Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam

The Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen stands like a giant mirrored bowl in Rotterdam's Museumpark. From outside, you see the park, the sky and yourself reflected in its glass. Inside, you walk through the storage rooms of a collection that has been growing since 1849. Paintings hang on sliding racks, while sculptures and design objects stand in tall glass cases. Staircases cross the open atrium and take you higher with every flight. At the top, a roof garden waits with a view over the city.

What you see at Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen

The depot calls itself the first publicly accessible art storage building in the world. More than 150,000 objects are kept here, arranged in fourteen storage compartments with five different climates. Paintings, prints, photographs, design and sculpture are not laid out as an exhibition but kept the way a museum stores them. That is exactly the appeal: you get a look behind the scenes. In the studios, restorers clean paintings or repair objects while you watch. A few galleries do put selected works in the spotlight. Your ticket also lets you join a short free guided tour of about ten minutes, subject to availability.

A mirrored building by MVRDV

The Rotterdam architecture firm MVRDV designed the building. Its round shape narrows towards the bottom, so it takes up little space in the park. The facade is covered in mirrored glass, which reflects the Museumpark, the Kunsthal and everyone walking past in a slightly distorted way. Inside, staircases cross a tall atrium lined with glass display cases, and a glass lift takes you up to the sixth floor. The roof, almost 40 metres above the ground, holds a garden with birch trees and grasses, plus Restaurant Renilde. The depot opened in November 2021, when the main museum building next door had already closed for a large renovation.

Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen and the museum next door

The depot belongs to Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, whose main building stands right beside it. That building is closed for a thorough renovation and expansion. While the work goes on, the depot is the best place in Rotterdam to see the collection. Keep in mind that it does not replace a museum with permanent galleries. It offers a different way of looking: you see far more works at once, with less explanation for each piece. If you would like some context, join one of the walk in tours. They last about ten minutes and take up to 13 people at a time.

Plan your visit to the depot

You cannot get in without a time slot, so book your online ticket before you go. The Museumkaart, the Dutch annual museum pass, is valid here, but you still need to reserve a slot. Allow plenty of time, because the stairs and galleries keep inviting you to look a little longer, and the roof is a good place for a break. The Kunsthal Rotterdam lies on the other side of the Museumpark, so you can easily combine both in one day. For more ideas, see our overview of museums in Rotterdam.

Frequently asked questions about the Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen

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