In short
EYE Filmmuseum Amsterdam combines a film archive, cinemas and exhibitions in an angular white building beside the IJ. You can explore how moving images work, choose a temporary exhibition or book a screening. These are different visits with different admission arrangements: a cinema ticket is not an automatic ticket to the temporary exhibition.
☰ Table of content
EYE exhibition prices, cinema tickets and opening hours
Exhibitions normally open Tuesday–Sunday 10:00–19:00, with Monday opening during official school holidays. Check the calendar for installation periods and special closures. The cinema, ticket office and restaurant follow separate hours; an evening film does not mean the galleries remain open.
On 23 October 2026, the museum lists exhibition admission from €16.50 and standard cinema admission from €14 following its 20 October price change. These are direct museum prices, not the price of the city pass shown below. Film length, special programmes, reductions and exhibition supplements can change the total. Exhibition admission is free through age 17.
Hours
-
Exhibitions Tue–Sun 10:00–19:00
Check special dates and installation periods.
-
Exhibitions Monday Usually closed
Open during official school holidays.
-
Cinema programme Separate timetable
On 7 November 2026 EYE closes at 17:00; from 19:00 Museumnacht visitors only.
Prices
-
Direct exhibition From €16.50
Museum price checked 23 October 2026; not the city-pass price.
-
Direct standard cinema From €14
Effective 20 October 2026; length and special programmes can add supplements.
-
Exhibitions ages 0–17 Free admission
Film tickets have different child categories and prices.
What to see at EYE: film history and changing exhibitions
The permanent presentation What is Film? follows moving images from early devices to contemporary ways of watching and making films. Look for the Green Screen, mini cinemas, Film Catcher and animation activities. Give each installation time rather than treating the building as a quick photograph stop.
The temporary exhibition Ulrich Seidl – Über das Leben, die Liebe und den Tod is scheduled from 19 September 2026 to 31 January 2027. It brings together early, lesser-known and newly commissioned work by the Austrian filmmaker, photographer and theatre-maker. Consult the programme for individual film screenings and content suitability.
What is Film? Must see
Explore the permanent display and the development of moving images.
Ulrich Seidl exhibition
A dated temporary exhibition, scheduled through 31 January 2027.
Film devices and making
Try interactive approaches to images, animation and special effects.
Cinema programme
Choose a separately ticketed screening and check subtitles.
The IJ waterfront building
Consider its angles, changing light and relationship to the water.
Quick summary of a visit to EYE
Decide first whether you want the permanent display, temporary exhibition, a cinema screening or a combination. Add time for the ferry and a waterfront pause. The exhibition schedule is distinct from the film calendar, and a late arrival cannot be admitted once a feature has started.
Best moment
An exhibition opening day, or a specifically booked screening
Crowd
Allow enough time to reach the cinema before the feature starts
Kid friendly
Permanent-display activities; check film and exhibition suitability
Unmissable
What is Film? and the waterfront architecture
Type of experience
Film heritage, exhibitions and cinema with separate arrangements
What to expect
A visit shaped by your selected exhibition or film programme
How to visit EYE and when a city pass may help
Arrange a specific exhibition visit or cinema screening through EYE’s ticketing arrangements. No standalone EYE admission offer has been verified in our partner selection. What is Film? can be visited with a film or exhibition ticket during exhibition hours; this does not give a cinema-ticket holder access to every temporary show.
The optional I amsterdam City Card below is a wider city pass, not a standalone EYE ticket. EYE lists valid cardholders for free exhibition entry, with arrangements at its ticket office. Check the current pass inclusions, validity and any exhibition supplement before buying. It does not include an ordinary cinema screening. Compare a pass only if its other benefits suit your itinerary.
Good to know
The public museum is at IJpromenade 1; the Collection Centre and Eye Study are at a different address.
All floors are served by lifts, and cinema wheelchair places are available.
Cinema and temporary-exhibition admission are separate.
Bags and umbrellas cannot enter the exhibition; large suitcases cannot be stored.
Practical tips
Check the actual exhibition date before taking the ferry, particularly on Mondays.
Look at original language and subtitle information when choosing a film.
Allow enough time to arrive before the feature starts.
Use the waterfront to appreciate how the building changes with your viewpoint.
How to reach EYE on the north bank of the IJ
Navigate to IJpromenade 1, 1031 KT Amsterdam, on the north bank of the IJ. From Centraal, continue to the ferry side of the station and check the current Buiksloterweg crossing. After disembarking, follow the waterfront towards EYE. The separate Collection Centre at Asterweg 26 is not the main visitor entrance.
From the IJ side of Centraal, check the current Buiksloterweg ferry. Continue along the north-bank waterfront to IJpromenade 1.
A lift beside the main entrance staircase reaches reception. All floors have lift access; check cinema wheelchair positions for your screening.
Use appropriate routes and legal cycle parking. Folding bicycles and other large belongings cannot be stored inside.
EYE Filmmuseum, IJpromenade 1, Amsterdam
Official Transport in Barcelona
From a small film archive to a waterfront museum
The institution began in 1946 as the Nederlands Historisch Film Archief. Its early collection occupied very small premises, including space at cinema Kriterion. In 1952 it found a home and screening facilities at the Stedelijk Museum and became the Nederlands Filmmuseum.
Read allShow less
Read allShow less
A move to the Vondelparkpaviljoen in 1972 provided a more substantial home, but storage and conservation remained persistent challenges. Restoration, themed screenings and later digitisation helped make the archive available to wider audiences. The 1957 acquisition of Jean Desmet’s archive was an important addition to its early-cinema holdings.
The new IJ waterfront building, designed by Delugan Meissl, opened in spring 2012. Its relationship with light, framing and water reflects the medium it presents. Four cinemas and a large exhibition space expanded the institution’s public work. The separate Collection Centre opened in Noord in 2016 to house and conserve much of the collection.
Film heritage, architecture and ways of looking
EYE grew from a post-war film archive rather than a conventional painting collection.
Its former public home was in Vondelpark.
The present building’s changing angles reward looking from several waterfront positions.
What is Film? includes opportunities to experiment with moving images.
A preserved film, its restoration and the way it is screened all influence what an audience sees.
City passes and separate Amsterdam cruise experiences
Find your stay near EYE Filmmuseum
Use the accommodation map centred on EYE to compare a stay in Noord with one across the IJ. Check actual ferry connections and your route back after an evening screening. A hotel appearing close across the water may involve a crossing rather than a direct walk.
EYE Filmmuseum visiting questions
Does a film ticket include the temporary exhibition?
No. Film screenings and temporary exhibitions have separate admission. A film or exhibition ticket does give access to What is Film? during exhibition hours.
Are exhibitions open on Monday?
Normally not. They open on Mondays during official school holidays. Check the specific date and any installation closure. Cinema and restaurant hours differ.
Is EYE included in the I amsterdam City Card?
EYE lists valid I amsterdam City Card holders for exhibition admission through its ticket office. Confirm current pass terms and supplements. A cinema screening is not included by this statement.
Is the museum wheelchair accessible?
EYE states all floors are accessible by lift. Its cinemas reserve wheelchair positions, with different front or back locations by room. Contact the museum about individual needs.
Can a companion enter free?
For visitors who cannot navigate independently, EYE lists free exhibition admission for one companion. For film screenings both people require valid tickets; ask in advance about assistance.
Can I arrive after the film has started?
EYE does not admit latecomers once the feature has begun. Allow time for the ferry and collecting tickets; online sales stop 90 minutes before the film.
Is it suitable for families?
The permanent display has interactive activities and exhibition entry is free through age 17. Children aged 12 and under need an accompanying adult aged 18 or over. Check each screening and temporary exhibition for suitability.
Where is the main entrance?
The public museum is at IJpromenade 1 in Amsterdam-Noord. The Collection Centre and Eye Study at Asterweg 26 are separate locations.
