The national maritime Museum is really kid friendly. After a day of dragging my child to historic sites, I needed to find something that he would enjoy too. We had the I Amsterdam card and so this made good sense as a choice. We heard it was great for kids and it really was. Doris the diver is basically a play area for kids 2 to 7. There's also bathrooms right next to it that include changing tables, small sinks, and small toilets for littles. We spent most of our time exploring the replica of the Dutch East India company ship. My son and I had a great time walking around the ship and lowering our heads to crawl into tight spaces. My son especially liked the police system in the cargo hold and trying to find the drawings of the wrapin the cargo hold.The views here are nice and it was a fun place to explore on a sunny spring day. read more

One of the best museums illustrating the the Dutch colonial past. Along with a replica of an actual boat, you could explore with an amazing video transposing you back in time, it had artifacts, paintings, tapestries etc all with excellent audio explanations to accompany you. Really great find! Not to be missed when in Amsterdam read more

See all

Really cool maritime museum that includes replicas of ships you can go into and explore. I used my iAmsterdam pass here. The atrium of the museum of absolutely beautiful with benches lining the perimeter. Lockers and bathrooms are located on the floor beneath the atrium level. If you're short on time or have kiddos with short attention spans, I would suggest skipping the traditional museum exhibits and head straight to the ships outdoors. Don't forget to grab an audio guide unit before heading out. read more

Amsterdam's Maritime Museum was a wonderful find. It was included on our I AMsterdam cards (which are a great deal if you plan to visit several museums per day), and I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected. The first thing we did was walk around the VOC ship replica, as rain was expected so we wanted to get this out of the way before spending time in the indoor museum. The replica is fun for all ages and a great way to learn about the Dutch East India Company and that time period. The ship has a virtual reality exhibit, which we didn't try out, but might be fun for kids. The Food for Thought exhibit was about the export, import, and transport of food and is at the museum through June 2024. So much of our food is transported by sea and also through the Schipol airport just outside Amsterdam. The exhibit invites everyone to consider their food choices and choose local when possible. The in-museum restaurant does this as well and is also vegetarian. I also loved the whale exhibit, which had a whale model that kids (or adults) could walk through and take pictures. This exhibit combines marine science with history, as the whale has been misunderstood through time and sailors in the 16th century thought they were monsters. Then later, whaling was a lucrative way to make money, to the point that whales are endangered. It's worth spending a few hours at the Maritime Museum. It is a family-friendly museum that is not just kid friendly, but also a wonderful time for adults and people of all ages. read more

See all

Gorgeous building with a lovely collection. I particularly enjoyed the collection of model ships and of navigational devices. Also, the room in the navigational devices collection was stunning designed, I thought. I know this is increasingly old-fashioned, but, the museum would benefit from signage. For example, the only meaningful signage in the room with model ships was on touch-screen (boo) that you had to move around the display case (boo) and that didn't work for many of the ships I tried it on (boo). And, when it did work, it didn't really give me any information about the model I was looking at, and instead told me about the ship it was modeling. read more

This was another museum we visited on a recent trip to Amsterdam. This is a famous maritime museum and my only regret was that we weren't able to give too much time to this museum. It closes at 5pm daily and we arrived just past 4. We had about 45 minutes to tour all the 4 wings/ corridors, the main ship and and other displays throughout the museum. We started off first by going to the main ship. Got to take great pics at various vantage points on the ship. Got to take this virtual reality tour on one of the decks which took us back in time a few centuries. Got to see the barrel room and other various floors throughout the ship. We rushed through each wing with hopes of viewing all the exhibits And other artifacts and displays. There were a lot of stories and history describing the exhibits and we really enjoyed all the demonstrations. Like I said before, I wish I Had more time to spend at the museum as I could have explored in more detail. Nonetheless me and the kiddos loved the museum and will plan to visit if we travel to Amsterdam again. read more

See all

Really great museum. It being housed in a former naval storage building adds a bit to the feel. It has exhibits on different facets of Dutch maritime history- overall history, cartography and tools, etc. There are three vessels at the museum, but you can only get onboard one of them. read more

This is the National Maritime Museum. It's a medium-size museum covering the Netherlands' naval history. Booking online with the I amsterdam card was easy. There's about 4 hours of content. 3 hours might be a more typical trip. There is a coat check room but I kept my jacket, which turned put to be the right decision since parts of the museum were outdoors. Almost everything is in Dutch and English. One highlight is the replica of the Dutch East India Company ship 'Amsterdam', probably full size. You can board the ship and explore it. There are many interactive exhibits, though most are superficial and don't add anything. Not at all crowded around 12 pm on a Tuesday. Seems to be somewhat kid-friendly, though some placards are mounted fairly high. read more

See all

Wonderful museum with the whole gamut of maritime topics covered: history, whaling, early navigation and much more. The replica of the VOC ship is an obvious highlight but there are other interesting displays. Most are permanent but there are various rotating ones too. This museum is truly great for young and old, an difficult / unusual combo. The Virtual Reality show could have been a bit longer but nevertheless quite fun. The onsite restaurant is a bit pricey. read more

The National Maritime Museum. The entry room is a former storeroom that the Dutch fleet used from the mid 1600s. A lot of history here with many interactive and high tech displays. We started our journey with the Voyage at Sea, a virtual trip on the water. The collection of Atlases was neat. The Tale of the Whale details the legend of a sea monster into what we know today of these sea giants. The replica of the East Indiaman trading ship is docked outside for you to explore. I really enjoyed learning about how sailors used Navigational Instruments to get where they needed to be. Check out the big brain on Brad that looked up at the night stars and thought "I can use those to navigate". Impressive, most impressive. Use your tickets from the Holland Pass here. read more

Het Scheepvaartmuseum - Museums Near Me - Amsterdam, New Hampshire

See all

I was amazed by how well this museum was put together after extensive renovations which ended in 2011. I found it informative, entertaining and well balanced. There are 400,000 objects and the museum can consume most of your day if you read and study the many educational boards in both Dutch and English, listen to the videos and 3D virtual reality hologram narratives. It has important pieces of naval history especially focusing on the Golden Age of Dutch martime history. They have a first edition copy of Maximilian Transylvanus, De Moluccis Insuilis which described Ferdinand Magellan's voyage around the world, very cool. It is behind glass so you must turn the pages by pressing a button which also illuminated the page. There are many other historic maps by 17th century cartographers William and Joan Blaeu. A replica of the 1759 East Indiaman "Amsterdam" was fun for kids but interesting for adults. The ship is docked in the back of the museum and you have full access to every part of it. A whale's Tail features an interactive experience with whale anatomy which kid's will also like. I enjoyed the historic naval battle paintings, navigational instruments, and the many Hologram's of sea captains, sailors and widows narrating stories of sea life and their struggles and life aboard ship. The ship figurehead displays were interesting and numerous. Photos of rising tides and climate change was a timely exhibit and to me an important contribution to an urgent need. You will get a map and free audio- guide with your ticket purchase. You will also be given a plastic bracelet with a code which will activate a free storage locker located in the basement.There is a large court yard surrounded on all sides by buildings labeled , North, East, South and West. You can start from anywhere. There is a second floor with stairs or you can use the lift. The museum is disability friendly with special parking for disabled in front of the museum in Kattenburgerstraat. No mobility scooters allowed but they have complimentary wheelchairs. Photos can be taken without flash. No artificial lighting, tripods of monopods can be used. There is a nice café and gift shop as well as a library. There are 60,000 books in the collection many of historic importance. Some are 500 years old. Some can be accessed by the public, others are reserved for research. All the books can seen on-line at Maritiemdigitaal.nl. read more

See all

What a fantastic museum! This is one of my kids' favorite and we ended up coming here 2 days in a row. There was a VR 'show' on the boat, taking you back to the old days of Amsterdam. There was so much information that you should allow 3-4 hours for a trip. I would encourage everyone to visit this museum. read more

See all

Well I must be a child, because I thoroughly enjoyed this museum! The building is absolutely beautiful from the inside, looking up at the glass and steel lattice roof. The museum includes exhibits of maritime artifacts, nautical paintings, and incredible interactive displays. One of them featured digital terrestrial and celestial globes from different time periods. Another highlighted the use of nautical tools. Of course, the pirate ship was the best part. I imagine that people of the time period were not very tall, so be wary of low ceilings lol. The view from the top deck provides gorgeous views of Amsterdam and the canals. I understand that some people think that this museum is "boring", but I visited with my Marine-obsessed boyfriend. His enthusiasm completely rubbed off on me and made me enjoy myself. In short, don't come here if you don't have an interest in a subject as specific as maritime history. The museum gift shop is well stocked, but stupid expensive. I will say that it offered a wide variety of souvenirs for grown adults and smal children. Pro-tip: there are concessions for student tickets yay! read more

See all

I have already been here two times and I might even go a third time. I just love that building! They also have some events there that you shouldn't miss! They give you a map for all the floors and what to see in each direction (west, north, etc), and you can even visit a life-size East Indiaman trading ship replica on the outsite which is super fun and made me feel like a little kid (amongst all the other real little kids). So, I don't really have to mention it's a great place for kids, right? The history is interactively told with a lot help from tech. You can interact with the story and also get a great view on the little ship replicas inside the museum. You can browse through the dutch golden age, hear stories from sailors and captains, and get a real grasp of how the dutch trading system worked and how was life aboard the ships. It's great to learn how the dutch managed to explore so far back then! They have a lot of maritime artifacts and nautical paintings too. if you are a Marine enthusiast, this is a must see for you. And if you have kids, don't forget to take them to the Tales of the Whale part! Where you can find whale "parts" and a big interactive fake whale for the kids to play inside. I know I did. read more

See all

The phrase "a museum about boats" is not something that gets my heart racing, which is why I was so pleasantly surprised by this absolute gem of a museum. The building itself is absolutely beautiful, surrounded by water with a glass domed roof. Below ground, the lockers and bathrooms are in a cellar that could easily be converted into a fancy, intimate restaurant. The highlight of the museum is the full-scale replica ship out the back, which you're encouraged to explore on all levels (cannons and all). The virtual Voyage at Sea is a fantastic interactive progression through hidden rooms and stories! Of course, I always judge a museum by its museum cafe, and this one doesn't disappoint. With huge windows overlooking the water and the city you can eat apple pie and drink tea. The tea bags are some of the prettiest I've ever seen! In conclusion, this museum is a must. It hits that sweet spot between being a fantastic place to see, and one that many tourists overlook. A great day out for kids of all ages! read more

See all

Great great great place!! The museum itself is not the most of the interesting ones... but you get to see the rebuilt vessel floating outside... and the building just renovated is amazing... with the inner yard completely covered... it is just great... very big place. It resemble a middle ages castle, surrounded by water. I was there for Museum night... which is always magical.. museum open during the night.. music.. drinks.. lot of people having a nice time. read more

See all

Incredible! Really cool ships and paintings and replicas

Museum day two..Got my museum card and I am on a quest to visit as many interesting, great museums in the Netherlands as I can. He Scheepvaartmuseum wasn't at the top of my list, but it was on my husbands and as I was feeling like going with the flow we decided to spend the rainy afternoon in this museum. I just loved the building, the inside square with its beautiful glass roof. When you enter and purchase your ticket you get a sort of bracelet with a code to open lockers. Lockers are located in the cellar, beautifully renewed and they are great to put your jackets, backpacks, etc..anything that you might not need in the museum. There are four sections in the museum, like 4 directions on the compass - North, South, East, West. You can start at any of them. When we were there they had a special route of Michiel de Ruyter, which was clearly marked with his face depicting stickers on the floor, etc. We decided to start with the virtual sea journey experience. It was a great experience just taking you through history of Holland on the sea. It is a pity for foreign visitors that not all of the parts are in English, but still it is fun to go to. We went through the whole museum. My most favorite parts: section of atlases ..just love old books and I am still astonished how some of maps depicted, for example from 15th century or so look so similar to current ones..I liked the history of Holland and description of everyday life in 17th century Holland. The navigation instruments is also very neat. Once we were done with museum part we went to explore the replica of 17th century sailing boat. My only comment there...I wished there was a bit more of sound effects, description type of thing, otherwise it was great. read more

Het Scheepvaartmuseum - Museums Near Me - Amsterdam, New Hampshire

See all

The ship is really cool and there is a Virtual reality attraction that is not bad - not sure why it has such a big age restriction There is a game upstairs with buckets that is super interactive and good for ages read more

Much more extensive than we thought. Lots of displays about maritime history. The recreated ship is great and has a VR show!

Also known in English as the maritime museum. Wonderful very old maritime map collection among other items. Give scream sense of history read more

We came for the maps, but enjoyed our wander around. The courtyard is covered, and beautiful, like being outside but without the wind and weather. You can pick and choose what you want to see: lots of different exhibitions, some permanent and some changing, and you can get to any of them from the central courtyard. Wandering through the old square-rigger was fun; I could tell the kids on board were having a good time too. There's plenty of tech in these exhibits, mostly helpful rather than obtrusive. More art about boats than you might think, some of it quite good. read more

Het Scheepvaartmuseum - Museums Near Me - Amsterdam, New Hampshire

Are you a small child? Then this is more like a 4-star museum. (And congratulations on your advanced reading ability.) Kids will love the hands-on components here. There are touch screens that show how an astrolabe works, sliding panels that compare model ships, and a wonky video room that treats you like cargo being transported through the county. Even the paintings are exciting, especially if you focus on the ones portraying storms and explosions. There's also a big covered courtyard in the center to run around to your heart's content, a replica sailing ship docked outside for you to explore, and a toy-filled gift shop, complete with a video game that challenges you to navigate New York Harbor. (As a New Yorker, I can tell you that the tricky details are all correct!) If you are an adult, however, this museum is really just ok. Although it's attractive and well-designed, there's no story or theme that moves you from exhibit to exhibit. It's just collections of mildly interesting things. Although all the staffers we talked to were pleasant and helpful, the no-umbrella policy on the deck of the replica ship is insane on rainy days. Do you really think I'm going to damage the mainmast with my mini-umbrella from HEMA? read more

One if the most boring museums I've ever been to, if you're not a kid there's nothing to do here. Some stupid 'activities' like simple films that you could watch on YouTube, very simplistic and without any quality or theme. It's all too hi tech with films on the whole room etc but doesn't give you any knowledge or fun. It might have been, maybe, worth two stars but this terrible boredom also costs 15 Euro to get in. Shame. read more

Het Scheepvaartmuseum - The boat is mediocre but it's over restored so it doesn't look real at all inside. The museum is a waste of time and money - Museums Near Me - Amsterdam, New Hampshire

My boyfriend is in the USCG, & to say that he has a thing for boats is the understatement of the year. The good news is, as crazy as he is about boats, I'm equally as crazy about maps, and this museum has an abundance of both. The entrance price was reasonable, and there is a ton to see... so much so that we didn't even get through it all because we were racing to catch the Canal boat so we didn't get stuck far away from home. The building itself is beautiful & the exhibits are laid out nicely. You can even climb aboard a giant replica ship & realize that you were not really meant to sail the high seas. At least, that's what happened for me. I'll stay on dry land, thank you very much! If you have time while in Amsterdam, definitely check out Het Scheepvaartmuseum! read more

Not one of the most interesting museums I've ever been to but also not one of the more boring ones. The building is gorgeous and offers some nice views of the city from the upper floors though it's central courtyard has led to a wonky layout, resulting in a sort of choppy exploring experience. There was lots of history to be learned here, as well as a large collection of relics to be ogled. My personal favorite was the section on boat decorations. read more

Maritime Museum next to canal with restored ship that is really worth seeing. This is a beautiful museum that you can utilize for weddings as my best friend did. Place is intimate and elegant. Check photos. read more

See all

One of the top sites in Amsterdam (unless you are an art lover). The others being the Amsterdam Museum, Anne Frank House, and Our Lady of the Attic. Strikes the right balance between being informative and entertaining. Allow 3-4 hours. Audio guide recommended. Finally, the bathrooms in the cellar were done so well they are worth a mention. Don't miss the Voyage at Sea. read more

I have been trying to make my way to this museum for a while. So, I finally had the opportunity to checked out the new Scheepvaart museum designed by Van der Pol, which is suppose to be recognized as Holland's glory. The museum includes a collection of paintings, objects of ships,weapons and other historical marine relevance. The museum presents several exhibitions and stories of the famous maritime collection. Scheepvaart museum offers a lot of children activities to enlighten those young minds. I noticed a few cool things that they had primarily for kids. The museum demonstrates a wide range of activities in educating children on how the sea has defined the culture of Dutch. What I found most impressive was the building. I thought the architect did an extraordinary job of designing a beautiful building. Van der Pol delivered a high level of creativity, by connecting history with today. read more

The boats were ok, the level of detail captured in the exhibits was not great and the 'multi media' experiences were very short on facts and data also. read more

The museum itself is just a big building with a very cool fake star sky, but the big ship is why you come here! I thought it was a very nice and well preserved ship and it even had a bar in it so you can stay for a while! Is it a place you'll spend hours? No... but it's a nice spot for a visit if you like ships. read more

Worth the trip. Great for kids. Seems like they're not done with the curation. That royal wedding boat is not here and it needs to crown the atrium. Maybe it will. Ride the 22 bus from Centraal Station to get here. read more

One of the most disappointing museums I have ever seen. A huge missed opportunity for a country with such a rich maritime history. The highlight is the replica ship Amsterdam, she is a copy of a 1759 Dutch East Indiaman. You can walk through the entire ship but unfortunately there is very little explanation or information. The Sea Voyage experience is just pointless and bizzare with no instructional or entertainment value. Much of the museum is empty and those exhibits that do exist have minimal explanation. Pales in comparison to the great maritime museums in Paris and London. read more