Director of Rotterdam’s Nederlands Fotomuseum suspended amid leadership investigation
Birgit Donker, director of the Nederlands Fotomuseum in Rotterdam, has been placed on administrative leave since June 19 pending an internal investigation into her leadership, the museum’s Supervisory Board confirmed to de Volkskrant.
The suspension follows reports from museum staff to the Supervisory Board. According to de Volkskrant's multiple anonymous sources within the organization, who fear career repercussions, negative feedback about Donker’s leadership includes high staff turnover and increased absenteeism. These sources describe a “toxic work environment” and an “atmosphere of fear” developing under her direction. It remains unclear if these reports are part of the formal complaints received by the board.
The Supervisory Board declined to disclose details of the allegations but confirmed the ongoing investigation and suspension. Staff have been informed about Donker’s leave and the probe. In the meantime, a board member is temporarily assuming her duties.
Donker responded, stating she has not been clearly informed about the initial complaint. “The Supervisory Board received information that may have been influenced by my actions in a way that possibly prevented the board from fully or properly exercising its supervisory role,” she said. She also said she cannot respond to anonymous sources and denied the existence of an unpleasant work atmosphere. “In recent days, I have received heartfelt support from half of the staff, which disproves those claims,” Donker added.
The Nederlands Fotomuseum, regarded as the national photography "treasure trove", holds archives from 175 Dutch photographers, totaling more than 6.5 million objects, making it the second-largest museum collection in the Netherlands by volume.
Donker was appointed director in November 2018 by the previous Supervisory Board. Her appointment was notable because she had limited experience in photography. Prior to this role, Donker was editor-in-chief at NRC for 3.5 years and then led the Mondriaan Fund for six years, which distributes a large portion of government grants for visual arts and cultural heritage.
Her connections at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science reportedly helped secure a significant increase in the museum’s state subsidy, nearly doubling it by adding 1.5 million euros annually from 2023. The extra funds are designated for registering and digitizing the extensive collection, addressing a major backlog.
The suspension comes as the museum prepares to move to a new location. Thanks to a generous donation from a wealthy Rotterdam family, the museum is relocating to Santos, a former warehouse in the Katendrecht district. The planned reopening date is September 25, though it is unclear if Donker’s leave will affect this timeline.
Previously, the museum was located on Kop van Zuid, near the new site, in a commercial building where rising rents made relocation essential for financial survival. The museum closed several months ago to prepare for the move.
