From the water
The museum is dedicated to maritime history and contains many artefacts associated with shipping and sailing. It is housed in 's Lands Zeemagazijn, the Arsenal. This historic building dates from 1656 and was designed by Daniel Stalpaert as a storehouse for the Admiralty of Amsterdam. The Arsenal was built in the seventeenth century, when Amsterdam was the largest port and market place in the world. Goods from all over the world could be bought right here. As part of the exhibition next to the museum, you will find a replica of the old VOC ship Amsterdam. The East Indiaman was the largest cargo ship used by the Dutch East India Company. During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, ships like these sailed to Asia and brought back goods like spices, porcelain, tea, silk and textiles. The average journey took about eight months. All East Indiamen combined made nearly five thousand voyages.
The story behind it
The National Maritime Museum is housed in ’s Lands Zeemagazijn, a former naval storehouse from 1656. Its glass roof, added during a renovation, is decorated with a pattern based on old nautical compass lines.
Moored beside the museum is a full-size replica of the East India Company ship Amsterdam, which sank on its maiden voyage in 1749. It shows how crowded and harsh life aboard the trading ships really was.
On your cruise
This is stop 9 of 23 on the Friendship route. Before this you passed NEMO Science Museum, and the boat continues towards Crazy Jack's Tower. Your skipper will point it out as you pass — keep your camera ready, because from the water you see details that are easily missed from the street.
Want to see it in person? All our cruises follow the heart of this route, and with a private cruise you can even ask your skipper to linger a little longer at your favourite spots.
