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The National Maritime Museum Amsterdam Tickets

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Headout is an authorized and trusted partner of the venue, offering curated experiences to enjoy this attraction. This is not the venue's website.

Amsterdam Maritime Museum with boats docked nearby, showcasing Dutch maritime history.
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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

Maritime Museum Amsterdam exhibit featuring historical ship models and navigational instruments.
  • 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

Skylight view inside The Maritime Museum, Amsterdam showcasing the intricate ceiling design.

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
view of National Maritime Museum and NEMO Science Museum National Maritime Museum in Amsterdam.

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 highlights

Shadows on the Atlantic exhibit at The National Maritime Museum showcasing historical maritime artifacts.

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 at The National Maritime Museum showcasing historic maritime artifacts.

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.

Children exploring outside the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, London.

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.

mother and daughter exploring museum artefacts

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.

woman exploring artefacts at museum

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.

woman observing tapestries at museum

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 exhibit at The National Maritime Museum showcasing historical maritime navigation tools.

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.

visitors observing navigational instruments at National Maritime Museum Tickets

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 steamship docked at The National Maritime Museum, Amsterdam.

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 at The National Maritime Museum showcasing historic ships and maritime artifacts.

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.

woman and child observing artefacts inside museum

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 exhibit at The National Maritime Museum featuring a large whale skeleton display.

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.

Royal Barge exhibit at The National Maritime Museum, showcasing ornate details and historical significance.

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.

visitors observing yacht models exhibit at national maritime museum tickets

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'.

visitors observing ship decorations exhibit at national maritime museum tickets

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.

Ancient brick wall exhibit at a museum showcasing historical architecture.

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

National Maritime Museum tickets
  • 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

toilet facilities at National Maritime Museum tickets
  • 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 at National Maritime Museum Tickets
  • 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.
no smoking sign board
  • 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.
Maritime Museum Amsterdam exhibit showcasing historical ship models and nautical artifacts.
  • 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!
National Maritime Museum tickets
  • 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

Can I visit the East Indiaman Amsterdam separately?

You can only visit the East Indiaman Amsterdam with a ticket for the National Maritime Museum.

Do I need to make a reservation for the exhibitions or activities?

No, you do not require a reservation, as all exhibitions and activities are included in your tickets.

What is the best time to visit the National Maritime Museum in Amsterdam?

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.

How long does a visit to the National Maritime Museum take?

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.

Is the National Maritime Museum suitable for children?

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.

Am I allowed to bring food and drinks?

Yes, you are welcome to eat or drink in the Open Courtyard, the jetty, and the terrace pontoon.

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Headout is an authorized and trusted partner of the venue, offering curated experiences to enjoy this attraction. This is not the venue's website.