Wim Pijbes, director of Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum, has declared in an open letter to the Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad that the Dutch capital is "dirty, filthy, and too full." Complaining primarily about the culture of short-stay accommodation, segways, scooters and canal cruisers in the historic heart of the city, he argues that "the charm and spirited character has long since faded." Amsterdam, an apparent magnet for those who enjoy an "anything-goes atmosphere," faces an uphill battle in order to remold a dwindling reputation.
Initiatives like Project 1012, which seeks to put a cap on (and even shut down) some of the brothels and marijuana 'coffee shops' in the city's historic core, is part of a wide-reaching clean up campaign. For Feargus O'Sullivan however, "if Amsterdam loses its sense of license, its aura of permissiveness, and its immaculate order held in delicate balance, then it will lose some of its delight, its uniqueness - even its Dutchness." Read his article in The Atlantic's Citylab in full here.
Find out more about the Rijksmuseum, the Dutch national museum, here.
