Commemoration: From Disaster to Ritual
How do we commemorate today? How does our way of remembering compare to traditions around the world? And why is it important to keep remembering, even generations after a disaster? Discover more about our new temporary exhibition, on display from 1 February 2026.
Commemoration has many different sides. After the North Sea Flood of 1953, grief remained private for many years, and people rarely spoke about what had happened. The first National Commemoration in 1993 marked a turning point. Commemoration became public, the Flood Museum was established, and the stories were slowly shared and processed.
How do we commemorate today? How does our way of remembering compare to rituals around the world? And why is it important to continue remembering, even generations after a disaster?
The temporary exhibition Commemoration: From Disaster to Ritual takes you on a journey through the ways people remember floods in the Netherlands and in disaster-affected regions around the world, including Banda Aceh, New Orleans and Valencia. Discover how music, art and faith help keep memories alive.
