Does anyone know what sort of access you can get to the Van Nelle factory?

I know it is only open two days a year (unless you want to be extorted for a private tour), but does anyone know how close you can actually get to the factory on other days?

For example is there a gate that would stop you from just driving to the car park and walking around the outside?

What I remember from my visit (and this seems to be confirmed when looking at Google Streetview) is that there's only one gated entrance. The gate is open on the Streetview shot. My guess would be that you could enter the complex during working days. People work there, run businesses that receive clients. But maybe you have to be on a list to be let through the gates.

Thanks Els,

If we do visit, on our next trip it will be at the weekend so may not be the best idea. Thanks for the response though.

When do you plan to visit? If the weather gets a little better, I can drive by the Van Nellefabriek on a Saturday or Sunday and take a look. It's only 20-30 minutes from my home.

It could possibly be next weekend 28th/ 1st.

I'm visiting some friends, but depending on how things pan out we will either make a short trip north to Rotterdam, or a long one south to Luxembourg or neither.

No need to go out of your way, but if you happen to swing by there it would be good info to have.

Do I understand it correctly that on these 2 weekends in June and September, you don't need a reservation to visit? You just show up and wait for the next available guided tour? Is there a link with opening times? I checked their website, but the info wasn't really clear.

The next Open Monuments Day will be on Sept 12 & 13, 2015. It is likely that there will be again free tours of the Van Nelle Factory, but I haven't seen anything on it yet

The next Day of Architecture is on June 20 & 21. Also, no confirmation yet if the Factory will participate.
http://arch-lokaal.nl/netwerken/dag-van-de-architectuur/

Thank you!

The Van Nelle Factory is now open to individual visitors. Starting in May, UrbanGuides in Rotterdam offer guided tours on weekends, Saturday and Sunday at 10:30. Tours can be booked via this website:

http://urbanguides.nl/en/tour/instaptour-van-nelle-fabriek/

That is excellent news and at €12.50 it isn't extortionate. This may speed up my next trip to the Netherlands. A decade seems too long to leave between trips.