Monopole is a new art space in the heart of Schiedam and the rebellious sister of Stedelijk Museum Schiedam. Here, you experience art that’s just a little different. Housed in a monumental former cinema, Monopole presents dazzling, immersive installations by national and international artists.
Since September 2025, Stedelijk Museum Schiedam has been presenting exhibitions at Monopole that fully immerse visitors. The inaugural exhibition, Silence & The Presence of Everything, takes you on a sensory journey through natural phenomena. Eight intriguing art installations invite you to slow down and look at the world anew.
A platform for a new generation of artists
“Monopole is the younger sister of Stedelijk Museum Schiedam. The artworks we present here not only offer a unique sensory experience, but also convey an important message. The former cinema is the perfect setting for this. We provide a platform for a new movement of artists and hope to reach a new generation of visitors. With meaningful and impressive art installations, we focus on young culture lovers and young adults who feel connected to art and creativity, but do not always feel at home in museums or in the offerings of large cultural institutions.”
– Anne de Haij, Director of Stedelijk Museum Schiedam and Monopole
Click here to read more about the history of the monumental building that houses Monopole.
Art from the moment you step inside
Artist Adrianus Kundert designed the entrance area of Monopole. As soon as you walk in, you find yourself inside his installation Spatial Screensaver: a winding landscape of black-and-white tubes, inspired by both the graphic aesthetics of a Windows 98 screensaver and the building’s original floor. Dynamic light flows through the tubes, connecting different functions as if architecture and object merge into one. Spatial Screensaver is a permanent artwork in Monopole’s entrance hall.
Our neighbours: De Bakkerette
While you explore the art at Monopole, baker Bas – just one door down – takes care of the very best freshly baked bread, pastries, cookies, and cakes. So if you start to feel peckish during your visit to Monopole, you know where to go! Our tip: the cheese-and-mustard croissant = dangerously good.
