Must-see attractions in Rotterdam

  • Van Nelle Fabriek

    Rotterdam

    Designed and built between 1925 and 1931, this modernist World Heritage–listed factory northwest of the city centre is an icon of 20th-century industrial…

  • The Museum Boijmans van Beuningen has a collection masterpieces of painting and statuary arts, Museumpark, Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland, South-Holland, Nederland, the Netherlands, Europe

    Museum Boijmans van Beuningen

    Rotterdam

    The roll-call of artists represented in the collection of Rotterdam's pre-eminent fine-arts museum is stellar and spans multiple periods and movements:…

  • Huis Sonneveld

    Rotterdam

    When company director Albertus Sonneveld decided to commission an architect to design a contemporary home for his family, the obvious choice was Leendert…

  • Museum Rotterdam '40-'45 NU

    Rotterdam

    Good things often come in small packages, and so it is with this small but excellent museum sheltered under a bridge on the Coolhaven. An eight-minute…

  • Markthal

    Rotterdam

    One of the city's signature buildings, this extraordinary inverted-U-shaped market hall was designed by local architecture firm MVRDV and opened for…

  • Kunsthal

    Rotterdam

    This dynamic cultural institution in Rotterdam's main museum enclave is known for its constantly changing and inevitably thought-provoking exhibition…

  • Signpost at Deliplein.

    Deliplein

    Rotterdam

    Once home to the largest red-light district in Europe, Katendrecht is now one of Rotterdam’s culinary hotspots. The Deliplein is a small plaza right…

  • National Jenevermuseum Schiedam

    Rotterdam

    Housed in an 18th-century distillery, this museum is dedicated to the industry that Schiedam is best known for: production of the traditional Dutch gin…

  • Het Nieuwe Instituut

    Rotterdam

    This design-driven cultural hub houses the Netherlands Architecture Institute, e-culture institute Virtueel Platform and the Netherlands Institute for…

  • Maritiem Museum Rotterdam

    Rotterdam

    Children adore this museum overlooking Leuvehaven, whose permanent exhibits are emphatically kid-focused. The best of these is the 'Offshore Experience',…

  • Korenmolen de Walvisch

    Rotterdam

    One of the highest windmills in the world, the 'Mill of the Whale' dates from 1794 and was rebuilt in 1996 after a fire. Built to grind malt for the gin…

  • Overblaak Development

    Rotterdam

    Designed by Amsterdam-based architect Piet Blom and built between 1978 and 1984, this mind-bending development facing the Markthal is marked by its pencil…

  • Lijnbaan

    Rotterdam

    Commissioned to design 65 shops in Rotterdam's central business district in the 1950s, architects Jo Van den Broek and Jaap Bakema came up with the…

  • Museum Rotterdam

    Rotterdam

    The attractive Timmerhuis building designed by Rotterdam-based Rem Koolhaas is a classy location for this museum profiling the city's past, present and…

  • De Rotterdam

    Rotterdam

    Designed by OMA, whose star architect Rem Koolhaas is a Pritzker-winning local hero, this 'vertical city' with its three interconnected towers was…

  • McDonald's

    Rotterdam

    Anyone who isn't convinced by Rotterdam's claim to the status of one of the world's most interesting cities of architecture need only check out the brach…

  • Het Park

    Rotterdam

    Landscaped in English-garden style, this park was established in 1852 and is much loved by locals, who come here to jog, picnic, barbecue, cycle, kick…

  • Natural History Museum

    Rotterdam

    Geared predominantly towards children, the collection at this small museum focuses on delivering facts in a fun way. The 'Uitslovers' ('Show-offs')…

  • Nederlands Fotomuseum

    Rotterdam

    This national institution has a collection of over five million photographic images, and its upstairs gallery highlights curated selections from this…

  • Bijenkorf Department Store

    Rotterdam

    Legendary Bauhaus architect Marcel Breuer worked with Amsterdam-based architect Abraham Elzas on the design of this department store, which opened in 1957…

  • Maastoren

    Rotterdam

    Commissioned as the Dutch headquarters of Deloitte, the 165m Maastoren was designed by Dam & Partners and was the tallest building in the Netherlands when…

  • Cruise Terminal

    Rotterdam

    Much of the Holland-America Line infrastructure in Rotterdam was destroyed during the 1940s bombings, and replaced directly after the war. This terminal…

  • Timmerhuis

    Rotterdam

    Designed by OMA, the 'Carpenter's House' (2009–15) incorporates apartments, shops, restaurants and Museum Rotterdam. Often described as a 'floating cloud'…

  • Centraal Station

    Rotterdam

    The most used – and quite possibly best loved – building in Rotterdam, Centraal Station was designed by Benthem Crouwel, MVSA and West 8. Built between…

  • Het Industriegebouw

    Rotterdam

    Designed by Hugh Maaskant and Willem van Tijen in the post-war reconstruction period and completed in 1952, this building has recently been restored and…

  • TENT

    Rotterdam

    On the ground floor of the Witte de With Center for Contemporary Art, this gallery stages equally impressive contemporary art shows but differs in that it…

  • Erasmusbrug

    Rotterdam

    A symbol of the city, this graceful pylon bridge dubbed 'the Swan' was designed by architect Ben van Berkel and completed in 1996. It spans 802m across…

  • Luchtsingel

    Rotterdam

    Linking the Schieblock with the Hofplein and Coolsingel, this elevated wooden pedestrian bridge was designed by local studio Zones Urbaines Sensibels (ZUS…

  • Hofbogen

    Rotterdam

    A cleverly repurposed old railway viaduct, the 1.9km-long Hofbogen houses boutiques, cafes, ateliers and other creative spaces that have been built under…

  • De Kuip, front view

    De Kuip

    Rotterdam

    Stadion Feijenoord, known to Feyenoord supporters as De Kuip, is a huge football stadium south of the city centre that can hold over 51,000 fans. During…

  • Restaurant and terrace

    Uit Je Eigen Stad

    Rotterdam

    Uit Je Eigen Stad, which translates as 'From Your Own City', is an urban farm on the outskirts of Rotterdam whose goal is to re-educate locals about the…

  • Lake view, Kralingse Bos and Plas

    Kralingse Bos & Plas

    Rotterdam

    This bucolic park sits just outside the city centre and offers a delightfully laidback mixture of shaded forest, sparkling waters and manicured grass. It…

  • Showroom Mama

    Showroom Mama

    Rotterdam

    One of the main proponents of youth culture in Rotterdam, Showroom Mama hosts art exhibitions, performances, events and installations by aspiring…

  • Toko 51, facade

    Toko 51

    Rotterdam

    A melting pot for local creatives, this space hosts pop-up exhibitions, stores, gigs and get-togethers.

  • Euromast

    Rotterdam

    Designed by HA Maaskant as a landmark and built between 1958 and 1960, the 185m-high Euromast offers unparalleled 360-degree views of Rotterdam from its…

  • Oude of Pelgrimvaderskerk

    Rotterdam

    The Pilgrims prayed for the last time at this church before leaving the Netherlands for America aboard the Speedwell on 1 August 1620. They could barely…

  • Schieblock

    Rotterdam

    A late-1950s office building now housing design studios, the Schieblock is topped by the pioneering DakAkker harvestable roof with its Op Het Dak cafe and…

  • Sylvette

    Rotterdam

    Picasso's sandblasted concrete sculpture Sylvette (1970), which he designed with Norwegian artist Carl Nesjar, depicts the great artist's model and muse…

  • Verhalenhuis Kaap Belvédère

    Rotterdam

    Rotterdam's City Stories Centre is dedicated to collecting, studying and exhibiting intangible heritage. Changing exhibitions and oral history…

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