Moco Museum
| Established | April 2016 |
|---|---|
| Location | Honthorststraat 20, 1071 DE Amsterdam, NL |
| Type | Modern & Contemporary Art Museum |
| Visitors | 610,000 (2024)[1] |
| Website | mocomuseum |
The Moco Museum (Modern Contemporary Museum) is an independent art museum with locations in Amsterdam, Barcelona, and London, dedicated to exhibiting modern and contemporary art. The museum was founded with the mission of attracting broader and younger audiences, and making art accessible to the public.[2]
Moco Museum in Amsterdam opened in 2016[3] on Museumplein, in the historic Villa Alsberg, a townhouse designed in 1904 by Eduard Cuypers the nephew of Pierre Cuypers, designer of Amsterdam Central Station and the Rijksmuseum. The townhouse was one of the first privately owned residencies on Museumplein and remained so until 1939.[4]
History and concept
The museum was founded in 2016 by Kim Logchies-Prins and Lionel Logchies as an independent initiative aiming “to make modern and contemporary art more accessible to a wider audience beyond traditional collectors and institutions”.[5] Early collections and programming focused on popular modern and contemporary figures and street art, aiming to reach broader audiences through accessible exhibitions, and included works by artists such as Banksy and Andy Warhol.[6] Commentators have described the museum as part of a broader shift towards privately funded art spaces that combine high-profile popular culture with contemporary art collections, including digital and immersive works.[7]
Building
The Moco Museum Amsterdam is located in Villa Alsberg on Honthorststraat 20 in Amsterdam. Designed in 1904 by Eduard Cuypers, it was originally built for banker Siegmund Alsberg and remained the first privately owned residence on the Museumplein until 1939.[8][9] The interior has been adapted for gallery use, including spaces for immersive and digital installations.[10]
Collections and exhibitions
The museum displays works from its permanent collection as well as loaned pieces, which are exhibited in rotation. Programming combines works from the Moco collection with external loans, presented in regularly changing displays. Exhibited artists have included Banksy, Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, Yayoi Kusama, KAWS, Jeff Koons, JR, Icy & Sot, Tracey Emin, and Studio Irma, among others.[11][12][13]
Past exhibitions
- Roy Lichtenstein: Lasting Influence (2017)[14]
- Icy & Sot: A Moment of Clarity (2018) – the first retrospective of the Iranian street-art brothers and political activists.[15]
- Daniel Arsham: Connecting Time (2019) – the New York-based artist’s Dutch debut.[16]
- Yayoi Kusama (2019) – featuring works including Night of Stars and Pumpkin.[17]
- JR Room (2019) – including The Gun Chronicles: A Story of America by French artist JR.[18]
- THE KID: The Future Is Old (2020) – the artist’s first solo exhibition in the Netherlands.[19]
Current exhibitions
- Robbie Williams: Pride and Self-Prejudice (2024) – a multimedia exhibition exploring identity and self-reflection.[20]
- The Symphony of Nature (2023) – by design studio Six N. Five.[21]
- Andrés Reisinger: Dreams (2024)[22]
- Planet Positive Disruption (2024) – by Dutch street artist Frankey.[23]
Ongoing exhibitions
- Banksy: Laugh Now – an “unauthorised” exhibition featuring works such as Beanfield, Girl with a Balloon and Flower Thrower.[24]
- Contemporary Masters: Meet the Icons & Rising Stars in Contemporary Art – featuring works by Marina Abramović, Damien Hirst, KAWS, Jeff Koons and others.[25]
- Modern Masters: Meet the Icons of Modern Art – featuring works by Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring and Yayoi Kusama.[26]
- Digital & Immersive Art – including the installation Reflecting Forward: In Search of Connectivism by Studio Irma.[27][28]
- Moco Garden – the museum’s outdoor exhibition featuring works by Banksy, KAWS, WhIsBe, Fidia and Marcel Wanders.[29][30]
Visitors
Moco Museum Amsterdam is among the most visited private museums in the city. According to Amsterdam Tips, the museum recorded approximately 769,000 visitors in 2023, marking its highest attendance since opening. In 2024, visitor numbers declined to around 610,000, representing a decrease of approximately 21 percent year-on-year.[31]
The museum is regularly listed among Amsterdam’s cultural attractions in independent city guides such as I amsterdam and Time Out.[32][33]
Across all its locations, the Moco Museum group reports having welcomed more than six million visitors from over 120 countries since its founding in 2016.[34]
| Year | Visitors | Source | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 769,000 | Amsterdam Tips | Highest recorded attendance year |
| 2024 | 610,000 | Amsterdam Tips [35] | Approximately 21% decline from 2023 |
Location and access
Moco Museum Amsterdam is located on Museumplein, opposite the Rijksmuseum and adjacent to the Van Gogh Museum and the Stedelijk Museum.[36]
The museum is accessible by public transport via the Museumplein and Rijksmuseum tram stops, which are served by tram lines 2, 5, and 12. It is also within walking distance of Leidseplein and Vondelpark.[37]
Moco Museum Amsterdam is open daily, with extended opening at evening hours on weekends.[38]
See also
- Moco Museum Barcelona
- Moco Museum London
- List of museums in Amsterdam
- Modern art museums
References
- ^ "Top Amsterdam Museums by Visitor Numbers 2024". Amsterdam Tips. Amsterdamtips.com. 26 June 2024. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
- ^ Ribbens, Arjen (6 April 2016). "Nieuw Moco Museum mikt op 'lekker toegankelijke kunst'". NRC (in Dutch). Retrieved 2019-06-03.
- ^ "MOCO Museum in Amsterdam - Modern and Contemporary Art". AmsterdamTips.com. 2021-08-21. Retrieved 2021-10-11.
- ^ "Moco Museum - Modern, Contemporary & Street Art Amsterdam". Moco Museum. Retrieved 2019-06-03.
- ^ "About Moco Museum". Moco Museum. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
- ^ "Contemporary Art Museum Opens in Amsterdam". The New York Times (ArtsBeat, archived). 8 April 2016. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
- ^ "Amsterdam's Moco Museum opens its doors with works by Banksy and Warhol". The Guardian. 2024. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
- ^ "Beeldbank entry: Honthorststraat 20". Stadsarchief Amsterdam (in Dutch). Retrieved 31 October 2025.
- ^ "Honthorststraat 20 (1850–1940)". Amsterdam op de Kaart (in Dutch). Retrieved 31 October 2025.
- ^ "Contemporary Art Museum Opens in Amsterdam". The New York Times (ArtsBeat, archived). 8 April 2016. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
- ^ "In beeld: expo Roy Lichtenstein in Moco". Het Parool (in Dutch). 2017. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
- ^ "Daniel Arsham: Connecting Time". designboom. 30 January 2019. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
- ^ "JR Room at Moco Museum". Mixed Grill (in Dutch). 2019. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
- ^ "In beeld: expo Roy Lichtenstein in Moco". Het Parool (in Dutch). 2017. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
- ^ "Iraanse 'Banksy' komt op een keerpunt". Het Parool (in Dutch). Retrieved 31 October 2025.
- ^ "daniel arsham connects 10 years of timeless works with some new archaeological riddles". Designboom. 30 January 2019. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
- ^ "New to Moco Museum: Yayoi Kusama". Amsterdam Now. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
- ^ "Kunstenaar & activist JR in Moco Museum". Mixed Grill. 1 October 2019. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
- ^ "The Kid: The Future Is Old – solo show Moco Museum Amsterdam". The Kid. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
- ^ "Robbie Williams opent eerste eigen kunstexpositie in Moco Museum Amsterdam". Het Parool (in Dutch). 26 October 2021. Retrieved 26 November 2025.
- ^ "The Symphony of Nature". ArtRabbit. Retrieved 26 November 2025.
- ^ "Andres Reisinger's dreamy pink sculptures and video work at Moco Museum Amsterdam". Designboom. 11 October 2024. Retrieved 26 November 2025.
- ^ "Frankey: Planet Positive Disruption at Moco Museum Amsterdam". Artfacts. 2024. Retrieved 26 November 2025.
- ^ "Moco Museum: A modern art stop in Amsterdam". Los Angeles Times. 29 March 2016. Retrieved 26 November 2025.
- ^ "Contemporary Masters Amsterdam". Moco Museum. Retrieved 26 November 2025.
- ^ "Modern Masters Amsterdam". Moco Museum. Retrieved 26 November 2025.
- ^ "Moco Museum Introduces Studio Irma – Reflecting Forward". PR Newswire. 7 October 2020. Retrieved 26 November 2025.
- ^ "Digital and Immersive Art Exhibitions". Iamsterdam.com. Retrieved 26 November 2025.
- ^ "Positive Vibes op Museumplein: Open Beeldentuin Moco Museum". Museum Kijker (in Dutch). 9 May 2024. Retrieved 26 November 2025.
- ^ "Musea met mooie tuinen". Iamsterdam.com (in Dutch). Retrieved 26 November 2025.
- ^ "Top Amsterdam Museums by Visitor Numbers 2024". Amsterdam Tips. 26 June 2024. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
- ^ "Amsterdam's major museums". I amsterdam. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
- ^ "Where to see art in Amsterdam". Time Out Amsterdam. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
- ^ "About Moco Museum". Moco Museum. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
- ^ "Top Amsterdam Museums by Visitor Numbers 2024". Amsterdam Tips. 26 June 2024. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
- ^ "Amsterdam's major museums". I amsterdam. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
- ^ "Getting around Amsterdam". I amsterdam. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
- ^ "Moco Museum Amsterdam Opening Hours". Moco Museum. Retrieved 7 November 2024.