Visitor Information Festival Heart
The floating festival heart of the Rotterdam Architecture Month is located in Maashaven this year and can be visited throughout the month of June! Walk the route over the water through three enormous containers. Along the way, you will learn all about the role of water in the future of the city.
Your visit to the festival heart
Walkway over the water
During your visit to the festival heart, you will walk a route with a viewpoint over Maashaven and the city. You will visit the three containers, each containing a space for urban sports, a green park, and an event space. Also, there is an outdoor exhibition. In a few years, the Nelson Mandela Park will be located here, so experience how that feels already! In fact, the festival heart is a kind of test location; experience what it’s like to walk, exercise, and listen to music here.
Opening hours
Tuesday to Friday: 1 PM – 9 PM
Saturday and Sunday: 10 AM – 6 PM
Rates
€3.50 (adults & children from 2 years of age)
Free – one-time for Rotterdampas holders
Note: Children under 12 years old must be accompanied by an adult.
Book your ticket for the festival heart here.
Access
To gain access to the festival center, scan your ticket at the welcome desk of the Rotterdam Architecture Month located on the square in front of the Maassilo.
Wheel chair accesible hours
The floating festival heart consists of a large number of stairs and has nearly 300 steps. As a result, the festival heart is unfortunately less suitable for people with mobility problems and is not wheelchair accessible, except on Sunday, June 25. Then we offer wheelchair accessible hours where it is possible to visit the walkway and barge 3 (exhibition) via a stair climber. From the walkway you can view the festival heart from above. Please read all information carefully before booking a time slot. This stair climber is not suitable for electric wheelchairs.
Sunday, June 25, wheelchair-accessible hours. More information & tickets
Low stimulus hours
On Sunday, June 11 and Sunday, June 18, you can visit the festival heart quietly from 10:00 to 11:00 during our low stimulus hours. This is especially for people who, for whatever reason, are easily overstimulated. All screens and audio are turned off, there are no other activities during this hour and only a limited number of people are allowed into the festival heart. Tip: bring headphones or earbuds, the steps made make noise when you or someone else walks on them.
Get your ticket for the low-impact hours here:
Sunday, June 11, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Sunday, June 18, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Floating Skatepark
The Floating Skatepark is equipped with a mini-ramp, a freerun course, and an area for free sports. During the month of June, various demonstrations take place, and you can also come skate for free during the Skate Free Hours. We will publish a schedule with the times when the track is free to use every week, view the schedule here.
In-Depth Events
Tip: Combine your visit to the festival heart with a visit to the RA Month program, such as the Skate Symposium. If you attend a program for which you have a ticket, you will also reserve access to the festival heart.
Adress
Festival Heart
Maashaven Zuidzijde 1-2
3081 AE Rotterdam
Opening hours
tuesday to friday: 13.00 – 21.00
saturday & sunday: 10.00 – 18.00
Getting to the festival heart
Walking & Biking
The festival heart is located about 15 minutes by bike from Rotterdam Central Station. Don’t have a bike? You can rent a bike with an OV-fiets subscription. There are also several bike rental companies near the Central Station, such as ZwaanBikes. There is plenty of space around the festival heart to park your bike.
Metro
The easiest way to get to the festival heart by public transport is by metro. Take lines D or E (towards Slinge) and you will be at Maashaven metro stop in 9 minutes from Rotterdam Central Station. From the metro stop, it’s a 2-minute walk to the festival heart.
Car
There is some parking space available on the quay and in the immediate vicinity. Paid parking applies in the vicinity of the festival heart from Monday to Saturday between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm at €1.92 per hour (zone 240).
Tram
Tram lines 2, 20 & 25 stop at Maashaven. Tram stop Maashaven is located below the metro station of the same name.
Water Taxi
The watertaxi stand Maashaven (number 62) is located in front of the festival heart and can be reached from 50 locations. A taxi can be reserved via 010 403 03 03 or on the Watertaxi website.
FAQ
More answers to all of your questions can be found here: FAQ