Fenix Museum of Migrations by MAD Architects in Rotterdam, the Netherlands - Photo by Iwan Baan, courtesy of the museum.

Fenix Museum of Migrations by MAD Architects in Rotterdam, the Netherlands – All photos are by Iwan Baan unless stated otherwise, courtesy of the museum.

Architecture. Rotterdam welcomed a stunning new cultural landmark: the Fenix Museum of Migration. Brought to life by Ma Yansong and his team at MAD Architects, this is the firm’s first cultural project in Europe—and it’s making a bold statement in the city’s historic City Harbour.

Fenix Museum of Migrations by MAD Architects in Rotterdam, the Netherlands - Photo by Iwan Baan, courtesy of the museum.

Fenix is located in a restored 16,000-square-metre building that dates back to 1923. Once part of what was the world’s largest warehouse, it played a key role in the Holland America Line’s operations, storing cargo and welcoming millions of migrants as they embarked on new journeys across the ocean. Now, the building is reborn as a vibrant museum that honours those very stories of movement and transformation. The renovation was commissioned by the Droom en Daad (Dream and Do) Foundation.

Fenix Museum of Migrations by MAD Architects in Rotterdam, the Netherlands - Photo by Iwan Baan, courtesy of the museum.

At the heart of Fenix is The Tornado, a dramatic double-helix staircase that twists and soars from the museum’s ground floor right up through the rooftop, ending at a panoramic viewing platform. It’s an architectural showstopper that seems to defy gravity, symbolising movement and change.

Fenix Museum of Migrations by MAD Architects in Rotterdam, the Netherlands - Photo by Iwan Baan, courtesy of the museum.

“The Tornado was designed to symbolise movement, paying homage to the theme of the museum,” said Ma Yansong. The structure was built in collaboration with a rollercoaster manufacturer and is suspended from a sleek white framework that blends seamlessly into the building’s original bones.

Fenix Museum of Migrations by MAD Architects in Rotterdam, the Netherlands - Photo by Iwan Baan, courtesy of the museum.

Materials throughout the space reflect the museum’s maritime past: the staircase is clad in 12,500 wooden planks meant to echo the deck of a ship, while polished and brushed steel panels play with light and reflection, without posing a threat to birds.

Fenix Museum of Migrations by MAD Architects in Rotterdam, the Netherlands - Photo by Iwan Baan, courtesy of the museum.

But Fenix is about more than just architecture. It’s an immersive experience rooted in human stories. Director Anne Kremers explains, “Migration stories are the heartbeat of Fenix. We’ve woven them into every element.” Exhibits include The Family of Migrants, a moving photo series spanning 55 countries, and The Suitcase Labyrinth, an installation of 2,000 donated suitcases filled with personal histories.

The Family of Migrants exhibition at the Fenix Museum of Migrations - Photo by Iwan Baan, courtesy of the museum.

The Family of Migrants exhibition at the Fenix Museum of Migrations.

The museum also offers warm, communal spaces like Plein, an open indoor square for events and gatherings, and tasty stops like O Café and Bakery by Michelin-starred chef Maksut Aşkar, and Granucci Gelato, a family-run gelateria with roots in the Netherlands since 1929.

Fenix Museum of Migrations by MAD Architects in Rotterdam, the Netherlands - Photo by Iwan Baan, courtesy of the museum.

The Plein.

Fenix is more than a museum—it’s a space of welcome, reflection, and connection.

The Suitcase Labyrinth exhibition at the Fenix Museum of Migrations - Photo by Het Kofferdoolhof.

The Suitcase Labyrinth exhibition at the Fenix Museum of Migrations – Photo by Het Kofferdoolhof.

All photos are by Iwaan Baan, unless stated otherwise – Courtesy of the Fenix Museum of Migrations.

Fenix Museum of Migrations by MAD Architects in Rotterdam, the Netherlands - Photo by Iwan Baan, courtesy of the museum.

The Family of Migrants exhibition at the Fenix Museum of Migrations.