Rotterdam reopens the Nederlands Fotomuseum, the newest venue in the city’s museum renaissance
- maxwell museums
- 2 hours ago
- 5 min read
The Nederlands Fotomuseum has reopened in a huge new venue in Rotterdam. Home to one of the world’s largest photography collections, it’s the latest opening in the Dutch city’s museum renaissance. Here’s what to expect on a visit, and what’s in store for Rotterdam gallery-goers in the coming years.
Everything in Rotterdam feels new — and often is. There’s soaring skyscrapers, a striking modern central station, and the swan-like Erasmus Bridge is already an icon. It’s a city that changes every time you visit.
That sense of newness extends to its museums. Over recent years, the city’s museum landscape has changed as much as its skyline.
Last year saw the opening of FENIX, a new museum dedicated to the story of migration in contemporary art (and also sporting some spectacular architecture). And a good while before V&A East Storehouse showed up, Depot from Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen led the world in the open storage model. (Bosses at the V&A used Depot as their template.)
Now, 2026 has already seen another new museum appear. The 6.5m objects in the Dutch national photography collection have been moved to an early 1900s coffee warehouse (ironically one of few ‘old’ buildings in the city), which has been transformed into the upgraded home of the Nederlands Fotomuseum.
The renovation to the warehouse — which is named the ‘Santos’ warehouse after the Brazilian city where the coffee was originally imported from — is reason to visit alone, with a dramatic hole cutting right through the centre, and a steel staircase snaking up to each floor.
Visitors can explore the history of photography in the Netherlands, through a ‘gallery of honour’ which features portraits of Snoop Dogg alongside 19th century street scenes and the passport photos of Anne Frank.
There are floors for temporary exhibitions too. The opening show is Rotterdam in Focus: The City in Photographs 1843 – Now, a vast exploration of 300 photographs of which the city is the star. Later in 2026, there’ll be an exhibition capturing the global food industry.
Even those not buying a ticket can experience some of what there is to offer. The ground floor has been dubbed a “living room for photography,” that includes a cafe, shop and a library that features one of the largest collections of photography books in Europe. No ticket is required to visit this area, and it’s a cool space to soak up the museum’s vibes.
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But this being Rotterdam, there’s a hefty chunk of the ‘new’ to be found. This is especially the case behind the scenes, in the form of world-first climate technology.
“A black and white print is more strong. It’s quite sturdy, and we can keep it at 12 degrees,” the museum’s head of collections Martijn van den Broek told me at the press preview. But “a colour print is more fragile and will deteriorate more rapidly.”
To protect these more at-risk items — which also include the ENTIRE collection of negatives — dedicated cold storage floors have been created, and on a scale rarely seen before. Most museums only have modest cold storage rooms or even fridges, with the limited space being reserved only for their most vulnerable objects. But the Fotomuseum can store their whole collection at the required 4 degrees. There’s room to spare too, helpful then, when a million more items are expected to be acquired in the next two years.
Because of this, “we can keep [photos] for hundreds of years” Martijn told me. Part of my conversation with him took place inside one of these cold storage floors. And I can confirm that it’s very, very chilly.
But there’s innovation in the public displays too. Special cases have been created that maintain the temperature at 12 degrees, which means the museum’s most fragile items can still go on show, albeit for up to three months at a time before they need to return to colder climes. “That’s a world first” Martijn confirmed to me. “It has been done in a [temporary] situation, but we’ve built a solution to show [fragile items] for a longer period.”
No sooner had I stepped out into the Rotterdam sunshine to warm up, I was whisked to see the city’s next cultural destination. The pace of change can really feel that quick.
Just a few minutes walk away is another former warehouse, that will transform by 2030 into Dancehuis, a huge new arts centre dedicated to dance. I saw the unveiling of the longest photo wall in the Netherlands, where 64 art photographs snake around the centre’s hoardings as the construction work begins.
My trip also included a visit to the Steigerkerk, a post-war church situated just minutes from the origin point of the city. Deconsecrated last year, it has been bought by the local council and will in the coming years be transformed into the new home of Museum Rotterdam, to tell the story of the city.
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I also got to hear from the bosses of the Depot’s mothership — the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen — who have just been given the green light — and €360m — to begin the total overhaul of the museum’s buildings. It’s hoped the venue with its world-class art collection will reopen in 2030 after 11 years of closure.
As I said, things move fast in Rotterdam. As one museum opens, another is coming right down the track. Which means for culture-lover’s there’s always a new reason to visit.
I was a guest of Rotterdam Partners and visited the Nederlands Fotomuseum for the press preview in February 2026
How to visit the Nederlands Fotomuseum
Where is it located?
The Nederlands Fotomuseum is located in the waterfront Katendrecht district, part of the Rijnhaven port.
How to get there
Rijnhaven Metro station is a 2-minute walk away. It's on Metro line D and E.
Fotomuseum opening hours
The museum is open from 11:00 – 17:00 Tuesday to Sunday (so closed on Mondays).
How much are tickets?
Adult tickets are €17,50. For those aged 18 – 25 its €10,50. Under 17s go free.
International travel to Rotterdam
Fly to Rotterdam The Hague airport from many European destinations including London City airport. Five daily Eurostar trains through the Channel Tunnel run from London St Pancras International direct to Rotterdam Centraal. Eurostar's European train services also connect the city with Brussels, Antwerp, Paris and Marseille.
Where to stay in Rotterdam
The modern and stylish Haven Hotel is centrally located for the whole city. It's a 25-minute walk over the Erasmus Bridge to the Nederlands Fotomuseum, or its two-stops on the Metro with a station right outside.
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