Het Scheepvaartmuseum

The Scheepvaartmuseum in Amsterdam is a major national museum devoted to the history of Dutch seafaring. Its collection is housed in the Zeemagazijn, a monumental building on the artificial island of Kattenburg that opened in 1656 as a warehouse for the Admiralty. Designed by Daniel Stalpaert, the building originally stored cannons and ship equipment. After a devastating fire in 1791, it was rebuilt and served as a naval storehouse until the 1970s. The idea for a public museum arose in 1916 from a private initiative, before the collection moved into the historic Zeemagazijn in 1973.

After closing for four years for extensive renovation and restoration, the museum now shines in new splendor. Architect Liesbeth van der Pol's design integrates modern elements such as a reception area, a library, and a restaurant into the historic structure. A particular highlight for visitors is the so-called Open Pleyn, an inner courtyard covered with thousands of glass fragments. The exhibition rooms present a diverse collection that can be searched through a freely accessible online database. The museum also offers a restaurant that is open daily, a gift shop, and a reference library with around 60,000 volumes, including works more than 500 years old.