Melkweg

The Melkweg, which literally means ‘Milky Way’, is not only one of Amsterdam’s busiest clubs, but is also a cultural centre offering evenings dedicated to photography, cinema and various parties.

A number of events involving internationally renowned DJs are guaranteed every week. To view the events, just check the calendar on the club’s official website.

In addition to regular programming, the Melkweg also organises events that combine different cultural spheres, such as the Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) and the Encore Festival, which is, however, hosted at the NDSM site in North Amsterdam. The Melkweg is part of various cultural networks and projects on a European level such as Liveurope and Trans Europe Halles.

Tickets for events at Melkweg

Prices for concerts by international artists are certainly not cheap. There is, however, the possibility of finding moderately priced events, when the evenings hosted at the venue involve more niche environments such as the R&B scene or the Dutch hip hop scene. The alternation of more or less popular cultural events allows the venue to maintain a focus on a diverse and heterogeneous audience.

To find out about all the concerts and events that take place at the Melkweg and to buy tickets, check out the website below:

History of the venue

The Melkweg was once a sugar refinery in the Lijnbaansgracht area of Amsterdam, not far from the Leidseplein.

The sugar refinery remained in operation until 1920, when a farmers’ association bought the premises to start a milk production business within the factory, which remained active until 1969. It was this past as a milk factory that gave the current premises its name Melkweg.

The 1970s

In the summer of 1970, after being closed for a year, the Melkweg was the venue for some youth initiatives. In those years the venue housed first a tea house, then a restaurant, and finally a music hall, a cinema and a theatre.

The following years were years of affirmation for the Melkweg, which found itself as one of Amsterdam’s leading pop culture venues. The venue also established itself abroad to the extent that many international artists chose this venue for their performances.

The last years

The venue is run by a non-profit organisation of artists that identifies itself with the same name as the venue, Melkweg. The venue has been completely renovated over the last 30 years. The historic concert hall, the Old Hall and the Auditorium underwent a complete refurbishment in 2000.

There is a multi-purpose hall that can be used for concerts and performances with a capacity of 1,500 people. The Melkweg Café, on the other hand, is an area dedicated to exhibitions and temporary displays.

Opening Hours

The Melkweg is one of the few venues in Amsterdam that has a licence to stay open past 3 a.m., and such flexible closing hours certainly make the venue very popular with young Dutch people.

The opening hours vary depending on the events hosted, be it exhibitions, concerts, DJ sets or screenings. The advice is to check the website once you have purchased your ticket. Included in the purchase price is a membership fee of a few euros, which is nothing more than a kind of monthly subscription to the club.