In Honour of Her!

During Museum Night from Saturday 7 March to Sunday 8 March, we will launch this programme with a special night dedicated to International Women’s Day. Throughout the rest of the month, artists will host workshops, guided tours, and small-scale events, with connection and knowledge-sharing at the heart of the programme.

A programme for everyone who holds women close to their hearts, from 8:00 PM to 1:00 AM.

Daphne Bom is a Rotterdam-based artist, originally from South Africa. On the occasion of International Women’s Day, she wishes to create portraits of visitors. In a short painting session, Daphne captures the essence of the person portrayed with just a few powerful brushstrokes.

Wereldmuseum Rotterdam and Daphne Bom invite you to have a woman who is important to you portrayed in the exhibition Art She Crafted. During an intimate encounter, Daphne will create a unique portrait of this special person.

Please reserve a time slot in advance to participate.

Practical information

• Date: Sunday 8 March
• Time slots:
  11:30 AM – 12:00 PM
  12:15 PM – 12:45 PM
  1:00 PM – 1:30 PM
  2:00 PM – 2:30 PM
  2:45 PM – 3:15 PM
  3:30 PM – 4:00 PM
• For whom? Participants aged 16+
• Location: Exhibition Art She Crafted
• Cost: Free (museum admission required). Museumkaart, Rotterdampas or other discount cards are valid.

In this playful workshop, Marlou Fernanda helps children discover how they can express feelings through music and painting. Different genres encourage movement, emotion and free painting, with no right or wrong. Through simple assignments, children work intuitively, guided by imagination and emotion. 

The emphasis is on joy, discovery and expression. In a safe and open environment, children learn to recognise and shape emotions in their own unique way. 

Practical information: 

• Dates: Saturday 14 March, Saturday 28 March & Saturday 11 April 
• Age: 16+ 
• Capacity per session: 25 people 
• Time: 13:30–15:30 
• Location: Atelier 
• Cost: €20 per person* (museum cards and other discount passes not valid) 

* If you would like to participate but cannot afford a ticket, you may request a free entry pass via educatie@wereldmuseum.nl. 

Sunday March 15 from 12.00-16.00u  

In March, embroidery takes centre stage in an episode of Het Klokhuis, featuring artist Desirée Hammen and the Wereldmuseum collection. The episode explores the many forms embroidery can take: decoration, craft, cultural expression, identity, and a medium for personal and collective stories. 

In this open workshop, you will meet Desirée Hammen and try your hand at freestyle embroidery. Ask her anything, learn new stitches, and discover the importance of imperfection, experimentation and attention. Bring your own unfinished embroidery project or start something new during the workshop. 

Desirée Hammen is a visual artist and embroidery specialist, trained at ArtEZ and the École Lesage in Paris. In her practice she combines haute couture techniques with freestyle embroidery and frequently collaborates with communities on collective embroidery pieces. She also researches biobased (environmentally friendly) materials and their application in textiles and embroidery. 

Practical information: 

• Date: Sunday 15 March 
• For whom: Open to all; you may join as long as space allows 
• Time: 12:00–16:00 
• Location: Atelier 
• Cost: Free, included with museum admission (Museumkaart, Rotterdampas or VriendenLoterij Pass valid) 

Mbuku Kimpala’s work explicitly centres female figures and bodies as pillars of history, progress and equality. 

In March, we welcome the Congolese artist Mbuku Kimpala to the Netherlands. She is a member of CATPC (Cercle d’Art des Travailleurs de Plantation Congolaise). Although her work is not part of the Art She Crafted exhibition, her visit offers a unique opportunity to meet her during an exclusive masterclass. 

Mbuku Kimpala works in sculpture, drawing on her experiences as a woman and on the history of women in Congo. Through powerful figures and poses, her work conveys themes such as physical burden, exhaustion and inequality. 

During this masterclass, she will introduce her artistic practice and guide you in working with clay. This material creates a shared physical language that goes beyond words and opens space for exchange without language barriers. 

What to expect: 

• Introduction to the artist’s practice 
• Collective viewing and reflection on Mbuku’s work 
• Demonstration of clay techniques 
• Create your own small sculpture 
• Closing conversation and exchange 

Practical information: 

• Date: Saturday 21 or Sunday 22 March 
• Age: 16+ 
• Capacity per session: 25 people 
• Time: 13:00–16:00 
• Location: Atelier 
• Cost: €20 per person* (museum cards and other discount passes not valid) 
• Language: French/English — Mbuku speaks Lingala and French; an English-speaking interpreter will be present.