Bimhuis: Music venue in Oostelijk Havengebied, Amsterdam

About Bimhuis

BIMHUIS is the Amsterdam stage for jazz and improvised music, on the Piet Heinkade beside the Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ. Come for international names and young Dutch players in a hall that seats about 250, close to the stage, with a view over the IJ. The programme has been open to the adventurous side of the music for more than 50 years.

The Bimhuis was founded in 1973 and opened on 1 October 1974 at Oude Schans 73-77, where it stayed until the summer of 2004. Since January 2005 it has had this building on the IJ, next door to the Muziekgebouw. Concerts run through the year, with a Latin jazz series and festivals in the mix. Its production arm, BIMHUIS Productions, works on new ensembles and compositions with young talent.

There are no regular opening hours, as the house opens for concerts. The hall holds up to 385 with standing places. The BIMHUIS Café serves a small seasonal menu by chef Massimo Norbiato that changes every few weeks, but before a concert it is only open to ticket holders of the BIMHUIS or the Muziekgebouw. Wheelchair users take the lift from the Piet Hein garage or the quay entrance, and wheelchair places are booked by phone or email. There is a tram stop at the door.

The box office opens from 18:30 on concert evenings and an hour before afternoon concerts, but not for free concerts. Sold out? Waiting numbers usually go out from 18:30. You pay by card, there is 30% off with CJP and 15% off with a student card, Stadspas or Citycard, and the cloakroom is free but unguarded. The tram stop is called Muziekgebouw/BIMHUIS, with trams to and from Centraal about every 10 minutes, and the Piet Hein car park is directly under the building.