In 2024, the Tulp Festival Amsterdam will celebrate its tenth anniversary. During the festival, in April, tens of thousands of tulips bloom in the streets of Amsterdam.

Of course, beautiful tulips also cheer up our neighborhood during the Tulip Festival; including in the Hoftuin, at the Skinny Bridge and in the Roetersstraat. If you want to know which tulip varieties are exactly where in De Plantage, take a look at the map of the Tulip Festival.

As part of the anniversary, the Amsterdam Museum is organizing the mini-expo ‘Under the Tulip’s Spell’ about the centuries-long relationship between the city and the tulip, including the rare Tulip Book.

The Tulip Book
A special work on display in this mini-expo is the rare Tulip Book from the Six Collection. It probably belonged to the Amsterdam physician and mayor Nicolaas Tulp (1593-1674). The book contains more than 100 drawings of different types of tulips and carnations. The sometimes enormous prices paid for tulips can be seen on two price lists. The Semper Augustus was one of the most expensive varieties. During the development of the book, the tulip bulb cost 3,000 guilders (in the 17th century this was approximately the same value as 38,000 euros in 2024). At the height of the ‘Tulpomania’, 10,000 guilders were even paid for this flower.

Tulip Festival (until the end of April) and mini-expo Under the Tulip’s Spell (until May 12, 2024), Amsterdam Museum aan de Amstel