From March 22 through 31, Hilton Amsterdam hosted a photo exhibition about John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s Bed-In for Peace campaign. In the spring of 1969, the famous Beatle and his new wife made history with their campaign for world peace. Fifty years later, their message had lost none of its power.
The exhibition presented fifty iconic images from the time in their historical context. To honor the peace campaign of fifty years earlier, Hilton Amsterdam named a new tulip Peace, and it was christened on March 28. The Memorial Weekend on March 30 and 31 also featured a documentary and performances at the hotel. Visitors could also see the famous John & Yoko Suite.
Photo Exhibition: What Happened in Room 902?
In March 1969, Beatle John Lennon and his bride Yoko Ono chose “Free State Amsterdam” for their honeymoon with a message. The illustrious couple spent seven days in room 902 (now suite 702) at Hilton Amsterdam and used the Bed-In for Peace to make a statement for world peace through interviews, music, drawings, and slogans. Images of their legendary stay traveled around the world.
Govert de Roos seized the opportunity in March 1969, as a young Amsterdam photographer, to make internationally seen photographs of the Bed-In for Peace happening. The now-celebrated portrait photographer marked the 50-year milestone as co-curator of the exhibition What Happened in Room 902?. The narrative exhibition offered an impression of the events and placed them in the context of that turbulent era, when Amsterdam’s Provo movement was prominent.
At the time of the exhibition, their stay in bed for world peace continued to be commemorated around the world
In total, fifty large-format images by internationally renowned photographers such as Cor Jaring, Nico Koster, Govert de Roos, Claude Vanheye, and German photographer Elmar Welge were presented. The exhibition also included previously unseen photographs from the Spaarnestad archive. A number of photographs were also offered for sale.
In 2009, this exhibition was held at the Amsterdam Hilton Hotel under the title From Holland with Peace.
Memorial Weekend
From the moment Beatle John Lennon and his bride Yoko Ono arrived at Hilton Amsterdam in a white limousine on the evening of March 23, 1969, until their departure on March 29, room 902 became world news. At the time of the exhibition, their stay in bed for world peace continued to be commemorated around the world. In the Netherlands, people who had been there at the time could still share their stories.
This was reflected, among other things, in Jan van Galen’s documentary, broadcast by NTR on March 13 and screened at Hilton Amsterdam during the Memorial Weekend on March 30 . On March 31, Hilton hosted a prelude to a major commemorative concert that took place at the Royal Concertgebouw on April 3.
Christening the Peace Tulip
The Bed-In for Peace happening received much appreciation at the time, including through flowers. A white tulip became symbolic. On Thursday, March 28, the Peace tulip was christened to mark the opening of the Amsterdam Tulip Festival. With this new white tulip, Hilton Amsterdam sought to keep John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s legendary campaign for world peace alive. The new tulip was on display in front of Hilton Amsterdam throughout April.
