The building dates
back to 1851, built as the club house for the Royal Dutch Yachting club. An
exclusive yachting
club under the presidency of HRH Prince Hendrik, brother to King William III.
The collection of the Maritime Museum (1878) and the ethnicological museum
(1883) developed around gifts donated by wealthy and well travelled members of
the club. Both museums were housed here. The maritime museum moved elsewhere
later. In 1908 a 3rd floor was added.
The collection comprises around 200.000 items. In size and
quality it is one of the most important in its kind in Western Europe. The
museum does not only have a sharp eye for the past, but signals also interesting
cultural trends of toda and tomorrow.
.
Contemporary art, photography and film form an essential
part of the collection.
In the museum the highlights are brought together in a permanent exhibition called "Schatkamers" (Treasures). Besides the permanent collection the museum devotes a lot of space to changing exhibitons.
| Wereldmuseum Rotterdam Willemskade 25 3016 DM Rotterdam |
| phone. 010 - 270
71 72 (general) Fax 010 - 270 71 82 |
| Opening hours Museum: Tuesday through Sunday 10.30-17.30 hrs Museum Shop: Tuesday through Sunday 12.00-17.00 hrs Restaurant: 12.30-14.30 & 18.00-22.00 hrs closed 25 December, 1 January and 27 April |
| website: www.wereldmuseum.nl |