Notebook A5 ‘lines of the open courtyard’

The high point, figuratively and literally, of the National Maritime Museum is the glass roofing of the inner courtyard. Its self-supporting construction is made up of thousands of pieces of glass in a metal frame. Dessigned by Laurent Ney, the pattern of the glass roofing is inspired by the compass lines on old nautical charts.

The National Maritime Museum

The collection of the Dutch National Maritime Museum is one of the largest and most notable maritime collections in the world. Here, you can learn about 500 years of Dutch maritime history and discover its strong links with the society of today and the future. Admire its extensive collections of paintings, navigation instruments, ship models and maps of the world. The collection’s eye-catcher is undoutedly the replica of the East Indiaman moored in front of the museum building. Large cargo ships like this one were used to transport spices, porcelain, tea, silk and textiles from Asia to Europe. But the range of exhibitions at the National Maritime Museum is wider than simply showcasing artefacts of the past. Cotemporary art and photography, an exhibition about the whale and interactive and virtual reality experiences are also featured at the museum.

The National Maritime Museum boasts a large collection of historical instruments that were used at sea. You can buy replicas of many of these instruments in our museum shop. Have a look at the full collection and take your pick!