Maritime Museum of Rotterdam, Rotterdam (must see)

The Maritime Museum Rotterdam focuses on the city’s maritime and shipping history, offering visitors both modern exhibits and access to an extensive collection of artifacts. Founded in 1874 by Prince Henry of the Netherlands, it consists of two linked components: the indoor museum and the adjacent Museum Harbour.

Inside the museum, exhibitions designed for all ages include stories of ships, offshore platforms and maritime innovation. Among the standout pieces are the Mataró ship model, over six centuries old and Europe’s oldest ship model; The Itinerario by the Dutch explorer Jan Huygen van Linschoten, one of the world’s most important travel journals; pen‑and‑ink drawings by Willem van de Velde the Younger, a renowned Dutch maritime artist; and a set of sea charts by Joan Blaeu, a leading 17th‑century cartographer. The museum’s collection spans over one million objects, covering six centuries of Dutch maritime history.

The Museum Harbour offers an outdoor experience in the oldest and largest museum harbour in the Netherlands, located where the port of Rotterdam first took shape. Visitors can explore historic vessels such as steam tugs, a grain elevator, and the red cast‑iron lighthouse known as the Low Light of the Hook of Holland, which once guided ships up the New Waterway. In addition to its permanent collection, the museum hosts rotating exhibitions, educational programs, and special events aimed at exploring Rotterdam's pivotal role in global shipping and trade.

Tip: Some of the ships in the outer harbour section can be boarded and explored free of charge. A café and museum shop are available on site, and the museum’s library houses the Netherlands’ most comprehensive maritime‑related book collection, open by appointment for rare materials.