Travel
XpresSpa at
Amsterdam
Schiphol
Airport.
Photo by
Sharon
Hahn Darlin
restful focal points” in the airport.
It definitely adds to the character
of AMS. There are more than 80 art
pieces on display throughout the
airport, including the annex to the
famed Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.
The museum inside the airport is
currently closed during remodel,
but will be open again, with free
viewing of some of the world’s
greatest art, by late 2015.
In addition to the museum, the
airport is filled with major works
of art, including the one shown
above, Niijima Floats, by Dale Chihuly.
The massive glass balls, installed
on water at the entrance to the
adjoining World Trade Center, are
designed after Japanese glass
fishing baubles.
KLM Crown Lounge.
Photo courtesy
KLM Royal
Dutch Airline
In addition to the Chihuly works,
some of the most popular include
these works:
Coda by Dennis Adams: a collection
of 28 red and white objects found
at airports, such as towers and
signposts. This is a perfect meeting
spot, located outside security in
the Arrivals Hall.
P2 Tunnel is an installation
lithograph by Stanislaw Lewkowicz.
Since 1999, this display has been
highlighting the passageway to
one of the parking garages.
Metamorphosis is a 158-foot-long
work by Escher. This piece has been
on loan to the airport, and can be
found in Departure Lounge 4.
Tracing Reality is a colorful glass
facade covering almost 5,000 square
feet from Departure Lounge 1 to
Pier B. The work is a compilation
of places near the airport, including
Amsterdamse Bos city woodland
and the Aalsmeer flower auction.
seats. Kids of all ages enjoy exploring
the living aviation museum. The plane
is open 9 am to 5 pm in winter and
7 am to 8 pm during the summer,
weather permitting. The display is
free and open to the general public
since it does not require going
through Passport Control.
For a complete list of the artwork
before clearing passport control,
you can view the PDF here.
Depending on the length of your
layover—and whether or not you
spend your entire layover shopping—
there are plenty of other things to
do at AMS. One of the best ways to
explore Schiphol is by taking the
Behind the Scenes Tour. This is a
great way to experience the airport
in a way most people never do. The
bus tour takes about an hour and
gives you a chance to learn about
the airport’s history. You will have
a chance to see Schiphol East (the
cargo part of the airport), the fire
station, snow clearance squad, the
old air traffic control tower and some
of the large aircraft hangars. The
experience includes fun stories and
For a list of the artwork after
getting through passport control,
you can view this PDF document.