Idea Books
50 Years of Idea Books
1976-2026
With this exhibition at Enter Enter, Idea Books celebrates its 50th anniversary. The story began in 1976 at 35 Nieuwe Herengracht, where the first Idea Books headquarters was established. In 1985 the office moved to number 11 – precisely the space that now houses Enter Enter. Today, Idea Books is based in Amsterdam’s Houthaven, but for this occasion the story briefly returns to one of its earlier homes. Look closely and you might spot traces of the old office: a sketch of the original floor plan and a curtain hinting at how the space once looked. On view is a selection from the Idea Books Archive: books, catalogues, photographs, documents, and fragments of everyday life in the warehouse.
Update: On Friday March 20, 2026 a fire broke out at Idea Books in Amsterdam, resulting in the complete loss of one of their warehouses and all its contents. The recovery from this horrific event is the priority for the amazing people from Idea Books at the moment. We are in close communication with them to find the best way to put our space in use for them. If there is a public event we will post it here, and at our instagram
