Plenty for thinkers and dreamers to do in Dijkzigt
The neighbourhood for art, culture & architecture
Thinkers, dreamers and day-trippers regularly visit Dijkzigt in Rotterdam city center. There, at the Museumpark, between the Westersingel and Westzeedijk, they find their much-needed dose of art, culture, history and architecture. Immerse yourself in the culture on offer, be inspired and amazed. Then, think and dream further with a drink at the adjacent Witte de Withstraat.
Boijmans Van Beuningen
Take a journey through the history of art! From the Middle Ages to the 21st century, you can see it all at Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen. Big names like Rembrandt, Van Gogh and Dalí appeal to the imagination. Over 500 works of art can be seen in a completely different setup in the coming period. The new layout focuses on art from after 1945. The museum also has a large collection of contemporary art and design. Look for the complete exhibition programme on the website.
Kunsthal
The Kunsthal itself draws your attention with its architecture, designed in 1988 by Koolhaas (OMA). It opened in 1992, the first Dutch art hall, without a permanent collection. You can take the whole family, there is something for everyone. Simultaneously, for example, you can see photography, paintings and a fashion exhibition. Some highlights: The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier; Peter Lindbergh – Fashion Photography and Designing 007, Fifty Years of Bond Style. Do: have a drink in the Kunsthal café.
Het Nieuwe Instituut – Huis Sonneveld
Het Nieuwe Instituut encompasses so much that it is difficult to summarise it in one name. It’s a museum for architecture, design and digital culture, the national archives for Dutch architecture and urban planning, an agency for all of the above and a place for research and development. An important element is Huis Sonneveld: one of the best-preserved houses in the style of Het Nieuwe Bouwen or Dutch International Modernism. The architecture and design were hypermodern for that time and it’s still surprisingly contemporary.
Natural History Museum of Rotterdam
You can study all kinds of animals here – from polar bears to insects – at your leisure. The most fascinating molluscs, birds and shells can be seen, accompanied by fun facts. Approximately 390,000 different animals and items make up the collection which has grown since 1859 and got its own museum in 1927. Many a child remembers the 15-meter-long skeleton of the sperm whale, just like the skeleton of elephant Ramon from Blijdorp Zoo.
Architectural gems
Walking through Dijkzigt, you will find all kinds of architectural wonders. The Kunsthal, but also the Erasmus MC Education Centre, awarded the Rotterdam Architecture Prize in 2013. The 64-metre high GEB tower on the Rochussenstraat was the tallest building in the Netherlands in 1931. Sonneveld House and the Chabot Museum on the Jongkindstraat are prime examples of Het Nieuwe Bouwen or Dutch Modernism. A new icon is the upcoming Collection Building of Boijmans van Beuningen, by MVRDV.
