ADE 2026: these are the most extraordinary venues

From 21 to 25 October, Amsterdam once again belongs to Amsterdam Dance Event. But anyone who thinks of ADE only as dark clubs and packed dance floors is missing the point. MASTERS selects the most extraordinary venues.

Rijksmuseum: drawing while the dancers move

During ADE, in collaboration with Audio Obscura, the Teekenschool of the Rijksmuseum turns into a living studio. No still model on a platform, but dancers who move through the space, turn and constantly change position. Visitors try to capture that movement directly on paper in quick, short sketches.

The point is not perfect copying but rhythm, line and energy. As if the movement of the dance floor is translated into pencil strokes. The workshop takes place on 21 and 23 October and thus offers a striking, calm contrast to the rest of ADE. In the middle of the Rijksmuseum, yet with the energy of the dance floor.

Rosewood Amsterdam: doing business in the former Palace of Justice

A better place for the business side of ADE is hard to imagine. Rosewood Amsterdam, housed in the former Palace of Justice on Prinsengracht, is one of the main venues of ADE Pro this year. Where justice was once administered, artists, entrepreneurs, investors and leaders of the international music industry now gather during ADE.

In the Ballroom, Courtyard and lounges, sessions with Mau P, The Pacha Group and various international industry players are on the programme. Rosewood also serves as the setting for ADE's matchmaking programme, where founders and investors meet. During ADE, the hotel becomes not only an elegant meeting place but, for a time, a place where the future of the music industry is being built behind the scenes.

Het Concertgebouw: ADE among the classical greats

During ADE, something other than classical music briefly sounds in Het Concertgebouw. During Sonic Journey: The History of Electronic Dance Music, the audience is taken through the history of dance, from the early influences of Jamaica and Germany to the clubs of Chicago, Detroit and Amsterdam.

Notably, part of the audience can take a seat in the middle of the stage and even lie down to fully immerse themselves in the sound. Later that week, Christian Löffler performs in the Kleine Zaal, where he plays an intimate live set together with vocalist Adna. In this way, one of Amsterdam's best-known concert halls takes on a completely different atmosphere during ADE.

Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder: music in a hidden church

In the middle of Amsterdam's city centre, behind the facade of a seventeenth-century canal house, lies an entire church. Museum Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder is therefore already one of the most unusual places in the city.

During ADE, the former clandestine church gets a new soundtrack. Artist Slimfit presents a hybrid live performance over three evenings, in which classical music and visuals come together. The centuries-old church space is more than just a backdrop. Spirituality, ritual and sound are precisely the starting point of the performance. An ADE evening that has little to do with a traditional club night, and that is exactly why it is interesting.

Van Gogh Museum: an evening in the museum, but different

The Museumplein is not spared by ADE either. On Friday 23 October, the Van Gogh Museum stays open after closing time for Nocturnes, an evening where Amsterdam's and London's night culture come together.

The occasion is the exhibition around James McNeill Whistler. His dark cityscapes are paired with experimental electronic music by, among others, Coby Sey and the Amsterdam band Devon Rexi. The artist collective uncloud meanwhile transforms the museum into a nocturnal landscape with image and sound. For one evening, the museum thus also becomes a stage for music and image.

Hotel Arena: club in a monumental setting

On Oosterpark stands Hotel Arena, housed in a monumental building that was originally a Catholic orphanage. Many original details have been preserved, including a large former chapel with high ceilings, stained glass and historic architecture.

During ADE, that very space becomes a club setting. On Wednesday evening, The Church takes place, with Arodes, Rivo and Rodriguez Jr among others. Behind the decks, melodic house and techno sound, while the old chapel is highlighted with modern lighting. The contrast between the historic space and the music is what makes this venue especially remarkable.

ARTIS Planetarium: ADE looks up

If you prefer to close the week without stepping into another club, you can head to ARTIS on Sunday. In the Planetarium, Signals: Hearing a Changing Planet takes place, a programme where music, science and image come together.

With support from the European Space Agency, satellite data on changes on Earth is translated into sound and audiovisual performances. Beneath the planetarium dome, a combination of electronic music, science and immersive art emerges. So not a traditional ADE closing party, but probably one of the most unexpected.