Book Launch 100 Years of the Best Dutch Book Designs – Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam
Book launch: 100 Years of The Best Dutch Book Designs
Friday 6 November 2026, 1.30 pm
Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam
A Century of Dutch Book Making
For 100 years now, the best-designed Dutch books have been honoured with an award by the ‘De Best Verzorgde Boeken’ Foundation. To mark this occasion, nai010 publishers is releasing a book covering a whole century of meticulously crafted books: 100 Years of The Best Dutch Book Designs. The publication provides a comprehensive overview of all the publications and the creators who have been honoured with this award – the oldest of its kind in Europe. This richly illustrated publication offers an insight into the process of creating a book, featuring contributions from numerous designers, publishers, printers and book makers.
The publication 100 Years of The Best Dutch Book Designs will be presented on 6 November at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam during the opening of the special exhibition on The Best Dutch Book Designs and the award ceremony for The Best Dutch Book Designs of 2025.
Every year, the Best Dutch Book Designs Foundation celebrates the very best that the graphic design sector has to offer: up to 33 books created with heart and soul. These are books that stand out for their combination of content with excellent design, commissioning, and high-quality lithography, printing and binding.
A love of Books
The publisher nai010 felt this anniversary was a fitting moment to honour the book trade. Director Eelco van Welie: “A book about books. This publication is not just about 100 years of love for design, paper, bookbinding and printing. It is also about the present: especially for this edition, we asked 101 contemporary bookmakers each to choose their favourite and explain what they find so good or special about it. So we are celebrating this wonderful heritage, but we are also showing how these magnificent books continue to offer inspiration for the future.”
The publication highlights a century of exceptionally crafted books. All publications awarded by the Best Dutch Book Design Foundation since 1926 are presented. A number of essays highlight various aspects of the history of Dutch book making. And no less than 101 award-winning book makers have selected their favourite from the list of Best Dutch Book Designs from the past hundred years.
The publication 100 Years of The Best Dutch Book Designs has been made possible in part by the Creative Industries Fund NL, Jaap Harten Fund, Pictoright Fund, De Gijselaar Hintzen Fund and Igepa Nederland.
