Tax & Customs Museum

A journey through the Dutch tax history

Most of us don’t fancy paying taxes, but it seems simply inevitable. But why do we have to pay taxes and where does all that money go? And what happens if we wouldn’t pay taxes? The Tax & Customs Museum gives an answer to these and other questions related to taxes and customs. This museum offers an interesting collection of everything related to tax and customs.

Why paying taxes in the first place?

The Tax & Customs Museum displays a permanent exhibition called ‘Trust and Justice‘. This exhibition explains why you actually have to pay taxes, what would happen if you don’t pay taxes and what happens to your taxes after you’ve paid them. But you also discover why the Irish band U2 have established their holding in the Netherlands… During your journey through the Dutch tax history you will see many artifacts and art objects of the Tax and Customs Museum Rotterdam, ranging from paintings, silver, glassware, uniforms, prints, drawings, photographs, games, measuring and weighing instruments and even smuggling objects.

Temporary tax exhibitions

In addition to their permanent exhibition, the Tax & Customs Museum Rotterdam offers a temporary exhibition as well. This exhibition changes every few months, which means there’s always something at the museum, such as tax paying during the war or smuggling. Check the website of the Tax & Customs Museum Rotterdam for an overview of the exhibitions.

Tax & Customs Museum for kids

The Tax & Customs Museum Rotterdam is great fun for kids as well! In the special customs kids corner, they can play and make a journey on land, at sea and in the air. Your kids can play the Ship Simulator game and sail a customs boat through the port of Rotterdam like a real captain! For once they can be a real customs officer and scan suitcases at the airport.