The Netherlands is most celebrated for 17th-century Dutch Masters like Vermeer and Rembrandt, but it's also a land of innovation in modern art as well. Nowhere is this more apparent than the Cobra Museum, dedicated to the short-lived abstract expressionist movement whose echoes continue to reverberate in the art world.
Founded in Paris in 1948 as a multinational corps of artists, Cobra emphasized freedom and spontaneity in their art. Of the six charter members, three were Dutch -- Karel Appel, Corneille, and Constant -- hence the movement's continued popularity in the Netherlands. In 2008, the Cobra Museum was voted the best museum in the Netherlands, and in 2010 celebrates its 15th year.
Note that the Cobra Museum is actually in Amstelveen, not Amsterdam proper, but can be reached by ordinary Amsterdam tram or metro in no more than 40 minutes. (For details, see Visitor Information below.)
What's to See at the Cobra Museum:
The Cobra Museum uses its focus on one particular movement to explore the artistic landscape of the late '40s and '50s. Naturally, the permanent collection features works from the movement itself, particularly Dutch "cobras" like Karel Appel and Corneille. The museum places these in the context of fellow post-war art movements, such as "Creatie" and "Vrij Beelden", which also prized freedom of form and color, for a sense of their artistic milieu.
Temporary exhibits allow visitors to delve deeper into the oeuvre of a Cobra-affiliated artist, or contemporary artists who continue the spirit of the Cobra movement. To this end, the museum also sponsors the Amstelveen Triennial, a multi-media exhibition of artists from Amstelveen, to stimulate the local art scene and raise the profiles of talented local artists.
Cobra Museum Visitor Information:
Cobra Museum Location
Sandbergplein 1, Amstelveen
Opening Times
- Tues. - Sun., 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
- Closed December 25, January 1 and April 30.
Admission Fees
- Adults: € 9.50
- Seniors (65+): € 5
- Youths 6 - 18: € 5
- Children 0 - 5: Free
Get There
- By tram - Line 5 from Central Station or Amsterdam Zuid to "Amstelveen Binnenhof".
- By metro/"sneltram" - Line 51 from Central Station to "Amstelveen Centrum".
More Information
Call +31 (0)20 547 5050 or visit the Cobra Museum web site.
