News of: Monday, June 11 2007,

Open Garden Days of Amsterdam Canal museums 15-17 June

The yearly Open Garden Days of various canal house gardens will be held on June 15, 16 and 17.

Once a year, in the third weekend of June, the public has the unique opportunity to discover Amsterdam’s hidden green side.
The Canal Museums arrange for the opening of some 30 gardens of private homes and institutions for a period of three days, for viewing by gardening enthusiasts and other interested people. In 2007, the Open Garden Days are being organised around a special theme: garden designs.

Behind the stately facades gardens usually form an indivisible link with the architecture of the house and the appearance of its interior, so the inhabitants often commissioned garden designers who transformed the plots into true pleasure grounds. Resounding names like Mien Ruys, Arend Jan van der Horst and Piet Oudolf, but also designers such as Saskia Albrecht, Robert Broekema, Michael van Gestel and Els Proost have left their mark. In 2007 the most beautiful private gardens by these designers will be accessible to the public.

Opening hours and ticket price: The gardens are open on all three days, from 10 am to 5 pm. A three day pass costs € 12.
This package gives you the addresses and a brief description of each garden and provides information on the gardens. On all three days, there will be a canal boat available free of charge, to holders of a package ticket, travelling to the various startingaddresses.

Sales points and starting addresses:
Theatermuseum, Herengracht 168;
Bijbels Museum, Herengracht 366-368;
Huis Marseille, Keizersgracht 401;
Museum Van Loon, Keizersgracht 672
Museum Willet-Holthuysen, Herengracht 605.

Advance ticket sales: Amsterdam Tourist & Convention Board: www.amsterdamtourist.nl and via www.aub.nl +31 20 62 11 288.

See also the Canal Museums website.

N.B. Unfortunately, due to the many steps and stairs, most of the gardens are not accessible to wheelchair users. Dogs and baby carriages cannot be admitted.

More information can be obtained from, info@canalmuseums.nl or via the special garden telephone line: +31(0)20-3203660.