Small museums and exhibition spaces

Housed in a stately townhouse in the Scheepvaartskwartier, the Belasting & Douane Museum takes you on a journey through the history of taxes in the Netherlands. The changing exhibitions also explore the work of customs officers, from smuggling objects to personal stories that bring the profession to life.

With games, experiments and treasure hunts, there is plenty to do for children as well. This museum is an engaging visit for all ages.

On the edge of Museumpark stands a white listed villa from 1938, home to the Chabot Museum. The museum manages one of the most important collections of the Rotterdam painter and sculptor Henk Chabot.

Chabot is known for his depictions of farmers, gardeners and the Dutch landscape, as well as works from the war years showing refugees and people in hiding. Alongside his work, the museum presents changing exhibitions of international expressionism. The light, open spaces of the villa add an extra dimension to the exhibitions.

The building itself is an example of the Nieuwe Bouwen movement, alongside Huis Sonneveld, De Kuip stadium and the UNESCO-listed Van Nelle Factory, which can also be visited on guided tours organised through the Chabot Museum.

Garage Rotterdam is located in a former Volkswagen garage in the Hoogkwartier. This 500-square-metre exhibition space hosts a new exhibition four times a year, featuring contemporary art by local and international artists.

In addition to exhibitions, Garage Rotterdam regularly organises lectures, talks and music events. During the culinary evening Natafelen, visitors can enjoy a four-course dinner at long tables set up inside the exhibition space.

Located at the Wijnhaven, the Mariniersmuseum is one of the most striking museums in Rotterdam. The museum focuses on the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps. The permanent exhibition explains the work and missions of the marines in an interactive way, complemented by smaller temporary exhibitions. Children can also go on a mission themselves, completing team challenges based on marine skills. 

The museum is housed in a historic building overlooking the River Maas and the Willems Bridge. In May 1940, marines defended the north bank of the Maas bridges here during the German invasion.

At its exhibition space near the Coolhaven, TENT gives Rotterdam-based artists a platform to present their work. The organisation aims to connect artists, audiences and the city.

Alongside changing contemporary exhibitions, TENT regularly hosts events. The institution also organises nomadic projects at different locations across the city, tailored to the stories artists want to tell. (art: Donald Schenkel, photo: Aad Hoogendoorn)