A while back, I celebrated my birthday and my husband organised a lovely day out at the EYE Film Institute. We went to the Fellini exhibition, watched the remastered version of ‘ Jour de Fete’ starring the legendary Jacques Tati and had dinner on the terrace overlooking the water. What more could a girl want?

Previously centrally located in a 19th century pavilion in the Vondelpark, the Dutch Film Museum merged with three other film institutions and was renamed The EYE Film Institute, Netherlands in 2009. In April 2012, the Queen opened the new museum. The EYE Film Institute has become one of the main attractions of the Dutch capital. The striking building was designed by the Viennese architectural firm, Delugan Meissl Associated Architects, most well known for building the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart.

The EYE overlooks the Ij (pronounced Eye) Lake which separates the centre of Amsterdam from north Amsterdam. The Ij was formerly a bay in the Zuiderzee and its unusual name is derived from the Fries word for water; Aa, Ee or Die (an indecisive lot, it would appear, the Friesians). The ferry that crosses the water from behind Central Station is free and we always recommend our guests take their bikes on the ferry to North Amsterdam. It has a totally different feel to the rest of the city. Within a few minutes you find yourself in lush green countryside, or if you’re a culture vulture, I recommend you head towards the EYE. Entrance to the building is free and there’s loads to do there. You can dine, watch a film, or visit the Fellini exhibition which runs until 22 Sept 2013.