FROM 1 JUL–31 AUG '26 | Museum Rotterdam will explore more than a century of Rotterdam beach culture in the free pop-up presentation Rotterdam aan Zee. Running at the museum’s Coolhaven location from 1 July to 31 August, the exhibition follows generations of Rotterdammers travelling to Hoek van Holland for sun, sea and a day away from the city.
The centrepiece is a replica of a historic bathing machine, displayed outside the museum. Inside, photographs, objects and archive film show how Hoek van Holland developed into Rotterdam’s seaside destination, with particular attention paid to the years before the Second World War.
Rotterdam heads to the coast
Hoek van Holland has been Rotterdam’s route to the beach for more than a century. Around 1915, the coastal village grew into a popular resort that city residents could reach by train and steamship.
The exhibition traces the development of that beach culture, from the first visitors entering the water with the help of bathing machines to the growing popularity of Hoek van Holland as a place for recreation and summer holidays.
The subject may seem far removed from Coolhaven, but it tells a distinctly Rotterdam story. A city shaped by work, industry and the river also built its own rituals around escaping to the coast, packing for the day and heading west towards the North Sea.
Museum Rotterdam uses objects from its collection alongside historic images and film to show how those habits changed over time. The display also examines how the beach became part of the city’s shared memory, long before metro line B made the journey to Hoek van Holland Strand rather easier.
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Historic bathing machine returns
The bathing machine (badkoets) was a familiar sight on Dutch beaches during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Beachgoers entered the enclosed carriage to change before it was taken into the water by horse, allowing them to bathe with a degree of privacy.
The carriages later found new uses as changing cabins and even simple holiday accommodation. Hoek van Holland once had 95 bathing machines, but only one original example is known to have survived.
That remaining bathing machine belongs to the Museum Rotterdam collection and is currently being restored. Visitors will therefore see a replica on the museum forecourt during Rotterdam aan Zee, based on the last original from Hoek van Holland.
The replica gives the exhibition an instantly recognisable object around which to tell a wider story. It also shows just how elaborate a trip to the water could be before swimwear, changing facilities and beach access became as familiar as they are today.
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Summer activities for children
Museum Rotterdam is adding a children’s programme inspired by the exhibition. During several Cooljut activities, children will head out onto the Coolhaven and learn about collecting and examining objects found around the water.
Creative workshops will introduce young visitors to Rotterdam’s beach history and coastal culture through making and discovery. The programme forms part of the Vakantiepaspoort and is free to attend, although the dates and registration conditions may differ by activity.
A lecture about bathing machines and the development of Dutch beach culture will take place on Saturday 18 July. A Museum Rotterdam staff member will discuss the stories behind the object and the role Hoek van Holland played in the leisure habits of Rotterdammers.
Opening hours and further details about the lecture and children’s activities can be found through the Museum Rotterdam website.
Visit Rotterdam aan Zee
Rotterdam aan Zee runs from 1 July to 31 August 2026 at Museum Rotterdam’s Coolhaven location. Admission to the pop-up presentation is free.
How to get there
Museum Rotterdam is located beside the Coolhaven in Rotterdam-West, close to Coolhaven metro station and within walking distance of Delfshaven. The museum can be reached by metro, tram, bike or on foot from the surrounding Coolhaven and Lloydkwartier areas.
