Fodor's Expert Review Schielandshuis
Editor's Note: This location is no longer in operation.
Staunchly defending its position against the high-rise Robeco Tower and the giant Hollandse Banke Unie surrounding it, this palatial 17th-century mansion holds its own as a part of Rotterdam's historical museum (the other half is the Dubbelde Palmboom in Delfshaven). Built between 1662 and 1665 in Dutch Neoclassical style by the Schieland family, it burned down in 1864, but the facade survived, and the interior was carefully restored. Another renovation in 2010 has given it a new shine. Inside are Baroque- and Rococo-style rooms reconstructed from houses in the area, clothing from the 18th century to the present day, and the famous collection of maps, the Atlas von Stolk. Because of the frailty of the paper, only a tiny selection of these vintage documents is on display at any one time, usually under a specific theme. The museum's café is in a lovely garden.
