Rotterdam is, in terms of population, the second largest municipality in the Netherlands and the largest city in the province of Zuid-Holland (South Holland), the country's most populous province. It is situated on the banks of the river Nieuwe Maas ("New Meuse"), one of the streams in the delta formed by the Rhine and Meuse rivers. The name "Rotterdam" derives from the city's origin at a dam in a small river, the Rotte.

Museums

Rotterdam has many museums. Well known museums are the Boijmans-van Beuningen Museum, the [NAI] (Netherlands Architecture Institute), the Historisch Museum (Historical museum), the Volkenkundig Museum (foreign peoples and cultures), Maritiem Museum and the Brandweermuseum (Fire brigade museum). Other museums include the tax museum, the nature historical museum, historical museum the Dubbelde Palmboom and the Schielandhuis. At the historical shipyard and museum Scheepswerf 'De Delft' the reconstruction of Ship of the Line 'De Delft' can be visited.