Rotterdam Change Days 2025: At work in the Ruins
Come and discover Rotterdam!
Rotterdam is an exciting city that offers many different experiences: a great number of museums, music stages, architectural highlights, historical sites, fashion hotspots, sport venues, cool neighbourhoods, great cinemas, restaurants of all kinds and lots of nice bars and cafés. On this map we give you twenty two worthwhile places to go, but of course there are many more.
This map doesn’t cover the whole of Rotterdam. There is much more to explore – also on the south bank of Rotterdam, but this map covers the area within walking distance from OASE. Make sure you have some extra time before or after the Rotterdam Change Days to explore this vibrant city.
Locations 1 to 5:
6. Watertaxi
Westkousdijk
Want to see Rotterdam from the water? And even better: from a speeding motor boat? Take a water taxi! In the dock next to Schiehaven (the area OASE is in) there is a water taxi stop: Delfshaven. Take a water taxi to the Steam Ship Rotterdam, Hotel New York or – for a longer boat ride – to the Island of Brienenoord.
7. Solo espresso bar
Willem Buytewechstraat 143H
In one of the characteristic corner buildings in the beautiful area of Delfshaven, you find Solo Espresso Bar. You can enjoy a delicious cup of coffee as well as a freshly prepared breakfast, lunch or pastry. At the end of the day you can also get a good drink (and snack). The serene and uncomplicated atmosphere of Solo fits well with the dishes, which are straightforward and delicious.
8. Parqiet
Baden Powelllaan 20
Parqiet café – located in a beautiful garden house in the park underneath the Euromast tower – strives to create a relaxed park atmosphere where everyone is welcome and can enjoy the outdoors while savouring honest and delicious products. The cafe works with local coffee, cake and juice brands.
9. Het Park
Baden Powelllaan 2
Het Park – also known as Euromast Park – is the city’s largest green national monument, covering 21 acres, and it is a much-loved space for all city residents. Designed by the landscape architects father and son Zocher in 1852, the Park was intended as a romantic walking area.
The Euromast was built in 1960, by architect Huig Maaskant and contractor J.P. van Eesteren on the occasion of the international horticultural exhibition Floriade. Maaskant used the masts of a ship as inspiration for the design. The location was strategic; anyone driving to Rotterdam on the motorways of the time would see the 107-metre-high tower. As the city’s buildings have grown taller, the hight of the Euromast is no longer so impressive. However, it continues to be a popular landmark of Rotterdam.
In the north of the park there is a very beautiful church for Norwegian seamen. As a port city, Rotterdam is home to various foreign seamen’s churches.
10. Bar Berta
Callandstraat 6B
Bar Berta is a small tapas bar located in Rotterdam’s lively Scheepvaartkwartier (Shipping District). You can enjoy the excellent tapas at the bar or at high tables.
11. KINO
Gouvernestraat 129-133
KINO is a cinema in the centre of Rotterdam with six screens, a cocktail bar, NIKO’s restaurant and a creative workspace for the audiovisual industry (BURO). KINO is located on the hallowed ground of Gouvernestraat 129 – 133, a place that has been a gathering place for music, theatre and film for over a hundred years. At the heart of KINO is quality film, with a varied selection ranging from arthouse to blockbusters, from shorts to classics.
Before it was KINO, this building housed cinema and theatre Lantaren Venster, which has hosted concerts of many well-known artists before they were big stars, among which the Talking Heads, Ramones, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Sex Pistols and U2.
12. Museumpark
The Museumpark is a park in the center of Rotterdam, where seven museums are located:
- The New Institute
- Sonneveld House
- Chabot Museum
- Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen
- Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen (Het Depot)
- Natural History Museum Rotterdam
- Kunsthal Rotterdam
With a variety of works of art in the park, the park also functions as an open-air museum. Opposite the monument to Gerrit de Jong is a rose garden. The park is located on the former estate of the Van Hoboken family, a well-known name in the shipping industry.
12.1 De Kunsthal
Westzeedijk 341
The Kunsthal Rotterdam, opened in 1992, is an exhibition space without its own collection. From a practical point of view, it is therefore not a museum. Due to its large surface area (3,300 m²), it is possible to hold approximately five exhibitions at the same time. The museum has around 25 different exhibitions per year. The wide range of subjects is striking. Popular culture is also extensively covered. Apart from retrospectives dedicated to artists such as M.C. Escher and Alberto Giacometti, here have also been photo exhibitions on chip shops, Japanese train commuters, and Playboy in the Netherlands.
From September 2025 up to spring of 2026 Kunsthal Rotterdam will be paying homage to the Dutch fashion designer Iris van Herpen, who is known for being one of today’s most avant-harde couturiers. The Kunsthal is located in a striking, modern building designed by architects Rem Koolhaas and Fuminori Hoshino of the renowned architecture firm OMA (Office for Metropolitan Architecture) based in Rotterdam.
12.2 Het Depot
Museumpark 24
The Depot of Museum Boijmans van Beuningen is the first art storage facility in the world that offers access to a museum’s complete collection. The Depot has a different dynamic to that of the museum: here there are no exhibitions. You can roam through the building, surrounded by 155,000 artworks – the result of 175 years of collecting – alone or with a guide, and get behind-the-scenes glimpses of conservation and restoration. The Depot is located next to Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen at Museumpark.
12.3 Huis Sonneveld
Jongkindstraat 12
Sonneveld House is a museum house and one of the best-preserved homes in the functionalist Nieuwe Bouwen style. The villa on the edge of the Museum Park was designed in the early 1930s by the architecture office Brinkman en Van der Vlugt, also known for the Van Nelle factory and the Feyenoord stadium. Sonneveld House is a fine example of a modern Gesamtkunstwerk. The architecture, interior design and furnishings form a total concept. The architects planned the furnishing and decorations down to the smallest detail.
13. Harvest Café & Bakery
Glashaven 105-107
Zjevaun Janga and Loes Beljaars wanted to bring the outstanding coffee culture they got to know in Melbourne to Rotterdam. At Harvest, their simple goal is to serve delicious coffee & food. They say: ‘We miss the days in Melbs where we could just step out of bed and go out for yummy breakfast and that perfect cup of coffee. Having both worked in the Melbourne hospitality scene where love really goes through the stomach, we decided to come back to the city where we met and share that unique Melbourne experience with the rest of Rotterdam.’ Harvest Cafe and Bakery also serves breakfast all day.
14. Lantaren Venster
Otto Reuchlinweg 996
Cinema Lantaren Venster formed in 1978 through the merger of theatre De Lantaren and cinema Het Venster. Both were located in a building on Gouvernestraat in Rotterdam-West, which has served as a cultural centre since its establishment in 1909. Lantaren Venster since has moved to Kop van Zuid in 2010. The abandoned location was temporarily renamed to its original name ‘Ons Huis’ (Our House), but since October 2016 serves again as a film theatre under the name KINO Rotterdam (see above).
15. Hotel New York
Koninginnenhoofd 1
Hotel New York is located in the former office building of the Holland America Line. It was also used as temporary accommodation for European migrants in the late 19th and early 20th century. The Holland America Line facilitated the migration of millions of Europeans to the United States. Often, package deals were available that would combine a train ticket to Rotterdam, accommodation and an ocean passage.
When sailing from Rotterdam to New York was taken over by flying, the building became derelict. It was a squat until 1988. The building received a new lease on life when entrepreneurs saw the possibility of making a hotel. After several years of rebuilding, the hotel opened in 1993. Situated in the Kop van Zuid neighbourhood, the building has been a national heritage site since 2000. The hotel has a very atmospheric restaurant and is worth a visit for its architecture and history.
16. Erasmus Bridge
The Erasmus Bridge connects north and south Rotterdam and was designed by Ben van Berkel. Queen Beatrix opened the bridge in 1996. The bridge is a 802-metre (2,631-foot) long cable-stayed bridge. It is 139 metres (456 ft) high. The bridge was named after the Dutch humanist, theologian and philosopher Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus, who was born in Rotterdam, probably in 1466. Rotterdammers also call the bridge ‘De Zwaan’, The Swan, because of its shape.
17. Fenix
Paul Nijghkade 5
Fenix is the brand new art museum about migration in Rotterdam. The museum is situated in the former Fenix warehouse, located in the Katendrecht Peninsula. The warehouse, designed by Cornelis Nicolaas van Goor, was originally constructed in 1923, and was previously known as the San Francisco Warehouse. The warehouse was used extensively by the Holland America Line for storage and shipping purposes. The Holland America Line facilitated the migration of millions of Europeans to the United States in the late 19th and early 20th century.
Along with the Fenix warehouse, the museum features a striking twisting structure known as the Tornado, symbolizing the travels taken by migrants across the world. Tornado is 30 meters tall and is covered by 297 highly polished stainless-steel panels manufactured in the Dutch city of Groningen. The Tornado allows great views of the Rotterdam skyline. The Tornado and the museum have been designed by Chinese architectural firm MAD Architects.
18. De Matroos en het Meisje
Delistraat 52
De Matroos en het Meisje is a restaurant that uses the table d’hôtes concept, or ‘you eat what is served’. You can enjoy a 4- or 5-course French-style menu from the chef, which they’ll happily pair with a matching wine. De Matroos en het Meisje is one of the restaurants created by chef Eva Eekman. The restaurant is located on the bustling Deliplein, the main square of Katendrecht, named after the many cafés, bars and restaurants that are located there. The striking walls are covered with traditional and modern time Delft blue tiles.
19. Kopi Soesoe
Sumatraweg 15
They say: ‘Non-average coffee and music just outside the city center.’ We say: cool and cosy cafe that also make unusually good toasties, such as the one with peanut butter, hotsauce (sambal), cheese, pineapple, banana and bean sprouts. In effect, the address might be different, but Kopi Soesoe is also on the Deliplein.
20. SS Rotterdam
3e Katendrechtse Hoofd 25
The SS Rotterdam (steam ship Rotterdam), built in 1959, is the fifth ship to bear that name, serving the Holland America Line (HAL). It is a steamship with oil-fired steam boilers and steam turbines. It is one of the most famous post-war Dutch passenger ships. Between 1959 and the end of 2000, it experienced the last decade of transatlantic liner shipping and after that it worked as a cruise ship. Since 4 August 2008, the ship has been moored as a floating attraction in the Maashaven in Rotterdam.
21. Brutus
Keileweg 10B
Founded by artist Joep van Lieshout in 2008 – known for his big and thought-provoking sculptures – Brutus calls itself an Artist Driven Playground. Brutus is host to massive, challenging performances, group and solo exhibitions. The whole area of Merwerde-Vierhavens (or M4H) is very worth a wander. Don’t miss the roofpark Dakpark.
22. Voedseltuin
Keilestraat 5
Voedseltuin Rotterdam advocates for a healthy city. The garden community supports a sustainable urban society, with healthy food for everyone – without poverty and social exclusion. Where people can actively shape their own lives and take responsibility for each other and the environment.
The food garden offers sustainably grown seasonal vegetables free of charge to users of the Rotterdam Food Bank and other social projects. In addition, it is primarily a place to meet and do something; from producing food to being active in the green space and developing skills. Over the years, De Voedseltuin has also proven to be a place people from Rotterdam and beyond love to visit to relax and enjoy.
23. Roof park Dakpark
Vierhavensstraat 79
At a height of nine metres and with a length of around 1,200 metres, Dakpark Rotterdam is one of the largest roof parks in Europe. A green oasis in an urban environment, with sweeping views of the neighbourhood and the docklands. In summer, locals can be found cooling off at the water staircase. There are barbecue areas, a recreation field and a community garden with sheep, chickens, vegetable patches, fruit hedges and an adventure trail. The Dakpark Foundation works with volunteers and local residents to maintain the park and community garden.
24. Historic Delfshaven
It might sound strange – with Delft at more than 15 km distance – but once Delfshaven actually was the port of Delft. In 1389 Delft was granted the right to dig its own canal to the river Maas. With its own seaport, Delft wanted to compete with Rotterdam in the export of cloth and beer. Moreover, they wanted to avoid the tolls they had to pay at the Schiedam and Rotterdam locks.
Soon fishermen and merchants settled near the Delfshaven lock and a small settlement developed. Even though a town hall was built as an annex to the town hall in Delft, ‘Delf’s Haven’ had the lowly status of a ‘colony’ of the city of Delft, with many restrictions and prohibitions for Delfshaven. In 1620 the Pilgrim Fathers, who had lived in Leiden for 12 years, left for the New World via Delfshaven. In 1886 Delfshaven was annexed by Rotterdam. Delfshaven is still a beautiful piece of historic Rotterdam, well worth a visit.
25. Witte de Withstraat
Witte de Withstraat is one of Rotterdam’s liveliest streets with many cafés, restaurants, art galleries, edgy shops and municipal monuments. In the 1970s, the street had a bad reputation due to its many seedy cafés and illegal gambling dens. In the 1990s, an extensive metamorphosis was set in motion as part of the Kunst-As (Art Axis) connecting the Museumpark and the Maritime Museum. Witte de Withstraat is home to various art galleries, such as:
- De Galerie Rotterdam / Witte de Withstraat 17A
- Kunstinstituut Melly / Witte de Withstraat 50
- WORM / entrance at Boomgaardstraat 71
- Galerie de Aanschouw / Witte de Withstraat 80b
26. Hotel Bazar
Hotel Bazar is probably one of the funkiest hotels in Rotterdam, located in Rotterdam’s cultural district, in the cool Witte de Withstraat. The hotel rooms are decorated in Oriental and African styles. And the hotel restaurant is renowned for its oriental kitchen and lively atmosphere. https://www.hotelbazar.nl/
27. Wereldmuseum Rotterdam
Wereldmuseum Rotterdam (World Museum Rotterdam) believes that the world has no centre, but is one large network in which everything influences everything else. As a major port city, Rotterdam has played an important role in the infrastructure of global flows of people, products and ideas. This city’s history is reflected in the Wereldmuseum in themes such as migration, mobility and globalisation. The Wereldmuseum Rotterdam showcases traditional creative cultures and demonstrates how contemporary artists build on, re-evaluate and (re)interpret these works of art. https://rotterdam.
28. De Rotterdam
De Rotterdam is a contemporary landmark of Rotterdam, designed by the renowned architecture firm OMA, led by the famous Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas. The building is designed as a vertical city and houses the municipality of Rotterdam, the design hotel NHOW as well as residential apartments and various businesses. The complex covers approximately 160,000 square meters and consists of three interconnected towers, each nearly 150 meters tall with 38 floors.
29. Margreet Olsthoorn
Margreeth Olsthoorn has a reputation as a forerunner in the Dutch fashion scene. Her boutique with the same name is renowned far beyond Rotterdam for its special selection of avant-garde and cutting-edge fashion from both emerging designers and established brands, such as MM6, Comme des Garçons, Rick Owens, Yohji Yamamoto, Sean Suen and many more. Boutique Margreet Olsthoorn is located in the beautiful former tea warehouse Pakhuismeesteren which belonged to the Dutch East India Company. The warehouse also houses the food court Foodhallen Rotterdam and Hotel Mate Bruno. https://
30. Rijnhaven Bridge
Since 2012 you can visit Kop van Zuid and Katendrecht in one go, as the two areas have been connected by the Rijnhaven Bridge, a pedestrian and cycling bridge. Rotterdammers have the habit of adopting very explicit nicknames for their landmark buildings and infrastructure and this bridge has a colourful nickname too. You might want to ask your favourite local.
31. Theater Walhalla
Theater Walhalla started as a citizens’ initiative with a pocket size theatre in Katendrecht. That building at Sumatraweg 9 was originally a dance hall, Dancing Walhalla, and was built in 1912. In October 2014, Theater Walhalla opened a second theatre nearby at Veerlaan 11, under the name Kantine Walhalla. It has 176 seats and a café-restaurant on the ground floor. The building was designed in 1953 by Rotterdam Public Works and served as a canteen and toilet facility for dock workers until 2009. https://www.theaterwalhalla.
32. Centraal Station
With its striking stainless steel canopy Rotterdam Central Station is one of the city’s architectural and much loved icons. The roof of the station, that was taken into use in 2014, is made of glass into which solar panels have been integrated. The building was designed by architecture agency Benthem Crouwel. A number of historical elements of the old station building (from 1957) have been preserved, such as the original clock on the façade, the letters ‘Centraal Station’ and two granite sculptures on platform 1.
In 2022 the statue Moments Contained was installed in front of the Central Station, a four-metre-high bronze statue of a woman of colour by the British artist Thomas J. Price. The 42-year-old Londoner with Caribbean roots is known for his immense bronze sculptures of black men and women, which he himself calls ‘everymen’ and ‘everywomen’. Moments Contained is the starting point of the sculpture route through Rotterdam, which runs along Westersingel to Rotterdam South.
33. TENT Rotterdam
Coolhaven 32
TENT Rotterdam is a platform for contemporary art. From their new permanent location at Coolhaven and through nomadic projects, they connect artists, audiences and the city. As a production house for Rotterdam-based creators, they say they want to work from a place of boundless curiosity. Curiosity about the many forms art can take. About the places where art can take root or connect. About the many people who can be inspired by artists’ work. And about the voices that others want to add to it.
TENT creates programmes in which artistic and social encounters merge, and the space for co-creation can grow. They have an ongoing programme in the former port laboratory at Coolhaven. Here they organise exhibitions, diverse events and educational activities. https://tentrotterdam.nl
Impressum / Imprint
Rotterdam Change Days
Esther Barfoot
Netherlands
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