At some point during the last couple of years, the Stedelijk Museum relocated over by the Van Gogh Museum, and the new Openbare Bibliotheek was opened in its place up by Amsterdaam Centraal.
The library is entirely modern, outfitted with Kubrickian shelving and Mac desktops, along with furniture that looks completely frigid yet gives way deceptively to comfort. Clean and efficient, yet alive with the possibilities of a multitude of texts and multimedia offerings.
My last experience in this space was at Stedelijk back in 2008. I’d had my sights set on a Warhol exhibit, and it was crammed in at the last minute, literally half an hour before our train departed. On my way back to the apartment today I allowed myself to skirt Amsterdam’s chief tourist area, passing kitsch-packed store windows and coffee shops with their dueling neon signs. I’ll be visiting the Red Light district before long, because one does while they’re here.
First things first. I’m heading to Switzerland. Time for something brand new.
