Nederlands Fotomuseum
Nederlands Fotomuseum, the visual memory of the Netherlands
The Nederlands Fotomuseum is the national museum of photography in the Netherlands and preserves one of the world’s largest museum collections of photography.
The museum was established thanks to the legacy of lawyer and amateur photographer Hein Wertheimer, who left an important donation intended to create a museum dedicated to photography.
It opened in 2003 and, after spending many years on Wilhelminapier, entered a new chapter in February 2026 when it opened in the historic pakhuis Santos beside the Rijnhaven.
A new home in pakhuis Santos
The Nederlands Fotomuseum officially opened its new home on 7 February 2026 in pakhuis Santos, a historic harbour warehouse and listed national monument.
The transformation of the building has created extensive exhibition spaces, open storage areas, workshops, a library and places where visitors can discover how photographic heritage is preserved, studied and restored.
The new location also strengthens the museum’s connection with Rotterdam’s port history and with the ongoing transformation of the Rijnhaven and Katendrecht areas.
More than 6.5 million photographs and objects
The museum’s collection contains more than 6.5 million photographs and photographic objects and forms an important part of the visual memory of the Netherlands.
It includes negatives, slides, photographic prints, albums, archives and complete collections by Dutch photographers.
The museum preserves, studies and presents this heritage through exhibitions, publications, research and educational programmes.
Exhibitions and Dutch photography
The exhibitions combine works from the national collection with projects by contemporary photographers from the Netherlands and abroad.
The programme allows visitors to discover both major names in photography and new generations of photographers, as well as different ways of documenting society, culture and history.
The new building also makes the work that normally takes place behind the scenes more visible, including conservation, restoration, archiving and photographic research.
Nederlands Fotomuseum: practical information
| ℹ️ QUICK INFORMATION | |
|---|---|
| 🏛️ Museum | Nederlands Fotomuseum |
| 📷 Focus | Photography and photographic heritage |
| 📅 Founded | 2003 |
| 🏠 New location | Pakhuis Santos, since February 2026 |
| 📍 Area | Rijnhaven / Katendrecht |
| 📌 Address | Brede Hilledijk 95, 3072 KD Rotterdam |
| 🖼️ Collection | More than 6.5 million photographic objects |
| ⏳ Visit | Approximately 2 hours |
What to see near the Nederlands Fotomuseum
The museum’s new location makes it easy to combine your visit with some of the most interesting areas in southern Rotterdam. Nearby you will find Katendrecht, Deliplein and the Fenix Museum.
You can also cross towards Wilhelminapier via the Rijnhavenbrug and continue towards the Erasmusbrug.
Other museums in Rotterdam
40-45 NOW | Chabot Museum | Douane Museum | Fenix Museum | Het Nieuwe Instituut | Kunsthal | Kunstinstituut Melly | Mariniers Museum | Maritiem Museum | Museum Boijmans | Natuurhistorisch Museum | Wereldmuseum