Nederlands Fotomuseum – front view, © Photo Studio Hans Wilschut
On 7 February 2026, the Nederlands Fotomuseum | National Museum of Photography will officially open its doors in a new home: the iconic Santos Warehouse in Rotterdam.
Overlooking the Rijnhaven, this historic structure has been transformed into a vertical museum of nine floors, housing one of the largest photographic collections in the world — over 6.5 million images — and offering a new cultural epicenter for lovers of visual language.
From Industrial Heritage to Transparent Architecture
Originally built between 1901 and 1902 to store coffee from Santos (Brazil), the warehouse has been reimagined by RHWZ | Renner Hainke Wirth Zirn Architekten, in collaboration with WDJArchitecten and Burgy Bouwbedrijf.
The intervention honors the building’s industrial past while opening it up to the public: visible storage rooms and restoration labs, exhibition galleries, a library with Europe’s largest photobook collection, a darkroom, and educational spaces, as well as a public café and panoramic restaurant — all designed to make photography accessible and alive.
Nederlands Fotomuseum – semi-transparent ‘crown’ façade, © Photo Studio Hans Wilschut
Inaugural Exhibitions: City and Cyanotype
Two major exhibitions will launch the new museum, each exploring photography as both cultural memory and creative force:
- Rotterdam in Focus traces the transformation of the city from 1843 to the present through 300 images by key figures like Hans Aarsman, Iwan Baan, Cas Oorthuys, and Otto Snoek. Curated by Frits Gierstberg and Joop de Jong, the show runs until 24 May 2026.
- Awakening in Blue: An Ode to Cyanotype, on view until 7 June 2026, is curated by the collective MAISON the FAUX and features 15 international artists who explore themes of ecology, colonialism, and the body through this historic photographic process, bathing the galleries in a deep, resonant blue.
Nederlands Fotomuseum – restored warehouse interior, © Photo Studio Hans Wilschut
A Living Museum with a Democratic Spirit
At the heart of the building is the Gallery of Honour of Dutch Photography, showcasing 99 masterpieces chosen for their aesthetic and social significance — from Anton Corbijn and Rineke Dijkstra to Erwin Olaf. The 100th work will be selected by the public, underscoring the museum’s inclusive vision.
Behind the scenes becomes part of the experience: the museum’s transparent design invites visitors to witness preservation processes firsthand, making the institution itself a living organism of photographic culture.
Nederlands Fotomuseum – atrium and central stairwell, © Photo Studio Hans Wilschut
A Civic Salon for Photography
The museum’s ground floor is open to all, offering a café, media library, and informal gathering space. A new short film by photographer Marwan Magroun, commissioned for the opening, captures the building’s journey and spirit.
With its fusion of heritage, experimentation, and light, the new Nederlands Fotomuseum offers an inspiring model for how architecture can shape — and be shaped by — the lens through which we see the world.
Nederlands Fotomuseum, © Photo Studio Hans Wilschut
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