Everyone knows Museum Square, but not everyone knows what is currently running at the Stedelijk. And that's a shame, because the 2026 exhibition program is perhaps the most varied in years. From a Chagall retrospective to contemporary sculpture, from design to photography. There is plenty to see.
The biggest eye-catcher is the Marc Chagall retrospective: the first monographic Chagall exhibition at the Stedelijk since 1956. Seventy years ago that was, and now his work hangs there again. Also running is a retrospective of Yayoi Kusama, whose name needs no introduction, and work by Danh Vo is on view under the title πνεῦμα (Ἔλισσα). Erwin Olaf is showing his Freedom series until March 2026, a series of photographs taken at locations with historical significance for the freedom struggle worldwide. Three big names, three completely different worlds. That's exactly what the Stedelijk is good at.
The museum itself is a combination of old and new. The original building dates from 1895, designed by architect A.W. Weissman, and still stands. There is also the modern wing, the so-called ‘bathtub,’ which overlooks Museumplein. That combination of historic building and contemporary extension works. The spaces don't feel museum-heavy, but neither do they feel clinically white. Director Rein Wolfs has led the museum since December 2019, and managing director Margot Gerené has been there since June 2023. Together, they run an institution with more than 100,000 works in its collection, more than 500 of which are permanently visible.
The first monographic Chagall exhibition at the Stedelijk since 1956: seventy years ago that was, and now his work hangs there again.
The Stedelijk is open seven days a week, from 10 am to 6 pm. The educational program Blikopener is especially for young people and is a regular part of the offerings. The collection is also searchable online through its own database. Three major museums stand side by side on Museum Square: the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum and the Stedelijk. An afternoon is easily filled. Just start at the Chagall.