Maritime - Scheepvaart Museum, Amsterdam

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The Scheepvaartmuseum (Maritime Museum) is housed at Lands Zeemagazijn, build in 1656 as a storage building for the Navy (still present at the neighbouring Marine Etablissement at the Kattenburgerstraat).

In the water next to the museum you can visit the Amsterdam, a replica of the former ship that sailed to the East Indies.

Along the Oosterdok you also can visit the Amsterdam Museum harbour.

The museum went through a renovation and reopened at October 1, 2011.

Entrance fee: 15 Euro.

Visiting hours:
Daily: 9AM - 5PM.

Closed since Januari 2007 the Scheepvaartmuseum has been completely renovated and is again open.

It was a very interesting museum which I visited some years ago.

The replica of the VOC (Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie) commercial ship "Amsterdam" is back at the quay.

The original Amsterdam sailed up the North Sea in 1749. In a raging storm the East Indiaman soon sank on the south coast of England. The wreck has provided archaeologists with valuable information about the construction of VOC ships, their cargoes and life on board.

Connoisseurs of maritime construction are not enthusiast about this replica.
In order to allow demonstrations of gun shooting the gun deck with 16 replicas had its height increased. The Dutch visitors from now are about 25 cm taller than the 18th. c. crew. But to keep the overall height of the ship correct the height of the upper deck with the captain's cabin has been decreased so that only children can enter the cabin!

Interesting are the details of the life on board for the eight months trip to Asia.

Open 7 days a week from 9 am to 5 pm.
Price 15.00 euros, adults (18 and up).
12.00 euros, groups of 15 or more (reservation required)
7.50 euros, children 5-17, seniors (65 and older),
Free, children aged 0-4, Museumkaart (National Museum Pass).

From the enormous amount of museums and attractions I would like to point out three to you.
Scheepvaartmuseum (nautical museum) tells the success story of Amsterdam during the glorious VOC-times. The VOC (Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie = United Eastindies Company) was the first (stockholding) company in the world and built the Dutch colonial empire, that long time was bigger the the English Commonwealth (only the Spanish competed). At this museum is also a replica of a Eastindies-sailingship: the “Amsterdam”. This magnificent ship was a kind of Titanic for it’s time, as it shipwrecked on it’s first journey to the Dutch Indies. On board of this replica one finds (in weekend and holidays) also actors that simulate the life then. The museum is situated in the former Navy Arsenal, the place where the Dutch navy stored it’s weapons, guns, nautical gear and (an small amount of) gunpowder.

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The 'Amsterdam' (replica) is usually moored next to the Netherlands Maritime Museum. The museum is currently closed due to undergoing renovations and the replica is temporarily moored at the nearby NEMO science center and can be visited there.

The Amsterdam was a cargo ship of the Dutch East India Company build in 1748.

The ship started its maiden voyage from Texel to Batavia on 8 January 1749, but was wrecked in a storm on the English Channel on 26 January 1749.

The shipwreck was discovered in 1969 in the bay of Bulverhythe, United Kingdom, and is sometimes visible during low tides.

The wreck site is protected under the Protection of Wrecks Act since 1974. Some of the findings from the site are in the Shipwreck and Coastal Heritage Centre in Hastings.

The replica was built in Iroko wood by 400 volunteers, using tools of the period, between 1985 and 1990 at Lelystad.

VIDEO of my visit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBDz9h2WTWk

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We had only limited time so we visited only the great and colourful looking old ship outside the museum; check picture nr 2 (I know we were stupid not to visit the rest). But the ship was so fantastic that it alone took some time.

It was such a masterpiece; especially when thinking how old these ships were; when built etc and with hands! They sailed big seas, and only the skills of the man saved lives. There was no technology. This is something I admire.

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The Maritime museum unfortunately is being renovated right now, but you can still enjoy the view of its star exhibit, the East Indiaman ship "Amsterdam", which is moored in front of the children's museum NEMO. This ship was typical of the vessels that carried cargo from the Orient and the Dutch East Indies and contributed to the wealth and prestige of the Netherlands. This particular ship ran ashore and sunk off the coast of England, but was saved and restored at the end of the XIX century.

You will have a chance to see it up close if you take a canal tour.

This is an excellent maritime museum, charting the Dutch maritime history from the 16th to the 20th century. I generally visit maritime museums wherever I happen to be. This museum has more model ships than I have ever seen, rooms after rooms filled with excellent large models.

I somehow found my way out to the Naval museum. The Netherlands was during its golden age a major naval power and this museum hbas many interesting exhibits. Unfortunately many of the labels were only in Dutch when I was there, which cut down on the information being imparted to me :) But it was still a fun place to go and there are some magnificent ship models to see. Outside you can inspect the reproduction (1990) Dutch east India ship Amsterdam.