Two former municipal employees in Rotterdam have been sacked following an investigation into alleged corruption involving construction contracts, including asbestos removal at the city’s renowned Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen. The employees were among three officials investigated after concerns emerged that municipal contracts had been approved at inflated prices. An internal investigation found that the dismissed employees had violated the city’s code of conduct by accepting gifts in return for possible preferential treatment. They are also suspected of forgery and passive bribery.

The allegations first surfaced in 2023 when Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad reported concerns about possible corruption surrounding construction projects at Rotterdam cultural institutions, including the asbestos treatment at Boijmans Van Beuningen. The city subsequently asked police to investigate, and a criminal inquiry by the public prosecutor remains ongoing. Information received from prosecutors in July indicated that the employees’ conduct was 'substantially worse' than initially thought.

Diederik van Dommelen, Rotterdam’s head of financial affairs, told The Art Newspaper that the ongoing criminal investigation limits what the city can disclose. The dismissed employees can challenge their termination through an employment tribunal. Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen has declined to comment, saying responsibility for its buildings and their renovation rests with the municipality.

The museum closed in 2019 for a major redevelopment. Its collection has remained partly accessible through Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen, which opened in 2021 and houses around 154,000 works. The museum is currently slated to reopen in 2029 following the renovation, which includes making the building asbestos free.