Tax haven
Tax & Customs Museum, Rotterdam (NL), 2012
The Tax & Customs Museum used to trace the history of taxation in chronological order. Putting the visitor at the centre of the story transforms the experience.
Why do I pay tax?
Why do I pay tax? How do I pay it? And what happens if I don’t? These questions immediately bring the history of taxation close to home. Finding out the answers takes the visitor straight through two storeys of tax history.
A personal approach
Through interaction, objects, audio and projections, visitors learn that people are willing to pay tax only if they trust the collector and are convinced their money is being spent fairly. The history of taxes therefore tells us much more about ourselves then we might expect.
An amazing machine
‘The heart’ is an amazing metal machine that shows how earnings are distributed through the tax system and the economy. Huge metal marbles representing money roll through the system and are divided between business, the treasury and your savings account.
Doe-rak the customs dog
In the basement is the customs activities lab. Here, kids can join Doe-rak the customs dog in his work at the port of Rotterdam. After the opening of the refurbished museum, Studio Louter stayed involved in updating the presentation.
“Great permanent collection, explained in a really fun way, put together with lots of love and care.”
Dave Pasman, Google Review — January 2019
Credits
Client
Tax & Customs MuseumContent Design
Studio LouterSpatial & Graphic Design
Tjep.Film & Interactive Media Production
Studio Louter
Ben van der MeydenAudio Production
Katinka Baehr
Marcel WarnasConstruction
KeijzersHardware
Mansveld