Melkweg Art Gallery / Club / Concert Venue / Theater

Leidseplein, Amsterdam –

Set in an old milk factory, Melkweg (Milky Way) is an entertainment/arts complex with a bar, club, movie theater, and art gallery.

Though the venue features a variety of live concerts during the week, the post-show club gigs that swing into gear afterwards are just as popular with the local music lovers who show up to dance to everything from house and hip-hop to Latin and pop.

Two different areas in the complex are dedicated to concerts and after-parties, some of which take place simultaneously: the Max room holds a 1,500-person crowd, while the Oude Zaal room holds a more “intimate” 700. Both spaces, though rather bare, are equipped with a balcony, a few side platforms to stand on, and an excellent sound system.

Bars in the two rooms are located in the back and provide the best place to meet new people, away from the mayhem, as well as a quieter area to cool off and enjoy a drink.

The rest of the complex has plenty to offer as well. Eat @ Jo’s Café is located in the back of the Melkweg and draws pre-party and artsy crowds, as does the gallery next door, which usually hosts powerful photography exhibits.

Offerings are rounded out by an indie cinema, a media film room, and a cozy tea room upstairs, making Melkweg a playground for culture hounds by day and clubbers by night.