ROTTERDAM, 29 December 2025 – Kunsthal Rotterdam says it welcomed more than 370,000 visitors in 2025, up 50,000 compared with 2024. The venue also shared a first look at its 2026 programme, with major exhibitions and new commissions on the way.
Kunsthal Rotterdam, the art hall in Museumpark, calls 2025 its third top year in a row. It says 84% of visitors came from the Netherlands, 16% from abroad, and 33% were new visitors. The Kunsthal also shared visitor ratings for two headline shows: an 8 for CUTE and a 9.2 for Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses.
What drove the 2025 rise?
The Kunsthal points to a year packed with big names and varied themes, plus a visible role in Rotterdam Art Week. Highlights it mentions include Leap Year by South Korean artist Haegue Yang and a wide overview of expressionist Max Pechstein, focused on his search for harmony. It also hosted the presentation of the NN Art Award nominees with partner Nationale-Nederlanden and Art Rotterdam, with the prize set to reach its tenth edition in 2026.
Which shows shaped the year?
Beyond the headline exhibitions, the Kunsthal lists a wide spread, from Stephan Balkenhol’s figurative wooden sculptures and reliefs to Alessandra Sanguinetti’s photography. The museum also references Lebensborn, where documentary photographer Angeniet Berkers presented a five-year investigation into the Nazi Lebensborn programme, as well as Blue Zone, a group show drawing more than 70 works from corporate collections around the theme of blue.
Why did CUTE stand out?
The Kunsthal describes CUTE as a look at “cuteness” as a cultural and visual phenomenon, with work that connects it to identity, consumer culture, and technology. It says the exhibition, along with the participatory programme De Grote Zomer Kunst Croquet, drew a broad and relatively young audience and proved popular on social media.
If you missed it and you are hoping for a quick substitute, the Kunsthal notes that British artist David Shrigley has been on view since 13 December 2025, and runs through 3 May 2026.
What happened at Kunsthal LIVE?
The museum also credits Kunsthal LIVE and its Friday Night LIVE evenings with helping position the building as a lively meeting place in the city centre. It lists collaborators from 2025 including Hiphop In Je Smoel, Lab-Z, Yardbird, Hipsick, De Parade, Onni Rotterdam, Camera Japan, Pretty Girls Like Trap Music, and De Wasserij. Other events include Artist Talks with Iris van Herpen, Haegue Yang, and David Shrigley, plus returning formats like the Naked Tour, Kunstkoppels, and sign language tours offered with the Accessible Museum platform (Toegankelijk Museum).
What is coming in 2026?
In spring 2026, the Kunsthal plans Flowers Forever, described as a culture-historical overview of the flower with more than 200 objects spanning art, design, fashion, and science. From late May, it will present photographer Helen Levitt, with work focused on New York street life from the 1930s onwards.
Later in 2026, the Kunsthal is planning Robert Wilson: A Chair and You, a total installation built around chairs from around the world, followed by a major Paul Signac overview starting 26 October 2026, with more than 70 works by Signac and his contemporaries.
What new work is planned for the building?
After Boris Acket in 2025, designer Sabine Marcelis is commissioned to create new work for 2026 that will be visible both inside and outside, inspired by the building’s Rem Koolhaas/OMA architecture. The Kunsthal also says it will host multiple Friday Night LIVE editions again in 2026, supported by the Friends Lottery (VriendenLoterij), starting in January with PAARDENRAVE and followed in February by Fashion in Flux.
What is Kunsthal Rotterdam?
The Kunsthal describes itself as a leading cultural institution in the Museumpark, opened in 1992 and designed by architect Rem Koolhaas, with seven different exhibition spaces and a programme of more than 20 exhibitions a year.
If you like variety on one ticket, that is basically the point: multiple shows run at the same time, supported by talks, tours and themed evenings. The Kunsthal lists regular opening hours as Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 to 17:00, with weekend hours extended to 18:00 until 1 March 2026.
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