The Melkweg has a long history; from milk factory and sugar refinery to teahouse and restaurant. Now the building consists of two concert halls, a multifunctional hall for concerts and performances, a cinema, an exhibition space and a café.
In the 19th century, a sugar factory was located on Lijnbaansgracht. This was closed in 1920, leaving room for the Onderlinge Vereeniging van Veehouders to sell pure cow's milk here. The OVVV later merged with the Melkunie with which the dairy closed in 1969. In the summer of 1970, the premises were set up for a summer cultural project. This consisted of a teahouse, a restaurant and a hall for music, film and theatre.
Since 1973, the Melkweg has been permanently open as a cultural centre. In the years that followed, the Melkweg emerged as one of the most important venues for pop culture of Amsterdam and the Netherlands. In the 1970s and 1980s, it was a meeting place for hippies. Nowadays, the Melkweg is best known for its huge diversity of artists; big names from home and abroad take the stage here alongside up-and-coming talent. Famous names such as U2, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Prince and Lady Gaga have already appeared on stage here.
The Melkweg has grown into a centre with 2 concert halls, The Max and the Oude Zaal, a multifunctional hall for concerts and performances, a cinema, an exhibition space and a café. Every year, the Melkweg attracts more than 400,000 visitors. Besides its normal programming, the Melkweg also organizes larger and political-societal events, is stage programming partner of Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) and hosts the annual Encore Festival.
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