Fenix – The Art Museum on Migration: Exhibition Programme 2026/27

The Family of Migrants

Ongoing: 1 January – 31 December 2026

The Family of Migrants brings together 136 photographers from around the world, presenting both iconic and lesser-known images that illustrate migration as a timeless phenomenon and, above all, a deeply human story. From iconic images by Dorothea Lange and Alfred Stieglitz to anonymous family pictures.

A World in Motion: Migration in Children Books (Fenix in Focus)

1 – 31 January 2026

An international selection collection of children’s books illustrating migration told to and read by children through the years. The selection takes you on a journey through time, illustrating how we’ve told the stories of migration to children through the years. 

Female Gaze on Migration (Fenix in Focus) 

1 – 31 March 2026

To honour International Women’s Day, Fenix launches a special route through the collection display highlighting works by female artists. Each of them sharing a perspective on the topic of migration. Among others: Rineke Dijkstra, Sue Williamson and Cornelia Parkers including new acquisitions by April Bey and Jasleen Kaur. 

Willem de Kooning: From Rotterdam to New York (Fenix in Focus)

16 July – 31 December 2026

In July, Fenix celebrates the 100th anniversary of Willem de Kooning’s departure from Rotterdam, from the very quays that Fenix overlooks today. In collaboration with CBK Rotterdam and Sculpture International. 

Hew Locke: The departure of the Pilgrim Fathers (Fenix in Focus) 

1 August – 31 December 2026

Hew Locke, winner of Apollo's 2025 Artist of the Year Award, has been commissioned by Fenix to make a ship model inspired by the Speedwell. When the Pilgrim Fathers crossed The Atlantic in 1620, they did so aboard the Speedwell, leaving from the Rotterdam suburb Delfshaven and later transferring to the Mayflower in to Southampton. Fenix will exhibit Locke’s new commission in August, the month the Speedwell left Rotterdam.

About the exhibition programme 

The exhibition programme of Fenix is twofold: artistic takeovers, supported by newly commissioned works from contemporary artists, and Fenix in Focus, a series of mid-scale presentations that delve into migration themes found in the Fenix collection. With its mix of artworks and cultural activities, Fenix in Focus regularly sheds light on current issues linked to migration.

About Fenix

Fenix is the new art museum about migration. It is housed in a restored monumental warehouse from 1923, located on Rotterdam’s historic docks of departure and arrival – the very quays where millions of people once began a new life. Some set sail for the United States or Canada, while others arrived from China, Cape Verde, and Greece. 

Alongside its international art collection, visitors can explore the Suitcase Labyrinth, composed of 2,000 suitcases donated by individuals, and The Family of Migrants, a documentary photography exhibition featuring nearly 200 images on migration by 136 photographers from 55 countries.

Fenix also includes Plein, a 2,000-square-metre covered city square that serves as a meeting place. Several kitchens within Fenix tell stories of migration – from the museum café and bakery to the ice cream parlour and Plein itself.

The museum’s most striking artwork and architectural centrepiece is the Tornado, a thirty-metre-high sculpture featuring a double spiral staircase leading to a panoramic deck with sweeping views of Rotterdam, designed by Ma Yansong of MAD Architects. 

Fenix is an initiative of the Droom en Daad Foundation.