Until 31 December 2026
- Location: Celebration Kitchen
- When: Sundays and every day during school holidays
- Time: 12:00–16:00, entry until 15:30
- Price: Free with museum admission
At Wereldmuseum Rotterdam, you can celebrate a different festival every Sunday
From Chinese New Year to Eid al-Fitr and from Keti Koti to Día de Muertos. Not everyone celebrates the same holidays, but we all celebrate something! Every Sunday, the Wereldmuseum highlights one celebration with free activities to enjoy. Discover a holiday you didn’t know about yet, or celebrate something meaningful together with other visitors. For everyone aged 6 and up!
Practical information
Brazilian & Caribbean Carnival
When: 18 January, 25 January, 1 February, 8 February.
In Brazil, Carnival is celebrated with samba music, exuberant costumes and parade floats. In the Caribbean, Carnival is also celebrated on a grand scale, with rhythmic music, dancing and colourful parades.At Wereldmuseum you can dance and sing along, and make your own carnival crown.
Chinese New Year / Lunar New Year
When: 14 February to 22 February, and 1 March.
Come together at Wereldmuseum and celebrate Chinese New Year with us.
We celebrate the Year of the Horse and make a lantern in which a horse appears to gallop.
Ramadan / Eid al-Fitr
When: 8 March, 15 March, 22 March.
We celebrate the end of the special month of Ramadan.
At Wereldmuseum you can make festive date balls and a Ramadan lantern.
Easter
When: 29 March, 5 & 6 April.
Christians around the world celebrate Easter to mark Jesus rising from the dead.
At Wereldmuseum you can create your own colourful Easter egg inspired by Łowicz wycinanki, traditional Polish papercutting art.
Japanese Children’s Day
When: 12 April, 19 April, 25 April to 10 May.
On 5 May, Kodomo no Hi—Japanese Children’s Day—is celebrated. Parents decorate their homes with carp streamers (koinobori). These strong fish symbolize strength. At Wereldmuseum, you can make your own colourful koinobori!
Wesak / Buddha Day
When: 17 May, 24 May, 25 May, 31 May.
Wesak is a Buddhist holiday celebrating the birth, death and enlightenment of the Buddha during the full moon. At Wereldmuseum, we celebrate Wesak by making incense and prayer flags.
Keti Koti
When: 7 June, 14 June, 21 June, 28 June.
On 1 July, Keti Koti / Dia di Abolishon is celebrated. We commemorate the abolition of slavery and celebrate freedom. During June weekends at Wereldmuseum, you can make your own bracelet with cowrie shells and learn more about Keti Koti / Dia di Abolishon.
Tanabata Festival
When: 5 to 30 July.
During Tanabata, love is celebrated in Japan and people believe that dreams can come true. People hang their wishes on bamboo branches so the gods may grant them. At Wereldmuseum you can create your own wish branch in July.
Raksha Bandhan (Brother & Sister Day)
When: 1 to 30 August.
Raksha Bandhan celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters. According to tradition, siblings give each other a piece of jewelry or protective cord, called rakhi. At Wereldmuseum, you can make Raksha Bandhan bracelets throughout August.
Mid-Autumn Festival
When: 6 September, 13 September, 20 September, 27 September, 4 October.
All around the world, harvest festivals are celebrated: the Chinese Moon Festival, Thanksgiving in the US and Canada, Erntedankfest in Germany, Shavuot in Israel, and Fiesta de la Vendimia in Argentina. These holidays mark the end of the harvest season and are celebrated with meals, parades, dance and symbolic traditions.
Día de Muertos
When: 10 to 25 October.
During Día de Muertos, families welcome their deceased loved ones with flowers, music and treats. At Wereldmuseum, you can make your own papel picado and calaveras. Papel picado are colourful garlands with cut-out designs of flowers, bones and skulls. The colourful skulls and skeletons seen during Día de Muertos are called calaveras, which you can make from tin at the museum!
Halloween / Saint Martin
When: 1 November, 8 November.
Come visit and make a lantern at Wereldmuseum. You can use it when going door-to-door for treats on two different holidays. On 31 October, Halloween is celebrated—originally “(All) Hallows’ Eve” in England. And on 11 November, children go door-to-door for Saint Martin, a Catholic tradition.
Sinterklaas
When: 15 November, 22 November, 29 November, 6 December.
At Wereldmuseum, the Sinterklaas celebration is fun for all. We make surprises, decorate shoes and explore gift-wrapping traditions from around the world, such as furoshiki from Japan.
Kerst & Nieuwjaar
When: 13 December, 19 December to 3 January.
What makes Christmas so special is that countries all around the world have their own Christmas traditions. At Wereldmuseum, we celebrate Christmas by making Christmas ornaments and ice stars.
