The foundation of our present, much-discussed multicultural society was laid in the 1960s, when the first migrant workers arrived in the Netherlands. Seven photographers, whose work is included in the collection of Netherlands Photography Museum, recorded in a total of 1,547 pictures how migrants were housed, worked and trained, the demonstrations they engaged in, and the way they professed their religion and upheld their traditions.

The collection reflects the way Dutch photographers viewed migrants, looking not only at the less pleasant side their life, but also at their festivities. Besides featuring dismal street scenes in Rotterdam prior to its reconstruction, substandard play areas for children and racist slogans, the collection also illustrate various festivities and traditions, such as Turkish fashion shows or the summer carnival that is celebrated in Rotterdam every year.