Het Concertgebouw in Amsterdam
Amsterdam's famous 1,950-seat concert hall on Museumplein, with tram 12 to the door and a free lunch concert every week.
Photo credits
The Main Hall of Het Concertgebouw full during a concert, seen from the balcony, with the orchestra on the platform and the organ at the left.: Hans Roggen
Quick answers
- Capacity
- 1,950 in the Main Hall · 430 in the Recital Hall
- Address
- Concertgebouwplein 101071 LN Amsterdam
- Address
- Concertgebouwplein 10, Amsterdam-Zuid
- Tram
- 12 from Centraal, 5 from Zuid, 3 from Muiderpoort
- Closest parking
- Q-Park Museumplein, about 1 min walk
- Bags
- Large bags and backpacks go to the free cloakroom
- Evening concerts
- Often start at 20:15, end 21:15-22:15
- Free concerts
- Weekly lunch concert at 12:30
- Contact
- +31 20 671 83 45
Holidays at Het Concertgebouw
Open on the holidays: these nights are in the agenda.
- ChristmasClassical Christmas Concert with Jan Vayne
- ChristmasChristmas Eve in Het Concertgebouw
- ChristmasConcertgebouworkest Christmas Matinee with Klaus Mäkelä
- ChristmasChristmas Recital Regina Albrink with Chopin and Gershwin
- ChristmasAuthentieke uitvoering van Händels Messiah
- New Year's EveNew Year's Concert 2027 De Generale - Nederlands Blazers Ensemble
- New Year's DayNew Year's Concert 2027 - Nederlands Blazers Ensemble
- New Year's DayNew Year's Concert 2027 - Nederlands Blazers Ensemble
Het Concertgebouw agenda: upcoming events
Tonight, this week and the months ahead at this venue in Amsterdam.
Last night at Het Concertgebouw: Rossini’s Stabat mater with the Groot Omroepkoor, Stichting Millenniumconcert with Dvořák's Stabat mater, Anna Fedorova in Concert for Protect Ukraine
Tonight
Tomorrow
This week
Plan your visit to Het Concertgebouw
How many people fit in Het Concertgebouw?
- Main Hall
- 1,950
- Recital Hall
- 430
- Mirror Hall
- 350
- Choir Hall
- 150
The Main Hall seats 1,950 people. The Recital Hall holds 430, the Mirror Hall 350 and the Choir Hall 150, according to the hall specifications. Room capacities are not added together: the rooms are used for different events.
The Main Hall is a little larger than Koninklijk Theater Carré (1,756 seats) and TivoliVredenburg's Grote Zaal in Utrecht (1,717), and a little smaller than De Doelen in Rotterdam (2,139 seats). The Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ in Amsterdam has 725 seats in its main hall.
| Venue | Room | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Het Concertgebouw, Amsterdam | Main Hall | 1,950 |
| De Doelen, Rotterdam | Concert hall | 2,139 seats |
| Koninklijk Theater Carré, Amsterdam | Theatre | 1,756 seats |
| TivoliVredenburg, Utrecht | Grote Zaal | 1,717 seats |
| Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ, Amsterdam | Main hall | 725 seats |
| Het Concertgebouw, Amsterdam | Recital Hall | 430 |
Seating plan and best seats in the Main Hall
The seating plan of the Main Hall and the Recital Hall differs per concert, so the map you see while booking under 'Kies uw stoelen' is the one that counts.
Ground floor
Doors A to D
Balcony and platform
Doors E to K, first floor
Price categories
Set per concert on the booking map
Restricted view
Marked per concert while booking
The Main Hall has a ground-floor section ('Zaal'), a balcony ('Balkon') and seats on the platform around the orchestra ('Podium'). The ticket tells you which entrance and which hall door to use: doors A to D are on the ground floor, doors E to K on the first floor for the balcony and the platform.
The venue publishes no seat ranking, but the layout tells you what to expect. The hall is 44 metres long, 27.5 metres wide and 17.5 metres high, so ground-floor seats at the back are far from the stage while the balcony looks down on the whole orchestra.
- Closest: the front of the ground floor ('Zaal'). The platform ('Podium', doors E to K) puts you on the first floor beside and behind the orchestra, so you see the players from the side or the back.
- Overview: the balcony, reached through doors E to K on the first floor. Lifts serve the balconies, which helps if stairs are difficult.
- Sound: the Main Hall is a 'shoebox', and researchers found that the side walls play a crucial role in the acoustics of such halls, so the hall is built to sound good throughout.
- A ticket guide describes three categories: Rang 1 Plus (premium seats with the best view), Rang 1 (comfortable seats with a very good view of the stage) and Rang 2 (a lower price, a little further from the stage, good acoustics).
- Watch for seats marked 'beperkt zicht' (restricted view) or 'zeer beperkt zicht' (very restricted view) on the booking map.
- Seats are assigned, so you cannot swap on the night; lunch concerts are the exception, with unreserved seating.
Tickets, box office and discounts
Tickets are sold online, by phone and at the box office. At the box office you can only pay by debit card. On concert days the box office opens at 17:00 Monday to Friday (from 19:00 only for that evening's concerts) and at 10:00 on Saturday and Sunday. It is closed on days without concerts.
The Concertgebouw Line (020 671 83 45) is open daily from 10:00 to 17:00.
- Sprint tickets
- €11 (Recital Hall) or €18 (Main Hall) for visitors aged 30 or younger
- Entrée
- Under 35: up to 75% off many concerts
- Concertvrienden
- 10% off over 100 concerts and series
- Free
- Weekly lunch concert, ticket needed
- Free lunch concerts: a ticket is needed, up to two per person, bookable online from a week before. Doors open about 30 minutes before and seating is unreserved.
What time do concerts start and end?
Evening concerts at Het Concertgebouw usually start at 20:15. Concerts without an interval end between about 21:15 and 22:00; with an interval or a long programme expect 22:10 to 22:15.
Sunday morning concerts usually run 11:00-12:00, afternoon concerts often start at 14:15 or 15:00 and the free lunch concert is 12:30-13:00. Times differ per concert, so check the concert page.
- Evenings
- Often 20:15, ending 21:15-22:15
- Sunday morning
- 11:00-12:00
- Sunday afternoon
- 14:15 or 15:00
- Lunch concert
- 12:30-13:00
Food and drink at Het Concertgebouw
Restaurant LIER serves seasonal two- or three-course dinners overlooking Museumplein. Café Viotta is the informal option for lunch, dinner, wine or coffee.
For many concerts a drink is included in the ticket, during the interval or before the concert; if not, the website and the ticket say so.
Bags, cloakroom and lockers
The cloakroom is free. There is one large guarded cloakroom and several smaller unguarded wardrobes in the stairwells. Large bags, backpacks, packages and umbrellas must be left there; they are not allowed in the hall.
There are no lockers; the free cloakroom takes large bags.
Accessibility at Het Concertgebouw
Lifts lead to the Recital Hall and to the balconies in the Main Hall. Wheelchairs can be borrowed in the entrance hall. The Main Hall and the Recital Hall have places for wheelchair users and companions; because seats suit wheelchairs differently, phone 020 671 83 45 or e-mail [email protected] with the concert, hall and wheelchair size.
Hearing: an infrared headset or a receiver for your own hearing aid is available from the Main Hall and Recital Hall cloakrooms. Guide dogs are welcome; other animals are not.
- Wheelchairs and walkers may not be left in the aisles.
- Stadsmobiel can be reached on 020 411 00 55.
Dress code, photos and house rules
There is normally no dress code; if an event has one it is announced. Filming and photographing during a concert are not allowed, and smoking is not permitted anywhere in the building.
- If you arrive late you are let in at a suitable point in the programme.
- Leave the hall between parts or during applause; going back in during the concert is not always possible.
- For amplified pop or jazz, earplugs are available free of charge at the cloakroom.
Getting to Het Concertgebouw by tram, metro and from Schiphol
Several trams and buses stop at or next to the Concertgebouw, on the south side of Museumplein. Tram 12 runs direct from Amsterdam Centraal (about 15 minutes) and Amsterdam Amstel, tram 5 from Amsterdam Zuid and tram 3 from Muiderpoort. Metro line 52 (Noord/Zuidlijn) stops at Vijzelgracht, 11 minutes' walk away.
From Schiphol Airport, bus 397 (every 7.5 minutes) stops next to the Concertgebouw, diagonally across from the main entrance. By train it is 7 minutes to Amsterdam Zuid, then tram 5 to Museumplein: about half an hour in total. Walking from the Dam takes about half an hour.
After a concert that ends around 22:00-22:30 the regular trams and metro still run: the GVB night buses (11 lines, all from Amsterdam Centraal, once an hour) only take over between 00:30 and 07:30 and cost €5.70. Check the 9292 or GVB planner for the last tram of your line.
From Centraal
Tram 12, about 15 minutes
From Schiphol
Bus 397, or train to Zuid plus tram 5: about 30 minutes
From Amsterdam Zuid
Tram 5, or metro 52 plus an 11-minute walk
- There is a taxi rank next to the main entrance and there are charging points for electric cars nearby.
Parking at Het Concertgebouw: garages and walking times
The closest garage is Q-Park Museumplein under Museumplein. It can be full on popular concert evenings, so reserve ahead. Garage rates are hourly; no separate evening rate is published.
| Garage | Address | Walk to the Concertgebouw | Hourly rate | About 4 hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q-Park Museumplein | Van Baerlestraat 33B (under the Albert Heijn) | About 1 min (71 m) | €13.00 | €52.00 |
| Q-Park Byzantium | Tesselschadestraat 1 G | About 8 min (594 m) | €13.00 | €52.00 |
| Albert Cuypgarage | Ruysdaelkade 93 | About 7 min (528 m) | €6.96 | €27.84 |
- The 4-hour figure is the hourly rate times four; a garage may have a lower maximum or an event tariff, so reserve online where you can.
- Reserving online: a day at Q-Park Museumplein starts at €37.50, which is cheaper than four hours at the hourly rate.
- Albert Cuypgarage is a municipal garage under the Ruysdaelkade with 600 spaces and 76 charging points.
- Q-Park Museumplein: entry Monday to Thursday 07:00-01:00 and Friday to Sunday 07:00-02:30; exit is possible 24/7.
- Seven parking spaces next to the main entrance are free for holders of a valid disabled parking card (LPO or GPK).
Contact and halls to hire
- Concertgebouw Line
- 020 671 83 45, daily 10:00-17:00
- Box office e-mail
- [email protected]
- Hall rental
- +31 (0)20 573 04 00, [email protected]
About Het Concertgebouw Amsterdam
Het Concertgebouw is Amsterdam's concert hall on Museumplein, opened on 11 April 1888 and a national monument since 1974. Its Main Hall, built after the Gewandhaus in Leipzig, is a shoebox-shaped room whose acoustics are famous among orchestras, and the building is the home of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.
Besides the Main Hall (Grote Zaal) there are the oval Recital Hall (Kleine Zaal), the Mirror Hall (Spiegelzaal) and the basement Choir Hall (Koorzaal). The programme runs from symphony orchestras and chamber music to jazz, pop, film music and family concerts.
- Opened
- 11 April 1888
- Architect
- Adolf Leonard van Gendt; entrance wing by Pi de Bruijn
- Status
- Rijksmonument since 4 July 1974
History and acoustics
The building was founded on 2,186 piles and opened on 11 April 1888. The renovation of 1985 to 1988 added a glass foyer by Pi de Bruijn with the entrance on Concertgebouwplein. It became a Rijksmonument in 1974 and 'Koninklijk' in 2013.
The Main Hall was modelled on the Gewandhaus in Leipzig in form and materials. Later restorations left the original shape and finish intact because of the fragile acoustics.
Photos
Photo credits
The Main Hall of Het Concertgebouw full during a concert, seen from the balcony, with the orchestra on the platform and the organ at the left.: Hans Roggen
The illuminated façade of Het Concertgebouw at night with trams passing in front, on the corner of Museumplein.: Hans Roggen
The orchestra on the platform of the Main Hall with the organ at the left and platform seats behind the players, seen from the balcony.: Hans Roggen · Cropped
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Frequently asked questions
How many people fit in Het Concertgebouw?
The Main Hall has 1,950 seats and the Recital Hall 430. The Mirror Hall holds 350 and the Choir Hall 150.
What does the seating plan of the Main Hall look like?
There is a ground-floor section reached through doors A to D, and a balcony and platform on the first floor reached through doors E to K. The price categories and restricted-view seats differ per concert, so use the booking map.
Which seats are best in Het Concertgebouw?
For closeness, the front of the ground floor; for an overview, the balcony; the platform puts you beside and behind the orchestra. The hall is 44 metres long, so the back of the ground floor is far from the stage, but it is a shoebox hall known for its acoustics throughout. Avoid seats marked restricted view.
Where do I park near Het Concertgebouw?
Q-Park Museumplein, entrance Van Baerlestraat 33B, is about a minute away at €13.00 per hour (€52 for about four hours); the Albert Cuypgarage on Ruysdaelkade 93 is about seven minutes away at €6.96 per hour. Reserve ahead on busy evenings; a day at Museumplein reserved online starts at €37.50.
How do I get to Het Concertgebouw by public transport?
Take tram 12 from Amsterdam Centraal (about 15 minutes) or Amstel, tram 5 from Amsterdam Zuid or tram 3 from Muiderpoort. Bus 397 runs from Schiphol to a stop next to the building.
What time does a concert start and end?
Many evening concerts start at 20:15. Without an interval they end between about 21:15 and 22:00; with an interval or a long programme, around 22:10 to 22:15. Check the concert page.
Is there a dress code?
No. You can wear what you feel comfortable in; if an event has a dress code it is announced.
Can I take a bag or backpack into the hall?
Large bags, backpacks, packages and umbrellas must be left in the free cloakroom. There are no lockers.
Are there free concerts at Het Concertgebouw?
Yes, a free lunch concert at 12:30 every week except July and August. You need a free ticket, up to two per person, bookable online from a week before.
Can I bring children?
The lunch concerts advise a minimum age of six; the one-hour Sunday morning concerts suit listeners from 10. Family concerts exist for every age.
Where can I eat before a concert?
Restaurant LIER for a seasonal dinner and Café Viotta for lunch, dinner or a drink, both in the building.
Is Het Concertgebouw wheelchair accessible?
Yes: lifts, wheelchair places in the Main Hall and Recital Hall, and borrowable wheelchairs. Phone 020 671 83 45 before booking so the right seat is held.
Sources: Wikipedia: Koninklijk Concertgebouw (October 21, 2026) · Official hall specifications (October 21, 2026) · Official ranks and floor plans (October 21, 2026) · Public transport to the Concertgebouw (bypublictransport.com) (October 21, 2026) · Parking near the Concertgebouw (parkeerpro.nl) (October 21, 2026) · Official discounts (October 21, 2026) · Official concert pages (October 21, 2026) · Official food and drinks (October 21, 2026) · Official visitor conditions (October 21, 2026) · Official accessibility information (October 21, 2026) · Official visitor guidance (October 21, 2026) · Official history: famous acoustics (October 21, 2026) · Official contact page (October 21, 2026)
