The Nederlands Fotomuseum is the National Museum of Photography of the Netherlands: it collects, preserves, studies, and presents Dutch photographic heritage. The museum occupies a key position in Dutch photography. Photography was embraced early on in the Netherlands as an art form and as a means of capturing modern society. After the Second World War, a socially engaged style developed that became internationally influential, while contemporary photographers explore new artistic directions.
The opening in the Santos warehouse heralds a new chapter for the most important centre for photography in the Netherlands. In the nine-story state-of-the-art building—one of the best-preserved historic warehouses in the country—visitors will not only have access to masterpieces from the national collection, but also a unique glimpse behind the scenes in the open storage rooms and restoration workshops. This new museum houses the Gallery of Honour of Dutch Photography, temporary exhibitions and educational spaces. It also has a library with the largest collection of photo books in Europe, a darkroom, open studio spaces, a café and a restaurant with a panoramic view of the Rotterdam skyline. The move to Santos was made possible thanks to generous donation from the Droom en Daad Foundation.
The collection and the studio spaces are located in the heart of the building, spread over two floors. Glass walls allow visitors to take a look behind the scenes: the open depots display a selection from the archive, together with special and remarkable objects from the collection, while the visitor can also see specialists at work on restoration and conservation in the studios.
The Gallery of Honour of Dutch Photography shows the development of photography in the Netherlands – from the invention of photography in 1839 to the current age. These rooms display 99 special photographs that have been chosen for their social and artistic impact and include masterpieces by Anton Corbijn, Dana Lixenberg, Violette Cornelius, Ed van der Elsken, Paul Huf, Rineke Dijkstra, and Erwin Olaf. The 100th work in the exhibition will be chosen by visitors. The display within the Gallery of Honour is undergoing a transformation tailored to the new building.
Main Image: Copyright Studio Hans Wilschut
