Rotterdam highlights

 

The NAi is located in a striking building designed by architect Jo Coenen, located on the Museumpark in Rotterdam. In more than fifteen exhibitions in five exhibition rooms, the NAi gives the public an attractive introduction to historical and contemporary architecture. The showpiece of the collection is the museum home Huis Sonneveld, a hyper-modern villa from 1933, filled with light, air, space and a surprising amount of colour. The home, based on a design by architects Brinkman & Van der Vlugt, is one of the best-preserved examples of the New Building school of architecture. The interior design, with its modern, tube-based furniture and many technical gadgets, shows what modern life looked like in 1933. An audio tour makes the experience complete! www.nai.nl

Spido cruises
A visit to Rotterdam would be incomplete without a trip round its world-famous harbour. Peek behind the scenes and get an up-and-close view of Europe’s largest port, by taking a 75 minute harbour cruise. See the shipyards, docks and quays up close and be a part of the heavy traffic of seagoing vessels and inland sailing ships on a river that brought glory to Rotterdam. The Rotterdam Harbour Cruise offers information in French, English, German and Dutch and departs daily at 1.15 pm. www.spido.nl

Kunsthal Rotterdam
An exhibition hall that houses some 25 expositions annually. The Kunsthal displays culture in the broadest sense of the word: traditional art, new art, design, photography, from elitist to popular. The Kunsthal often experiments with themes that have never been used for an exhibition before. This approach produces a fascinating and widely varied repertoire. Its permanent collection consists of a repertoire highlighting master-forger Han van Meegeren, Leonardo da Vinci, the Hague School of painters, Jewels of the Orient, Pop-art and impressionism. In total, the Kunsthal has 3300 m2 of exhibition space in a striking building, designed by Rem Koolhaas and a true work of art all on its own. www.kunsthal.nl

Railz Miniworld
With the largest indoor model railroad layout of the Netherlands Rotterdam has a new tourist attraction in the centre of the city. You certainly don’t have to be a model railroad enthusiast to have a great day out with the whole family. The model railroad layout is the biggest part of the attraction, but you can also see how parts of the layout are built in the open workshop and how the model layout is controlled in the command centre. Also there are tours behind the scenes, a cinema, restaurant and gift shop. www.railzminiworld.nl

Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen
Wandering through this many-sided museum you will journey through the history of art, from the Middle Ages until the present day: works by artists such as Bosch and Rubens, top works such as Bruegel’s Tower of Babel and Rembrandt’s Titus. You can also see the genesis of Impressionism and Modernism, with works by Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet and many others. Through works by Andy Warhol amongst others, you will experience the diversity of modern art. www.boijmans.nl

Walking tour: once around Rotterdam
‘Once around Rotterdam’ is a 2-hour walking tour through the centre of Rotterdam, past the many architectural and cultural highlights, providing you with surprising tips on the route, such as fun shops and extraordinary restaurants. The tour is supported by existing pedestrian signposting in the city. The brochure is available free of charge at many locations, such as the VVV Rotterdam Store (Tourist Information Office, Coolsingel 5), VVV Rotterdam Info Café (near Central Station) and many hotels, attractions and museums. Click here to download 'Once around Rotterdam'.

Euromast
Treat yourself to a dazzling view of Rotterdam and step into the elevator of the Euromast. Within a second you are outside, on the platforms. At a height of 100 meter you can see the magnitude of the harbours, the skyline of a real big city and ‘celebrities’ such as the Kuip, Hotel New York and the Erasmus Bridge. Feel like more excitement? Get on the Euroscoop for a ride to 185 meters! www.euromast.nl

Maritime Museum Rotterdam
From a modest model room in 1874, the Maritime Museum has grown and developed into a museum of stature, with contemporary exhibitions for both young and old. Hop on board the museum ship ‘the Buffel’ and discover everything about the lives of sailors or reminisce on the permanent exhibitions of the ‘Holland-America Line’ or the ‘Schatten van Nedlloyd’, showing magnificent objects from the offices of the world famous shipping company. www.maritiemmuseum.nl

Blijdorp Zoo
The Rotterdam Zoo (Diergaarde Blijdorp) has become one of Europe’s most beautiful zoos. Dive into the fully covered Oceanium; the domain of sharks, king penguins, sea otters and jelly-fish. Walk through the Asian Swamps and meet with the elephant- and rhino family in tropical forest ‘Taman Indah’. In 2007 Rotterdam Zoo celebrates its 150th anniversary with many special anniversary activities. www.rotterdamzoo.nl

Nederlands Fotomuseum
The Nederlands fotomuseum is THE centre for photography. The museum dedicates itself to photography in the widest sense of the word, represented in a mix of exhibitions, publications, websites, lectures and workshops. With also its library and fabulous book shop the museum is highly recommended for everybody who loves photography. In 2007 the museum moved to the completely refurnished Las Palmas building in Rotterdam. www.nederlandsfotomuseum.nl