De verwoeste stad

May 14, 1940 is a traumatic turning point in the story of Rotterdam. Bombing, fire and rubble clearance erase a large part of the centuries-old built history of the city center. During the reconstruction, Rotterdam radically opts for a new city. Almost no one who is still alive has walked around in pre-war Rotterdam. Yet the old city still evokes emotional reactions. We are proud of the modern architectural city but also miss the historical center.

The symbol of the destroyed city centre, the famous sculpture The Destroyed City by Ossip Zadkine, marks the entrance to the redesigned space. The main eye-catcher is an enormous, 9 square metre, almost 70-year-old model of the pre-war centre. Go on a voyage of discovery through this vanished Rotterdam via a touchscreen and experience the city before the bombing, the destruction and the early reconstruction in photos, film footage, maps and historical architectural models of Rotterdam icons.