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From happy customers
Loved by 49 million+
Trustpilot rating: 4.5 out of 5
M
Mykyta T
GermanyCouple
5/5
Jan 2026
Had an amazing time at the NEMO Museum! Booking through Headout was a breeze thanks to its sleek and simple interface. It turned out to be one of the most delightful and engaging experiences of my trip. Five stars!
I
Imran K
GermanyFamily
5/5
Oct 2025
Me and my 2 daughters (aged 5 and 10) had a wonderful time!
Some purely gleeful activities such as the bubbles and the hug roller, as well as some deep learning about space exploration!
M
Michael T
United KingdomSolo
5/5
Oct 2025
+2 more
Mike Tom , The staff are really friendly and welcoming. I use the audio self guide tour which was really good and informative a lot to see with paintings and models of ships and boats and fashion which I am very interested in also on the actual boat itself was a really good experience with the different floors and the 3-D animation Which takes you into and around the harbour and shows life as it was in the early years of Amsterdam a really good day out for the family kids will enjoy a lot to do for the kids paintings drawings not forgetting the restaurant once again very welcoming and friendly staff and reasonable prices The security staff were really helpful and friendly. A really good fun day out. Highly recommend:
B
Bouzidi H
MoroccoCouple
5/5
Dec 2025
Everything went smoothly.
Amsterdam is magnificent
A must-do experience
Hats off to the TOP driver
Amsterdam National Maritime Museum | Explore the Netherlands’ naval heritage
Delve into the Netherlands' rich maritime past at the Amsterdam National Maritime Museum. Explore historical ships, maps, and artifacts detailing Dutch naval power, global trade, and seafaring life. Discover Holland's vital connection to the sea through engaging exhibits and a real VOC ship.
Why visit the Amsterdam National Maritime Museum
Learn 500 years of naval history: Understand Dutch seafaring history and the rise of the Dutch as a major naval force during the Golden Age, including their their dominance in global trade.
Explore a vast collection: Discover yacht models, historical maps by renowned cartographers, navigation instruments, and paintings of naval battles and prominent figures, like the Solebay tapestries.
Step aboard a VOC ship replica: Experience life at sea on a life-size replica of the 18th-century East Indiaman Amsterdam.
See unique exhibits: From the Republic at Sea, showcasing naval history, to Shadows on the Atlantic, tracing the impact of colonialism through contemporary art, there's something for everyone.
Architectural marvel: Housed in a former naval arsenal from 1656 with a stunning modern glass roof, you can admire the museum building itself.
Things to know before booking National Maritime Museum tickets
Types of tickets: You can visit the National Maritime Museum in Amsterdam with skip-the-line tickets or combo tours and explore one of the world’s largest naval collections.
What’s included:Your tickets include skip-the-line entry to the museum, access to all permanent and temporary exhibitions, access to the VOC replica Amsterdam and its Movie Room, and an audio guide in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Dutch.
Combo tickets: Plan a budget-friendly visit with money-saving combos and visit NEMO Science Museum, Body Worlds Amsterdam, or go on a 1-hour Amsterdam Canal cruise after your National Maritime Museum exploration.
Discounted tickets: Ages 12 years and below go free. Ages below the age of 17 enjoy reduced pricing.
Cancellation policy:Your tickets can be cancelled 24 hours before the experience begins, and you will get a full refund.
Validity:Your tickets are valid for the date selected at the time of booking. You can visit the museum anytime within the operating hours of 10am to 5pm.
Visiting VOC ‘Amsterdam’: The Amsterdam has limited access during bad weather and storms (wind speeds 5/6 and above). At wind speeds 7 or higher, the ship and jetty are closed for the safety of visitors. While the landing deck is wheelchair accessible, the hold and the upper deck are not.
Which National Maritime Museum ticket is best for you
If you are short on time
Go for: Entry tickets Duration: 2-3 hours
Get skip-the-line entry to the National Maritime Museum and step aboard the VOC replica ship Amsterdam. See naval treasures, get access to the exhibits, and more with audio guides in 11 languages.
Recommended tickets:
National Maritime Museum Skip-the-Line Tickets
If you want to explore beyond
Go for: Combo tickets Duration: Flexible
See more for less by booking saver tickets to NEMO Science Museum, Body Worlds Amsterdam, or go on an Amsterdam Canal cruise.
Recommended tickets:
National Maritime Museum + Amsterdam Canal Cruise Tickets
National Maritime Museum + NEMO Science Museum Tickets
National Maritime Museum highlights
Shadows on the Atlantic exhibit
This exhibit showcases the impact of colonial history on the lives of people. The collection features various 17th and 18th-century paintings. a 2-meter-long model of the D'Keulse Galy ship, contemporary art, photos, and videos.
Republic at Sea exhibit
This exhibit captures the Netherlands’ history as a maritime nation in just 60 mins! See over 50 items, including naval portraits and paintings like The Battle of Gibraltar, model ships, antique globes, and even weapons, like cannons and swords.
East Indiaman Amsterdam
Visit the East Indiaman Amsterdam and learn about the East India Company and its ships. Learn about life on board, Dutch colonial history, and why the ship was built. Step inside the Movie Room and see yourself transported to the 17th-century port.
Atlantic Window III exhibit
Follow the life of Soerdie, the first female indentured labourer to be shipped from India to Suriname, recreated by Sarojini Lewis. Based on books, travel accounts, and letters, see how the artist reimagines Soerdie’s life in photographs.
Humans at Sea Studio
Part of the oral history project, Queer Spaces at Sea, this exhibit revolves around queer culture on merchant ships from the 1950s to the 1980s. See 2 former crew members of SS Rotterdam speak about queer life onboard and listen to other interviews.
Solebay tapestries
Admire the royally commissioned tapestries made by Willem van de Velde the Elder, a symbol of Anglo-Dutch relations. See the Battle of Solebay and The Burning of the Royal James (Later in the Day), produced based on his sketches at the sites.
Maps
Find out how the Western image of the world was shaped by maps and charts made by Dutch cartographers 400 years ago. Start in Amsterdam and travel to Brazil, South Africa, Australia, Indonesia, and India on Dutch ships.
Navigational instruments
See the earliest navigational instruments like the astrolabe, the cross-staff, the back-staff, octants, and sextants that sailors used up until the 20th century. You will also spot some rare depth gauges, speed indicators, and compasses.
Christiaan Brunings
Built in 1900 for the National Department of Waterways and Public Works as an icebreaker, the steamship was built with luxurious interiors, allowing it to serve as an executive vessel as well. Learn how she was made, reconstructed, and decommissioned.
Amsterdam Port & City exhibit
Trace the relationship between the harbor and the city in this exhibit. Through various objects, paintings, and stories, see the initial construction of the harbor and the city, growing development plans, and the present-day harbor.
Doris the Diver
Perfect for kids above the age of 2. Help Duiker Doris, the diver, bring back the lost lighthouse lamp and go on an underwater adventure with her. Work together and discover the worlds under and on the water on Doris’s quest.
The Tale of the Whale
In this interactive exhibition for children above the age of 6, learn about whales, their habitats, the various species, how humans have viewed them over the centuries, their history from hunted beasts to endangered species, and whaling.
The Royal Barge
See the royal vessel commissioned by King William I over 200 years ago. Climb aboard to learn about the ship’s decorations, especially the ornamentation of Neptune, its role during state events, and the rowers of the barge.
Yacht models
See models of richly decorated yachts of the 17th century, including boyers, round bottoms, and more. You may also spot modern yachts like the catamaran 'Zeeman', the Volvo Ocean Racer 'ABN Amro 1', and the three-master 'Maltese Falcon'.
Ship decorations
Explore ship decorations and ornaments, like paintings, woodcuts, statues, rudder blades, rudderheads, mast shields, mast tips, and bow figureheads, in this exhibition. This exhibition covers not just Dutch but also Greek, Roman, and Viking ships.
Bringing Back the Ballast
Made by artist Nathan Coley, this brick wall project represents the bricks used as ballast in the cargo holds of nearly empty ships. Left behind in port cities like Galle and Paramaribo, these bricks were used to make local warehouses, houses, and churches.
Plan your visit to the Amsterdam National Maritime Museum
Monday to Sunday: 10am to 5pm
Museum shop: 10am to 5pm (Monday to Sunday)
Library: 10am to 5pm (Monday to Friday)
Closed: April 26, December 25, January 1
Duration: It would take about 2 hours to explore the museum thoroughly.
Address: Kattenburgerplein 1, 1018 KK Amsterdam | Find on Maps
By tram: 26 Nearest stop: Kattenburgerstraat
By bus: 22 Nearest stop: Kadijksplein/Scheepvaartmuseum
By car: Take the A10 ring road North and exit S116 (IJ tunnel) Nearest parking: Markenhoven, Oosterdok, Oostenburgereiland or De Loodsen
Audio guide: The museum offers audio tours for certain exhibits, like the Republic at Sea exhibit. It introduces various ship models and navigational devices in 11 languages.
Library: The Het Scheepvaartmuseum library has one of the largest collections in the world of almost 60,000 books, some of which are more than 500 years old.
Restroom: There are restrooms throughout the National Maritime Museum and are easily accessible.
Phone charging: You can charge your mobile phones in the northwest corner of the open courtyard at the charging column for €1.
Changing facilities: There are baby-changing stations in the family restrooms in the basement and on the first floor.
Pumping stations: There are designated pumping rooms where you can breastfeed your child in private.
Lockers: You can store your bags and belongings in the locker at the museum.
Wheelchair accessibility: The museum and all exhibitions & facilities are accessible by elevators. Scooters, however, are not allowed.
Wheelchair on loan: You can borrow wheelchairs at the museum.
Toilets: Accessible toilets are available on all floors on the east side of the building.
Parking: There is accessible parking for disabled visitors near the museum. The closest parking spaces are Kattenburgerplein 1 and Kattenburgergracht 1.
East Indiaman Amsterdam: The landing deck of the East Indiaman is accessible to visitors in a mobility vehicle via a lift. However, the hold and upper deck are not accessible by wheelchair.
Carers: Carers of visitors with disabilities can visit the museum for free.
Assistive devices: Medically necessary aids, such as crutches, walking sticks, walkers, and oxygen equipment, are allowed in the museum.
Guide dogs: Assistance dogs are allowed inside the museum.
Do not touch objects: You are not allowed to touch exhibited objects and exhibition materials unless specified.
Strollers: Buggies and strollers are allowed inside the museum.
Back carriers: Back carriers are not allowed. Instead, parents can borrow a stroller at the museum.
Breastfeeding: You can breastfeed anywhere inside the museum. However, you can also head to a designated pumping room for privacy.
Animals: Pets are not allowed inside. A guide dog is allowed in certain parts as long as it accompanies a visitor with an identification card.
Smoking: Visitors are not allowed to smoke.
Photography: Photography and videography are allowed inside the museum. However, the use of selfie sticks, tripods, and drones are not allowed.
Mobility scooters: Mobility scooters are not allowed inside the museum. Instead, you can borrow a wheelchair from the museum.
Baggage policy: Bags larger than A4 size are not allowed.
See the Amsterdam first: Book the earliest ticket slot and head straight to the replica ship. The Amsterdam gets packed later in the day with families and groups, so skip the galleries and head directly to the ship while it’s still quiet.
Look for the "Atlas Blaeu-Van der Hem" in the map room: This is the rarest piece, and you don’t want to miss this 17th-century world atlas, kept semi-hidden behind glass. Most visitors miss it because they skim the map section.
Visit the courtyard in between your visit: The central courtyard with its glass roof looks amazing, but fills up with people. Visit halfway through your tour and enjoy a coffee as you look up at the star-shaped grid in the glass roof.
Prioritize temporary exhibitions: Unlike many museums, the National Maritime Museum’s rotating exhibits are more emotional and interactive.
Don't miss the "Navigational Instruments" hall: This is one of the most fascinating areas, and usually empty! The 16th–18th-century sextants, compasses, and globes tell stories about how tiny miscalculations led to entire expeditions vanishing!
NEMO Science Museum (600 m):** Built in 1923, the NEMO Science Museum is the largest science center in the Netherlands.
ARTIS (750 m): Visit this 19th-century zoo park with chimps, zebras, and elephants, famous for its Micropia, aquarium & planetarium.
Amsterdam Museum** (2.2 km): Located about 2 km away, the Amsterdam Museum showcases the history of Amsterdam.
Madame Tussauds Amsterdam** (2.3 km): This wax museum houses a huge collection of wax figures of famous celebrities such as Dua Lipa, Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, and more.
Frequently Asked Questions about National Maritime Museum tickets
You can only visit the East Indiaman Amsterdam with a ticket for the National Maritime Museum.
No, you do not require a reservation, as all exhibitions and activities are included in your tickets.
Visit on a weekday during the early hours. It’s also best to avoid peak hours of 1pm to 3pm to make the most of the experience.
For a full experience, you can expect a visit to take around 2 to 3 hours, though some visitors stay as long as 4.5 hours. Exploring the East Indiaman alone can take up to an hour. To make the most of your visit, be sure to plan ahead and check what you don’t want to miss.
Yes, the National Maritime Museum is suitable for all ages. Children can enjoy interactive exhibitions such as Doris the Diver and The Tale of the Whale, and children up to 12 years old have free admission. There are also scavenger hunts and special holiday programs. For students, there are educational programs on navigation, maritime history, and colonial trade.
Yes, you are welcome to eat or drink in the Open Courtyard, the jetty, and the terrace pontoon.
