Reimagining NEMO’s rooftop: where science meets nature in Amsterdam

By Dana Marin

Look up, Amsterdam! Something spectacular is taking shape above your head. NEMO Science Museum just got a brand-new crown: a green rooftop piazza designed by renowned architect Renzo Piano, where science meets city life at 22 metres above sea level. This is the highest city square in the Netherlands, and it promises to be a space of encounters, inspiration and spectacular views, all freely accessible.

The rooftop terrace of NEMO has long been a favourite free viewpoint for Amsterdammers and visitors, but now it is getting a new life. This renewed area will be partly green, with sections designed to attract wildlife, and partly a stage for various activities or simply a place for recreation and meeting friends.

NEMO Science Museum is the largest science museum in the Netherlands, attracting hundreds of thousands of curious minds every year. Since opening in 1997, NEMO has been a playground for the inquisitive. “The museum is not only showing what science and technology are about; it invites people of all ages to experience the engaging, interesting, and curious world of science and technology,” says Annemarie van Eekeren, head of presentation and collection at NEMO.

Reimagining NEMO’s rooftop: where science meets nature in Amsterdam

Visitors using the toolkit. Photo: DigiDaan

Rooftop terrace with science, nature and amazing views

As a museum that aims to connect people and technology, NEMO could not ignore the developments shaping our world today. In recent years, it has shifted toward a broader look at science, also talking about the societal impact of science and technology.

The new strategic vision also envisions the museum as a platform for collaboration – within its walls, a stage for its partners, while the new rooftop would be a stage for the city. The new roof piazza launched this concept by hosting the FutureFest event in June, part of Amsterdam’s 750th birthday celebration.

The programme included a morning rave in co-creation with the Amsterdam University of Applied Science, theatre performances for children, and lectures in partnership with the University of Amsterdam. Outdoor activities continued throughout the summer with the well-known NEMO Summer Roof – live music, open-air cinema, and also events where local partners showcased organic and sustainable products.

New rooftop square with a green space. Photo: DigiDaan

Thriving natural ecosystem at height

The green area of the roof will form an artificial landscape designed to function as a natural ecosystem at height. With the help of both new and traditional science and technology, more than 75 species of flowers and plants will thrive here and will be an addition to the city’s biodiversity.

“In developing the new plan, we wanted the roof to be as green and sustainable as possible, and we’ll use science and technology to achieve that. We’re also using old technologies, like cut tree trunks placed around the square and layers of stone, so all kinds of small animals can move through the area. We’re making sure all the plants are right for the local wildlife,” explains Annemarie.

Hands-on experiments above the city. Photo: DigiDaan

The rooftop will also feature programmes focused on biodiversity, technology and nature. As part of this, visitors can use a special toolkit equipped with various scientific instruments, allowing them to do small scientific experiments, like testing the quality of the soil or observing the sun. A guide will move around the rooftop on busy days with one of these toolkits, ready to demonstrate how to use the instruments.

A place to meet your friends and have fun. Photo: DigiDaan

150 years of technology development

For the future, NEMO has ambitious plans, including the opening of a new branch in Amsterdam North that will tell stories about how technology changed in the past 150 years, and how it transformed everyday life. The first floor of the museum and its exhibition will be renewed as well, and temporary programmes are planned to address pressing contemporary issues in science and technology.

“The first floor will be all about the question: how do we know this? – how people acquire knowledge, methods of research and products of science. We want to emphasise the process of science, because sometimes in our museum, science is presented as a finished product. But actually, it’s a process – it means being curious, trying things out, and sometimes failing and try again. That aspect will become a larger part of the overall storyline, to give a more complete picture of what science really is and what it takes to work and think like a scientist,” Annemarie concludes.

NEMO is open every day from 10am to 5.30pm. Entrance to the roof is free during opening times, via the stairs on the east side of the museum.