Amsterdam Maritime Museum – Online Tickets – The history of the metropolis of Amsterdam is closely linked to seafaring due to its location, and the city’s maritime museum, known as Het Scheepvaartmuseum, is an impressive reminder of this.
With its numerous exhibits from various periods in the history of shipping and one of the largest libraries on this subject, the Maritime Museum in Amsterdam is one of the most interesting sights you can visit in the Dutch metropolis and impresses you with its loving design.
The museum has been housed in the Zeemagazijn (Sea Magazine) of the former Admiralty of Amsterdam, a historic warehouse, since 1973. It has a fascinating atmosphere that makes you feel like you’ve been transported back to the glory days of seafaring.
Admission prices
The following table summarises the admission prices for the Maritime Museum:
| Maritime Museum | Price* | Tickets |
|---|---|---|
| Adults | 17.50 € | Book Online |
| Teenagers (4 to 17 years) | 8.50 € | Book Online |
| I'amsterdam city card | Free | Book Online |
| Maritime Museum + NEMO Museum | 33.25 € | Book Online |
✅ Children aged 0-3 years have free admission. Holders of the Amsterdam Pass from Tiqets receive a 10% discount on the admission price with a discount code when booking via the page above.
✅ A canal cruise and a visit to the Maritime Museum also go well together. You can buy the right ticket here – Canal cruise and maritime museum.
✅ A harbour cruise through one of the largest harbours in Europe is also an experience on the water.
A museum with historical flair
The origins of the Amsterdam Maritime Museum, which has been housed at its current location on the island of Kattenburg in the centre of Amsterdam since 1973, date back to 1922 when the then Queen of the Netherlands opened the museum. As the museum’s collection became very extensive over the years, efforts were made to find a larger home for the Amsterdam Maritime Museum to permanently display all the fascinating exhibits in the collection.
With the former arsenal of the Dutch navy, it was finally possible to move into a very prestigious building, which, as you will see, provides a worthy setting for some of the valuable individual pieces in the exhibition. The Amsterdam Maritime Museum has been one of the most popular and beautiful museums to visit in Amsterdam, especially since its renovation in 2007, which lasted around four years, and its subsequent reopening.
Opening hours
The following table shows all the opening hours of the Maritime Museum:
| Maritime Museum | Opening Times |
|---|---|
| January to December | 09:00 to 17:00 |
| 27 April, 25 Dec and 1 Jan | Closed |
✅ So there’s no need to worry about opening hours! The museum is open almost 365 days a year. The doors closed only on 27 May, King’s Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.
Waiting times at the Maritime Museum
The Maritime Museum is less famous than the Rijksmuseum or the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, but it is still one of the city’s most famous museums. You should get an online ticket in advance to avoid waiting times at the ticket counter. This is especially true on weekends, public holidays, or holidays.
Buy a ticket for the Maritime Museum online
Maritime shipping in the Netherlands
The different exhibits on display in the Amsterdam Maritime Museum give you a comprehensive insight into the eventful history of seafaring in the Netherlands and impress you with their uniqueness.
The exhibition is organised chronologically, from the beginnings of shipping in the Netherlands to the most recent developments. It features many everyday objects from maritime life and impressive individual pieces such as the radar room of a 1946 gunboat and some scarce navigation equipment. The beautiful Amsterdam Maritime Museum offers classic maritime exhibits and various interactive elements that give you an impressive bird’s eye view of Amsterdam’s harbour.
The numerous souvenirs brought back from the harbours of this world by sailors over the centuries are also exciting and provide a unique insight into the often arduous everyday life of seafarers and whalers in the days of sailing. In the Maritime Museum, for example, you can marvel at many skilfully carved works made from whale bones, which were produced on the often very long voyages of the whalers.
A tour of the Dutch East Indiaman
The highlights of the museum can be recognized very quickly! The entrance fee includes a tour of the Dutch East Indiaman, a typical sailing ship that travelled the oceans in the 17th and 18th centuries trading with Asia.
✅ That is of course an experience – During the Dutch East Indiaman tour, you can see the living conditions of sailors at the time and imagine what it must have been like to be at sea for months on end. The round trip to Asia used to take about eight months.
History of the Maritime Museum
The 17th century was Amsterdam’s heyday. Due to the rapid growth in the population, the city grew steadily. The canal belt was laid out with houses that were tall by the standards of the time, as well as three so-called eilanden in 1650. These are three artificial islands on which warehouses, flats, and shipyards were built. The Zeemagazijn of the Admiralty of Amsterdam was built on the island of Kattenburg as a warehouse for ship equipment, cannons, and much more. The building was destroyed by fire in 1791. After it was rebuilt, the Dutch navy moved into the building in 1795. Officially, it remained a naval warehouse until the beginning of 1970.
To create a museum for Dutch seafaring, collectors, sponsors, and private individuals founded the Vereeniging Nederlandsch Historisch Scheepvaart Museum (NHSMA) in 1916 as the museum’s future sponsor. A building in the Cornelis Schuytstraat, directly behind the current museum quarter, was purchased in 1921. The Dutch Queen acted as patron of the association. She opened the Scheepvaartmuseum Netherlands in 1922. The search for a larger building for the museum’s ever-growing collection had been underway since the mid-1950s, when the museum moved to the old Zeemagazijn, where the official opening took place in April 1973.
A great experience for children
Many visitors travel to the canal city with childre. The classic canal cruise is still fun, but the Reichsmuseum or Van Gogh Museum will be boring for younger visitors at the latest. If the weather is terrible, visiting the Maritime Museum in Amsterdam is the right idea. Even though it is all about the history of Dutch seafaring, the large boats leave plenty of room for children’s imaginations. After all, you don’t see a sailing ship like the Dutch East Indiaman daily.
✅ If you visit Het Scheepvaartmuseum and want to see other attractions in the neighbourhood, then a visit to the A’DAM Lookout, the nearby Nemo Science Museum or something completely different for relaxation, mini golf in the dark, are also possible. So even with children, there are plenty of ways to spend a varied day in Amsterdam.
Tip: AMAZE, an extraordinary audiovisual experience in Amsterdam, is also very close by – Tickets for AMAZE.
The souvenir shop in the museum
The souvenir shop in the Maritime Museum left an excellent impression on me.
At other sights, such as the Amsterdam Lookout, the souvenir shop is monotonous, and the items need more to do with the attraction.
In the Museum of Maritime History in Amsterdam, on the other hand, the souvenir shop, which also has its name Het Pakhuys, is very much centred on the sea and shipping. There is a separate section where children can also find a suitable souvenir of their visit to the museum for every budget.
✅ The souvenir shop Het Pakhuys of the Maritime Museum is open daily from 09:00 to 17:00 and is accessible without a ticket for the museum visit!
The restaurant in the museum
The restaurant in the same building is an excellent place to relax after visiting the museum. It is called Restaurant Stalpaert, named after the architect of the building. The stylish restaurant offers healthy and tasty snacks, sandwiches, salads, and soups! The kitchen uses only the best regional ingredients and emphasises a pure and organic diet for its guests. Wifi is free of charge.
The restaurant’s interior is simple but tasteful – all in a very maritime style! The location is directly above the water, and you can enjoy the view over the sea, which also benefits the restaurant’s ambiance.
My overall impression of the Maritime Museum
I can say that it’s definitely worth visiting the Maritime Museum in Amsterdam! The museum houses great exhibits that explain the history of the seafaring nation very well! With exciting exhibits and a comprehensive overview of the history of seafaring in the Netherlands, the Amsterdam Maritime Museum is an interesting place to spend a great time in a very pleasant atmosphere.
An extensive range of services complements the museum’s excellent impression and genuinely wonderful ambiance, making it one of the most interesting sights you can visit in Amsterdam.
Another big plus point of the museum is that it is also very interesting for children! The little visitors always react very positively to the impressive ships! You can only see exhibits like this in a few museums, so the children are always very impressed by the fantastic ships.
The highlight is of course the tour of the Dutch East Indiaman – that impressed me personally the most! Here, you can understand how the sailors lived and what it must have been like to spend weeks at sea crossing the vast ocean!
Location & approach
✅ The exact address of the museum is as follows: Kattenburgerplein 1, 1018 KK Amsterdam.
The best way to reach the museum from Centraal Station is to take a 20-minute walk along the waterfront in the fresh sea air. Otherwise, line 22, a bus runs every 10 minutes from Central Station to the Maritime Museum, stopping at Kadijksplein/Scheepvaartmuseum. Journey time: 5 minutes. Car drivers will find paid parking spaces nearby.
A fascinating experience for young and old
Due to its location in an imposing building and the interesting individual pieces on display, a trip to the Amsterdam Maritime Museum is worthwhile. With the interactive elements within the museum and the extensive explanations of the unique exhibits in particular, visiting the museum is a great experience.
