Essentially Amsterdam – Sunday, October 11, 2026

Sunday October 11, 2026

Good morning, Amsterdam. Today: Amsterdam museums plan to return colonial-era objects to Indonesia, the Nieuwe Kerk honours Curaçao writer Frank Martinus Arion, and The Mouse Mansion turns fifteen with a weekend of stories.

Amsterdam museums to return colonial-era objects to Indonesia: A diamond, a traditional sword and a handwritten Quran from two Amsterdam museums will go back to Indonesia. They are among twenty pieces the Dutch state is returning.

Nieuwe Kerk honours Curaçao writer Frank Martinus Arion: The Curaçao author, who died in 2015, receives a writer’s stone in Amsterdam’s Nieuwe Kerk on Curaçao’s national day. His biographer says the Netherlands took too long to hear his message about its colonial past.

Dumpy the cat brings calm to sheltered housing: Every morning a cat named Dumpy waits at the window of a 24-hour sheltered housing facility. Its staff and residents care for her together and keep a shared calendar for her.

First Amsterdam Dance Event drew just 300 professionals in 1996: The people who ran the first ADE remember a modest conference in De Balie, decorated with disco balls and feathers. Last year the event drew 600,000 visitors.

Spicy Sumatran restaurant draws queues in De Baarsjes: Waroeng Padang Lapek opened on Witte de Withplein on 1 October, cooking dishes the way they are made in Padang. Its Hague branch, open since 2019, is rated highly by Gault & Millau.

City plans 15-night holiday rental cap in Helmersbuurt: Amsterdam wants to halve the number of nights Helmersbuurt residents can rent their homes to tourists, from 30 to 15 a year. People can comment on the plan until 8 November.

Cheap French bouillon restaurants take off in Amsterdam: Bouillon d’Amsterdam reportedly serves up to 800 guests a day, with steak frites at €16.90. A second branch has opened in Zuid, and the owners are looking at three more Dutch cities.

The Nutcracker in piano and live sand art, for ages seven and up: Part of the Pianoduo Festival, Scholtes & Janssens play Tchaikovsky while Clara and the Mouse King’s story is drawn live in sand. 11 October, ‘t Zonnehuis. FAMILY SHOW

Splendor Children’s Concert, free for kids, with a pint-sized bassoon: Kids from four get in free to hear cimbalom, bass clarinet, percussion and bassoon, then try the instruments themselves afterwards. 11 October, 11:00, Splendor. FAMILY SHOW

Free forest art hunt for curious kids in Amsterdamse Bos: Pick up a free kit at the Boswinkel, then follow creative prompts to explore the outdoor art route and make forest art. 11 October, Amsterdamse Bos. OUTDOOR / ACTIVE

The Mouse Mansion turns fifteen with a weekend of stories: Sam and Julia appear in an intimate theatre show, alongside stories, a creative workshop, bingo and a film with popcorn. 11 October, Het Muizenhuis Mini Museum. KIDS WORKSHOP

Free autumn bingo through the Hortus gardens: Free cards are available in Dutch and English; families search the Hortus for buds, insects, unusual names and flowers, earning a shop stamp. 11 October, Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam. GAMES / HOBBIES

Make cardboard puppets, then dance to live piano: Children and adults make articulated cardboard puppets, then dance with them to live piano music; Raquel Diniz guides the activity. 11 October, 11:00 (doors open at 10.45), Munganga Theater. KIDS WORKSHOP

Jazzfestafette turns OBA Javaplein into a children’s music workshop: Children aged four to twelve can hear a musical story, try percussion and improvisation, then play along in a concert. 11 October, 15:00 – 17:00, OBA Javaplein – Maakplaats. KIDS WORKSHOP

Stedelijk Kids Festival, with Yayoi Kusama for children: Children get a festival at the Stedelijk built around Yayoi Kusama, the Japanese artist whose work fills rooms with dots and mirrors. 11 October. ART / MUSEUMS

Flamenco, crafts and tapas for children discovering Spain: A monthly family afternoon for ages four to ten, with a flamenco show, singing and crafts, taught in English, Dutch, French and Spanish. 11 October, 15:00 – 18:00, Taalhuis Amsterdam. KIDS WORKSHOP

BRIGHT FOLK folds Mongolian melodies into contemporary jazz: Mongolian-born pianist Shuteen Erdenebaatar leads a quartet with bassist Nils Kugelmann, drawing on folk melodies and her classical and jazz background. 11 October, 20:30 – 22:20, Bimhuis. WORLD / FOLK

Nós 3 no Samba, a circle of Brazilian song: Lilian Vieira, Ana Beck and Viviani Godoy sing together, accompanied by cavaquinho, percussion and seven-string guitar in the samba tradition. 11 October, 16:00, Munganga Theater. WORLD / FOLK

Mozart, Bach and Fauré in a Sunday morning orchestra concert: The Radio Philharmonic Orchestra and National Youth Choir perform Mozart, Hildegard von Bingen, Bach, Pergolesi and Fauré, with a boy soprano. 11 October, 11:00, The Concertgebouw. CLASSICAL

Emanuel Ax joins the Concertgebouw Orchestra for John Williams: Thomas Søndergård conducts a programme pairing Williams’s Piano Concerto, written for Ax, with Tchaikovsky’s Francesca da Rimini and Dvořák’s Sixth. 11 October, 14:15, The Concertgebouw. CLASSICAL

Pete Murray’s solo acoustic set revisits See the Su’n: The Australian singer-songwriter performs alone rather than with a band, centring the set on his 20-year-old album See the Su’n. 11 October, 20:30, ‘t Zonnehuis. SINGER-SONGWRITER

WU LYF return with a new album and DJ Bottom: Manchester indie band WU LYF returns with its second album, A Wave That Will Never Break, alongside DJ Bottom. 11 October, 19:30, Tolhuistuin. POP / ROCK

De Kift mixes punk, pop, theatre and brass-band sounds: The long-running Dutch group sets texts drawn from world literature against a blend of punk, pop, theatre and fanfare. 11 October, 20:30, Melkweg. POP / ROCK

Classical Highlights with the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra: The orchestra’s Main Hall programme pairs Mozart and Bach with the National Women’s Youth Choir singing excerpts from Fauré’s Requiem. 11 October, 11:00, The Concertgebouw. CLASSICAL

Pure Markt’s food, drink and creative stalls fill Amstelpark: The monthly market brings together food, drink and creative traders; Amstelpark also has a city farm, mini golf and a large playground. 11 October, 11:00, Amstelpark. FOOD / MARKETS

ADM Festival: Still Rolling Sunday spans music, theatre and circus: Children up to twelve enter free, and Sunday spreads music, theatre, circus and spectacle across multiple stages, with a dedicated kids’ space. 11 October, 13:00 – 23:00, Het Groene Veld. FESTIVALS

Amsterdam School architecture on a two-and-a-half-hour bus tour: The route follows varied examples of Amsterdam School architecture across the city, starting at Museum Het Schip. 11 October, 13:15, Museum Het Schip. TOUR

A Page of Madness with Wanderwelle’s live score: The collective performs a newly composed soundtrack live to Teinosuke Kinugasa’s 1926 silent film about a cleaner in a psychiatric institution. 11 October, 17:00, Eye Filmmuseum. FILM

Free second-hand finds and homemade goods at Flevopoort: Stalls offer used clothes, books, CDs, DVDs, household items and handmade goods, with coffee and tea available to visitors. 11 October, 11:00, Flevopoort. FOOD / MARKETS

Medieval tattoos, pilgrims and a star on a painted wrist: UvA art historian Wendelien van Welie-Vink starts from a tattoo in an Amsterdam Museum group portrait and looks at medieval travel and protective signs. 11 October, 15:30, Sociëteit Ramses Shaffy Huis. TALKS / IDEAS

Expat Cinema shows The Beloved, with English subtitles and drinks: Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s father and daughter drama starring Javier Bardem played in competition at Cannes, and drinks with host Karolina follow. 11 October, 17:00 – 19:00, VU Griffioen theater, Kleine zaal. FILM

Is This It?, a basement pop quiz that can run fully in English: DJs Mr & Mevr Koot run it, teams sign up at the bar from 15:00, and the winning team’s bar tab is free. 11 October, 15:30, De Nieuwe Anita. GAMES / HOBBIES

Buy My Darlings: free photography, collage and artists’ editions: Free admission brings more than forty artists selling prints, photobooks and works that extend photography into collage and mixed media. 11 October, 10:00 – 18:00, NDSM FUSE. ART / MUSEUMS

Cabaret brings Sally Bowles to 1930s Berlin: Chantal Janzen plays Sally Bowles in Daria Bukvić’s production, set in the Kit Kat Club as rising fascism presses in. 11 October, 20:00, DeLaMar Theater. THEATER

Front Door & Garage Sale, free to wander all over Centrumeiland: In its third edition, neighbours put used things and homemade treats outside to sell, swap or give away, with window posters marking the route. 11 October, 11:00 – 14:00, Centrumeiland. FOOD / MARKETS

Make a Hanfu hairstick with flowers, beads and chains: Beginners assemble a decorated hairstick using up to 25 components, learning floral weaving, chain-making and thread wrapping; materials and tools are provided. 11 October, 13:00 – 16:00, OBA CC Amstel. WORKSHOP

Haydn on Sunday rehearses and performs a symphony in one morning: Professional musicians and advanced amateurs rehearse Haydn’s Symphony No. 48 on the day, then perform it without prior rehearsals; entry is free. 11 October, 12:00 – 12:30, De Hallen. WORKSHOP

Behind the scenes at Dutch National Opera and Ballet: A Dutch-language guide takes visitors through workshops and studios, including the largest stage in Europe and areas usually closed to the public. 11 October, Nationale Opera & Ballet, Grote Zaal. TOUR

Buildings by Women cycle tour through the Eastern Docklands: The two-hour ride visits projects in the Eastern Docklands and highlights women designers; participants bring their own bicycle. 11 October, 11:00 – 13:00, Borneo Architecture Centre. TOUR

An offline morning of reading, drawing and conversation at Café Brecht: Phones are locked away while people spend solo time reading or drawing, then connect in a group; one purchase is required. 11 October, 08:30, Café Brecht. SOCIAL / DRINKS

Paint your own plate, cup or bowl by the Oudeschans: Two relaxed hours with underglaze, brush-on glazes and ceramic pencils, no experience needed, with firing, tea and something sweet included. 11 October, 13:00, Amsterdam House of Arts & Crafts. WORKSHOP

Free goods route lets Baarsjes neighbours pass things on: Residents leave unwanted items outside for others to take; everything is free, and rain moves the route by a week. 11 October, 11:00 – 14:00, Jan Maijenbuurt. TOUR

The Lost-Wax Ring Workshop models a custom silver ring: Participants shape a custom ring in jeweller’s wax, with tools, materials and refreshments provided; casting and silver finishing are charged separately. 11 October, 14:30, Treehouse NDSM. WORKSHOP

Bar Buuf: A neighbourhood bar blending French cooking with subtle Vietnamese influences. The menu draws from both traditions in a relaxed setting.

Kamer: A bar and restaurant focused on shared dishes paired with natural wines. The format encourages communal eating in an informal atmosphere.

CIMA: A rooftop bar serving Mexican-influenced cocktails and food. The elevated location offers views alongside creative drinks and dishes.

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