The Maritime Museum Rotterdam is the nautical and harbour museum of Rotterdam. In the musuem you can see everything related to ships and travel on large bodies of water including the historic naval museum ship 'De Buffel'.

Part of the museum dates back to 1852 when the Model Room for the Royal Dutch Yachting Club was created at the urging of Prince Hendrik. This Model Room, which was originally only open to members, was the basis for a public municipal museum created in 1874.

Half a million nautical objects
You can see more than half a million nautical objects in the musuem like ship models, paintings, prints and drawings, a cartographic collection of atlases, ship’s charts and globes, shipbuilding blueprints, photos, films and videos, navigation instruments, nautical instruments, ship’s furnishings, numerous implements and utensils, and personal documents and clothing.

Mataró shipmodel
One of the top pieces of the museum is the Mataró shipmodel that dates back to early 15th century and which is the oldest shipmodel in Western Europe. In addition you can enjoy a number of exhibitions in the museum, including an interactive exhibit for children, Professor Plons. The museum organizes a number of temporary exhibitions as well. Please check the museums website to find out which exhibitions are running now.

De Buffel
One of the highlights of the museum is the 19th century naval ship 'De Buffel' that served the Royal Dutch Navy for many years. 'De Buffel' has been built in 1868 in Scotland and was intended to protect the Dutch coastline but it has been used most of its lifetime as training ship for future officers. The ship is located just outside the museum and you can visit the ship and see the canons, the bed and washing rooms, the kitchen, the steam machine rooms, the officers rooms and the prison. Kids can do an exciting search on the ship and discover all the secrets of this former naval ship!

Harbour museum Rotterdam
When you're outside the museum you can see many other historic ships as well as cranes, tugboats, a lighthouse, a grain elevator and a locomotor in the harbour just outside. The objects in this harbour are part of the harbour museum Rotterdam and can be visited for free.

Rotterdam is one of the biggest ports in the world and therefore it sounds logical that its Maritime museum is one of the most important maritime museums of the world!