Museumplein

The Museumplein is a vast, open public square defined by its wide central lawn, which stretches between the monumental brick facade of the Rijksmuseum and the Concertgebouw concert hall. Long before it became the cultural center of Amsterdam, the site was occupied by a wax candle factory and marshy meadows. Its transformation began when the city chose the area to host the eighteen eighty-three International Colonial and Export Exhibition.