National Maritime Museum (Het Scheepvaartmuseum)

Housed in a humungous former arsenal built in 1656, the National Maritime Museum reopened in 2011 after extensive reworking and is dedicated to showcasing the importance of Amsterdam’s maritime history. During the 17th-century Golden Age, The Netherlands was one of the richest powers in the world, thanks to its trading wealth and an empire that stretched across the globe. It was a time of great progress in Amsterdam, when the Canal Ring was built and the middle classes grew rich. All this is reflected in interactive and audio-visual displays of model ships, maritime oil paintings, charts, silverware and weaponry; the growth of the fabulously successful Dutch East India Company (Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie or VOC) is charted and visitors are whisked on a simulated journey through Amsterdam as a piece of cargo. Two now controversial issues that are dealt with sensitively through thoughtful exhibits are the European slave trade and the whaling industry. 
For kids, the highlight of a visit to the National Maritime Museum is undoubtedly the full-size replica of the merchant ship Amsterdam, which foundered in 1749 on a voyage to the East Indies (the present-day Indonesia). The craft is ‘crewed’ by actors who fire cannons, sing sea shanties, tie ropes and even stage a burial at sea.

Practical Info

Kattenburgerplein 1. Admission €15 adults; €7.50 students and children aged 5–17; free with IAmsterdam Card. Opening hours are daily 9am–5pm. Accessible via buses no 22 or 48 to Kadijksplein or a 15-minute walk from Centraal Station.