ROTTERDAM, 5 November 2026 | A newspaper that has been telling Rotterdam's stories for 75 years has now become part of the city's heritage itself. De Havenloods, Rotterdam's long-running free local newspaper, has been recognised as Echt Rotterdams Erfgoed (Authentic Rotterdam Heritage) by Museum Rotterdam and Stichting Wijkcollectie, coinciding with its 75th anniversary.
Image: From left to right: De Havenloods team members Cassandra Oostrom, Sandra van der Pol, Emile van de Velde and Erhard Soeterbroek, Linn Borghuis, director of Stichting Wijkcollectie, and Léontine Meijer-van Mensch, director of Museum Rotterdam. Photo: Vera Cornel.
The recognition celebrates the newspaper's longstanding connection to Rotterdam and its residents. From decisions made at City Hall to neighbourhood initiatives and the everyday lives of Rotterdammers, De Havenloods has documented the city's changing character since 1951.
Founded on 1 November 1951 by Reverend Jos van Krimpen as part of Stichting Clubhuizen De Jeugdhaven Rotterdam, the publication has grown into a familiar part of local life. Its anniversary is being marked with a special newspaper edition on 5 November and an exhibition opening later this week.
Seventy-five years of Rotterdam stories
While the media landscape has changed enormously since 1951, De Havenloods has continued to focus on stories that matter to Rotterdam residents.
Its coverage ranges from municipal politics and major developments to local businesses, community activities and the people whose contributions might otherwise go unnoticed.
One of the newspaper's defining characteristics is its emphasis on neighbourhood reporting. Stories about local residents, volunteers and small initiatives sit alongside news affecting the entire city.
And despite the increasing popularity of digital news, De Havenloods continues to distribute a free printed newspaper. This remains an important way of reaching people who prefer reading news on paper or who may be less comfortable using digital platforms.
The publication has also established a substantial online audience. According to figures shared for its anniversary, the De Havenloods website receives between 800,000 and one million page views per month.
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What makes De Havenloods authentic Rotterdam heritage?
The Echt Rotterdams Erfgoed designation recognises people, places and organisations that contribute to Rotterdam's identity and contemporary culture.
The initiative began in 2016 at Museum Rotterdam and is now developed and managed by Stichting Wijkcollectie in collaboration with the museum. Rather than concentrating exclusively on historic buildings or museum objects, the collection documents the living heritage of the city.
That includes organisations, cultural traditions and everyday meeting places that help define what Rotterdam means to its residents.
According to Linn Borghuis, director of Stichting Wijkcollectie, De Havenloods has spent 75 years giving Rotterdammers a voice and bringing together stories from across the city. Its involvement in everyday neighbourhood life is precisely what makes it worthy of recognition.
Museum Rotterdam director Léontine Meijer-van Mensch also highlighted the newspaper's ability to connect people from different backgrounds and neighbourhoods through its coverage of local life.
More information about the programme and its recognised initiatives can be found on the Echt Rotterdams Erfgoed website.
From Cinerama to Rotterdam's traditional pubs
De Havenloods has also used its reporting to draw attention to other parts of Rotterdam's cultural heritage.
One example is the newspaper's coverage of the threatened closure of Cinerama, the historic cinema on Westblaak. The cinema was itself recognised as Echt Rotterdams Erfgoed in 2025.
The heritage initiative has also highlighted Rotterdam's traditional brown cafés, awarding the designation to ten establishments in 2025. These neighbourhood pubs are valued for their social and cultural significance at a time when many traditional meeting places are disappearing.
By reporting on such stories, De Havenloods helps preserve public awareness of places and traditions that contribute to the city's identity.
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Anniversary newspaper and exhibition on Nieuwe Binnenweg
The 75th anniversary celebrations include a special birthday edition of De Havenloods, published on Thursday 5 November 2026.
There is also an opportunity to explore the newspaper's history through art and photography.
From Saturday 7 November until mid-December 2026, gallery Restruimte on Nieuwe Binnenweg will host a free exhibition featuring artworks created using De Havenloods newspapers, alongside a selection of memorable photographs from its archives.
The exhibition offers a different perspective on the publication's role in documenting Rotterdam over the decades, bringing together printed journalism, visual art and the city's collective memory.
Further information about the anniversary celebrations can be found on the De Havenloods website.
After three-quarters of a century reporting on Rotterdam's people, places and traditions, De Havenloods has now earned a place among the stories worth preserving. A fitting recognition for a newspaper that has spent 75 years documenting the city.
