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Our Committee promotes cooperation, mutual understanding, and friendship between the citizens of Baltimore in Maryland, U.S.A. and Rotterdam in The Netherlands.

Rotterdam skyline with Erasmus Bridge and Kop van Zuid

Twin Cities

Baltimore and Rotterdam are both modern cities, because of historical events.  Rotterdam’s central city district was destroyed at the beginning of World War II.  Faced with the task of rebuilding the city, Rotterdam chose to embrace the future rather than to resurrect the past - becoming a showplace for modern architecture in Europe.  The city center of Baltimore was destroyed in 1904 by the Great Fire. So both cities were built from the ground up during the 20th century. 

Rotterdam and Baltimore have approximately the same geographical and population size. These two cities have in common a deep maritime history, large port operations in estuarine waters, and both are home to prestigious universities, medical schools, world-class museums and other cultural institutions, and burgeoning tech/startup scenes. They share many of the issues and opportunities common to many large, modern cities with diverse populations.

Baltimore Inner Harbor skyline

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Highlights

Walk On By - Curated by Joy Davis. Exploring the Black Atlantic through the diverse stories of local artists with a cultural exchange and an exhibition in the historical port cities of Baltimore and Rotterdam. Featuring works by Shaun Champion, Charles Mason III, Naomi King, Kolpeace, Djon Seedorf, Tarona. Abstract shapes moving back and forth in red, tan, and green colors. Logos of Creative Alliance, TENT, Baltimore-Rotterdam Sister Cities.

Walk On By

Works by Black artists from Baltimore & Rotterdam

Exhibition is at the Creative Alliance in Baltimore Sept 26 - Nov 30; participating Rotterdam artists to travel to Baltimore for the opening reception on Sept 26 and to participate in community engagement programs. It is followed by a reciprocal artists’ exhibition and exchange at TENT in Rotterdam in Spring 2025, when the Baltimore artists travel to Rotterdam. This project is curated and led by Joy Davis, a Baltimore-based curator.

For more information: Walk on By

Baltimore Sister Cities logo. Meet and Greet - Nov 12, 6-8pm

Come mingle with volunteers and friends of Baltimore Sister Cities at this in-person event on November 12, 2024.

More info & to RSVP

Baltimore-Rotterdam Architecture Exchange - March + Fall  2024. Photo of Rotterdam skyline along the Maas river and logos of the partners: SA+P, RAvB, BRSCC

In March 2024, students and faculty from Morgan State University School of Architecture + Planning (SA+P), design professionals, and representatives from Baltimore City Department of Planning traveled to the Netherlands in March 2024 for a workweek. Another exchange is being planned for spring 2025.

About the 2024 exchange

2024 March trip report by Professor Cristina Murphy

Upcoming Events

See the Events Calendar