sections (Personal, Aesthetic, Emphatic, Grounded, and Conscious) to showcase the wide variety of styles.
The collection of more than 160 works of art—most of which were created on-site—showcases exactly what this place stands for: an enduring platform for urban art. You’ll find works such as *Theft and Love* by Farid Rueda, *Fallin’ Apart* by Pso Man, and the creations of Andreas Welin and Rasmus Balstrøm as Writers of the Lost Art. *Lamento en la Selva* by Nina Valkhoff and *Close to You* by Studio Giftig are also prominent features.
This piece of industrial heritage on the banks of the IJ has a long history. After the shipyard closed in 1984, the site was designated a creative hub in 2001. The museum presents street art in a museum setting, without losing the raw context of the shipyard. The combination of the historic steel structures and the artists’ modern expressions creates an atmosphere unlike any other in the city. It is a place where the energy of the street meets the tranquility of a museum setting, lending a unique dynamic to the entire neighborhood.