Waag Futurelab: Event venue in Nieuwmarkt, Amsterdam

Waag Futurelab is a research institute for technology and society with a public programme, based in the Waag, the 15th-century gate building on the Nieuwmarkt in Amsterdam. Go for its workshops, lectures and small exhibitions, where scientists, designers and artists try out ideas with the public in the old rooms upstairs. Every month the building opens up for Waag Open, a public programme anyone can join, with changing themes and workshops. The agenda also lists expos, talks and hands-on sessions on subjects such as open social media, water quality and biotechnology, and some sell out. The Theatrum Anatomicum on the second floor, the old anatomical theatre with its painted cupola, is the main room and holds up to about 60 people. There is also a Fablab, and an academy with courses for schools and professionals. The website lists events rather than opening hours, so check the agenda before you go. Marleen Stikker and Caroline Nevejan founded Waag in 1994, growing out of De Digitale Stad, an early public gateway to the internet. It was long known as the Maatschappij voor Oude en Nieuwe Media and has been in the building since 1996. The Waag itself started as a city gate, the Sint Antoniespoort, and later served as a weigh house, guildhall and anatomical theatre. Rembrandt's The Anatomy Lesson of Dr Nicolaes Tulp was commissioned by the surgeons' guild that met here. The ground floor is a separate restaurant. Waag can be reached by phone from Tuesday to Thursday, 09:00 to 16:00; otherwise use the contact form. The postal address is Sint Antoniesbreestraat 69, not the Waag itself.