Two visits to photography museums in the Netherlands

I’ve been out and about on my travels again, this time visiting family in the Netherlands and this gives me a good reason to go look at some art and that. 

Hajar Benjida exhibition at Foam Amsterdam

Foam Photography Museum in Amsterdam

Foam is definitely the more modern and forward looking of the two I visited with more contemporary displays by Verena Blok, Julia Kotchetova and Hajar Benjida. It has an artist-centered layout: three to four self contained areas each focussing on the one photographer. One section you needed to go down into the cafe then up another set of stairs to get into that room (this might also be something to do with the sustainability renovations).

All of it was strong and interesting work but the exhibit that stuck out to me most was Love Shit by Verena Blok. This uses a mixture of photos and written testimonials about motherhood and reproductive rights. 

In my typical timing, I was too early to see a Martin Parr exhibition as it wasn’t due to be set up for another few weeks. I’ve never seen his work in a gallery and that still remains the case.

Also a nice surprise to see one of my wife’s friends in a photobook.

Verena Blok exhibition at Foam Amsterdam

Important bits

Does it have a café? Yes, it was nice and quiet with plenty of books to read and I had a lekker taart with a coffee.

Does it have a library? I think so. There’s a mezzanine level in one of the floors that can be accessed by a spiral staircase, but that was locked off when I went. I presume you need to ask to get in and it’s not just there to look nice.

FOAM website: https://www.foam.org/

Photo wall at Nederlands Fotomuseum

Nederlands Fotomuseum in Rotterdam

Newly updated having moved into a disused coffee warehouse down the road from its old location. I liked the previous place and this one is even better, with much more space and things to look at. I happened to go when it was also having a photo book fair as part of Unseen Photo so it was pretty chock full of people. Even so, it was still pleasant to get around.

The ground floor has a large photo library and café, and is free to wander around without buying a ticket. There’s a central stairwell leading up to several floors with a restaurant at the top. The exhibitions are a mixture of photo history through the Netherlands (repeated from the previous location) then a photo history of Rotterdam through the ages. Finally there’s a themed exhibition around cyanotype and how different artists have used that over the years (cyanotype being one of the oldest photo making methods).

Important bits

Does it have a café? Yes. There’s one downstairs run by two slightly overwhelmed lads, plus that restaurant at the top. 

Does it have a library? Yep, quite a sizable amount of books on one side of the ground floor that you can wander round without having to play for the main bit.

Foto Museum website: https://nederlandsfotomuseum.nl/en/

Part of the library at the Nederlands Fotomuseum in Rotterdam

A gridded wall featuring cyanotypes of different objects.

Part of the Unseen photo book fair. You can see a wider view of the library in the background.

Which one should you go to?

If you have the time, definitely go to both. They’re both quite accessible: Foam is a leisurely half hour wander through the centre of Amsterdam from the station, the Fotomuseum has a Metro stop directly next to it.

It’s a bit unfair to compare the two as they’re not like for like. Most likely if you’re in Amsterdam and have a bit of time to kill, nip into Foam then go off round the corner to the Athenaeum Boekhandel bookshop and grab a load of mags and books that you might struggle to find elsewhere. Of the two, Foam is more concerned with modern photography.

The Nederlands Fotomuseum has the advantage of a massive collection and a brand spanking new building. You get a bigger mix of photo history and exhibitions here, plus that big library to browse. I definitely can spend the larger amount of time here.

Even more photo museums

If you have photo museum stretch goals, you can also get to the excellent Fotomuseum Den Haag which is not far from Amsterdam on the train. Then you might as well also pop into the Kunstmuseum Den Haag which is next door.

If you have a full day free, get the train to Belgium and walk to the FOMU - I went there last year whilst on a visit to Antwerp.