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Art by the Water

Posted by Elena Rossi on 20-08-2026

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Once known for sailors, dock workers and nightlife, Katendrecht now offers a very different reason to cross the Nieuwe Maas.

The narrow peninsula south of central Rotterdam has become a mix of museums, restaurants, restored industrial buildings and waterfront spaces, while its maritime past remains visible almost everywhere.

The Rijnhaven Bridge makes the neighbourhood easy to reach on foot or by bicycle from Wilhelminapier, turning Katendrecht into a natural addition to a Rotterdam city break.

Start With Fenix

The neighbourhood’s biggest cultural landmark is FENIX, a migration museum occupying a former harbour warehouse.

Its exhibitions explore movement, displacement and the experience of leaving one place for another. One of the architectural highlights is the Tornado, a mirrored spiral structure rising above the building and offering views across the docks.

Among the installations are thousands of suitcases connected with personal migration stories, alongside photography and contemporary art.

Price: €15 for visitors aged 26 and over, €7.50 for ages 19–25, and free for younger visitors.

Discover Dutch Photography

A short walk away, Nederlands Fotomuseum has reopened in the historic Santos warehouse.

Its enormous collection covers Dutch photography from the 19th century to the digital era. The Gallery of Honour brings together 99 important photographs, while visitors can also see how archival images are conserved and digitised.

The combination of exposed brick, steel and contemporary exhibition design suits Katendrecht particularly well.

Price: €17.50 for visitors aged 26+, around €10 for ages 18–25, and free for under-18s.

Nederlands Fotomuseum

Spend Time Around Deliplein

Deliplein and neighbouring Delistraat form the social heart of the district. Cafés and restaurants occupy streets that once served Rotterdam’s international port community.

For a more substantial evening meal, De Matroos en Het Meisje serves changing multi-course menus built around seasonal ingredients.

For casual food, coffee and pastries, expect roughly €10–€20 per person, while dinner at more ambitious restaurants can easily reach €50 or more.

See the Neighbourhood’s Older Story

For a more intimate look at Katendrecht, visit Verhalenhuis Belvedere.

The historic building has served several purposes since the late 19th century and today functions as a cultural and community space. Its projects collect stories from Rotterdam residents and preserve memories of the many communities connected with the harbour.

It is a useful reminder that Katendrecht’s transformation is not simply about fashionable new architecture: migration and maritime life have shaped the area for generations.

Stay Close to the Water

Across the bridge, the former Holland-America Line headquarters now houses Hotel New York. Its riverfront location makes it particularly appealing if you want to stay close to Katendrecht while remaining connected with central Rotterdam.

For something even more unusual, the historic ss Rotterdam is permanently moored at the western end of the peninsula. The former ocean liner now contains 254 hotel rooms decorated with references to its 1950s history.

Current packages aboard the ship start at around €123 per person, while combined experiences involving both maritime hotels can cost significantly more.

Why Katendrecht Works Now

Katendrecht is still changing. New residential projects, cultural venues and public waterfront spaces continue to reshape the peninsula, but enough of its industrial character survives to keep the neighbourhood distinctive.

The pleasure of visiting is in the contrast: century-old warehouses beside daring new architecture, port history beside contemporary photography, and quiet waterside walks only minutes from some of Rotterdam’s liveliest cultural spaces.