STRAAT

While Amsterdam is known for its museums of fine art, particularly the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum, the art on display at STRAAT is far less conventional. Conceived of in 2015 and opened in 2020, STRAAT features the artistic works of a broad range of internationally-renown street artists.

STRAAT is located within a former Netherlands Dock and Shipbuilding Company building that previously stood abandoned for decades, attracting taggers, before the facility was converted into a museum. Most of the “curated” works by the street artists are displayed on very large “canvases” within the museum’s cavernous central hall, which has a height of three stories and a floor area of over 8,000 square meters. Additionally, the interior space contains a few statues and other objects (including a delivery van hanging from the ceiling). The building also still retains some of the machinery and other structures from its industrial past.

The museum’s exterior features a couple of larger images, including a towering depiction of Anne Frank above the museum entrance. The building and surrounding area still attract many taggers and other street artists, who are welcome to paint on the outside of the museum. It may even be possible to see people at work when visiting STRAAT.