Depot

Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen: the building that reflects Rotterdam

Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen has become one of the great icons of contemporary architecture in Rotterdam.

Its distinctive rounded shape and spectacular mirrored façade continuously reflect the sky, the trees of Museumpark and the surrounding buildings, making its appearance change depending on the time of day and weather conditions.

But the Depot is not remarkable only for its architecture. Inside, it offers something highly unusual: visitors can discover how works of art are stored, preserved and restored when they are not on display in a museum.

The world’s first publicly accessible art depot

The Depot was conceived as the world’s first fully accessible art storage facility.

Instead of hiding collections in closed storage areas, the building allows visitors to discover an important part of the work that normally takes place behind the scenes of a museum.

More than 154,000 artworks from the collection of Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen are stored inside, including paintings, sculptures, photographs, drawings, prints and numerous objects made from organic and inorganic materials.

Visitors can explore different areas of the building and see how artworks are organised and preserved under specific temperature and humidity conditions.

Architecture of the Depot

The building was designed by Rotterdam-based architecture practice MVRDV and opened in November 2021.

It rises approximately 39.5 metres and is arranged across seven levels. Its distinctive inverted-bowl shape means that the base is relatively narrow while the building gradually widens towards the upper floors.

This solution reduced the amount of space occupied at ground level and helped preserve more open space within Museumpark.

A façade made of mirrors

One of the most spectacular features of the Depot is its completely reflective façade, made up of 1,664 mirrored glass panels.

Thanks to this surface, the building reflects its surroundings rather than appearing as a closed and opaque volume. Trees, sky, visitors and the buildings of Museumpark are continuously distorted across its curved façade.

The result has made the Depot one of Rotterdam’s most photographed buildings and an architectural landmark that is instantly recognisable from almost every angle.

What you will find inside

The interior of the Depot revolves around a spectacular atrium crossed by staircases, walkways and display cases.

The building contains different climate-controlled areas designed to preserve the various materials used in the artworks, as well as restoration studios where part of the collection’s conservation work takes place.

There are also spaces for exhibitions, activities and events, making a visit to the Depot very different from visiting a traditional museum.

The rooftop garden

At the top of the Depot is one of its most surprising features: a rooftop garden.

Trees and different plant species create a small green space high above Museumpark. From this area, visitors can also enjoy extensive views across central Rotterdam and the surrounding city.

The combination of architecture, nature and panoramic views makes the top of the building one of the most memorable parts of a visit.

Sustainable architecture

The design of the Depot incorporates various solutions intended to reduce its environmental impact.

These include systems for collecting and reusing rainwater, energy-efficient technologies and the use of recycled and reusable materials.

The rooftop garden also adds vegetation to Museumpark and helps visually integrate the building into its surroundings.

Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen: practical information

Here you can read some of the reviews visitors have left on Google about Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen.

Other buildings in Rotterdam

Belvedere | Calypso | Centraal Station | Cooltoren | De Rotterdam | De Zalmhaven | Delftse Poort | Euromast | Maastoren | Markthal | Millennium Tower | WTC