5 Things to Do in the Museum Quarter
The Uptown Meat Club enjoys a prime location, right next to Vondelpark. Our restaurant is located in the Museum Quarter—a vibrant area of Amsterdam that features a range of sights and hotspots, all of which are ideal to combine with a lunch or dinner at The Uptown Meat Club. What is there to see and do around Museumplein? Here are 5 tips.
The Museum Quarter in Amsterdam
The Museum Quarter is in Amsterdam’s South district and owes its name to the three important museums that are located there. It’s for good reason that it is seen as a cultural hotspot where one can marvel at both classical and modern art. Not just the place to be for art lovers, the Museum Quarter is also the ideal area for a day of shopping or good food and drinks.
Before the district was dominated by art and culture, only farms were located on Museumplein. These farms were still here until well into the 19th century. In 1874, it was decided that the Rijksmuseum would be built there, which was the beginning of the Museum Quarter.
Tip #1: View ‘The Night Watch’ and other masterpieces in the Rijksmuseum
The Rijksmuseum is the largest museum in the Netherlands and is home to many international masterpieces. In more than 200 rooms, you can marvel at famous Dutch 17th-century masters such as Johannes Vermeer, Frans Hals and Jan Steen. The museum also has an impressive 22 paintings by Rembrandt—the largest collection of the artist’s works in the Netherlands—of which The Night Watch is perhaps the most impressive. Other masterpieces that you can admire in the Rijksmuseum are the Girl in a White Kimono (Breitner), The Milkmaid (Vermeer) and The Battle of Waterloo (Pieneman). There is a special Vermeer exhibition at the museum until June 4, 2023, but unfortunately it is completely sold out.
Planning to combine your dinner at The Uptown Meat Club with a trip to the Rijksmuseum? Book your ticket for the museum online in advance for guaranteed entrance. Another tip: Young people up to the age of 18 and museum card holders do not pay an entrance fee.
Tip #2: Feast your eyes in the Van Gogh Museum
You will find the Van Gogh Museum just a stone’s throw from the Rijksmuseum. This museum is (almost) entirely dedicated to the painter Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890). In addition to Van Gogh, various works by contemporaries such as Gaugin, Monet and Seurat are also on display. In total, the museum has more than 200 paintings, 400 drawings and 700 letters by the Dutch artist. Some of the most famous pieces include Sunflowers (1889), Almond Blossoms (1890) and The Potato Eaters (1885).
In addition to the permanent collection, the museum hosts special exhibitions throughout the year. May–September 2023, the Van Gogh Museum will present Van Gogh in Auvers in collaboration with Musée d'Orsay, a major exhibition focusing on the period Van Gogh spent the last months of his life in the French village of Auvers-sur-Oise.
From our restaurant on Museumplein, it is only a 4-minute walk to the Van Gogh Museum.
Tip #3: Enjoy a walk in Vondelpark
The Uptown Meat Club is located right next to Vondelpark, which is the oldest and perhaps most beautiful park in Amsterdam. It stretches from the Stadhouderskade to the Amstelveenseweg. With an area of more than 47 hectares, you can take a long walk here. There are several ponds, playgrounds for children, public art displays and even an open-air theater. From June to September, you can enjoy a diverse program every weekend in the Vondelpark Open Air Theater with music, comedy, youth theatre, dance and more.
When the weather is good, the park is very busy with locals and visitors, and in the summer months it’s the perfect ‘green oasis’ in the middle of the city. Planning to have a nice lunch at The Uptown Meat Club? Then a post-meal walk through Vondelpark is definitely recommended. (Weather permitting.) You can enter the park directly from our restaurant.
Tip #4: Enjoy a classical concert in the Concertgebouw
Are you a fan of classical music? Then a visit to the Concertgebouw opposite the Museumplein is definitely recommended. There you can experience live the works of composers such as Vivaldi, Bach and Beethoven.
The Royal Concertgebouw is an impressive building with a rich history. The concert hall attracts around 700,000 visitors every year. The fact that the Concertgebouw is so popular is due to its unparalleled acoustics and broad range of programming: From internationally renowned soloists to new talent and from classical to jazz, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam offers something for everyone.
Planning to come to The Uptown Meat Club on a Sunday? Then you can enjoy a free lunch concert before your visit to our restaurant on the Museumplein in Amsterdam. These lunchtime concerts take place every week at 12.30 pm in the main or small hall of the Concertgebouw, except in July and August.
Tip #5: Grab a bite to eat and shop
In addition to museums and concert halls, the Museum Quarter is also known for its varied and unique shops, so you can combine your dinner at The Uptown Meat Club with an afternoon of shopping. The best shopping streets in the Museum Quarter are Cornelis Schuytstraat, P.C. Hooft and the Van Baerlestraat. The Cornelis Schuytstraat offers a fine mix of local shops, exclusive boutiques and specialty food shops.
For well-known fashion and lifestyle brands, you must go to the Van Baerle, where you’ll find shops such as Omoda, Zara Home, Iittala and Floris van Bommel. Here you will certainly find a new pair of shoes, a stylish sweater or home accessories. Our premium meat restaurant is located at the end of the Van Baerlestraat, near the Vondelpark. After your shopping spree, join us for an extensive lunch or end the day with dinner.