Museumhaven Amsterdam: A collection of historic Dutch commercial vessels

Situated on Oosterdok (East Dock), across from Amsterdam's Het Scheepvaart (National Maritime Museum), is the Museumhaven Amsterdam (Museum Harbour Amsterdam), a sheltered port for a collection of over 20 privately-owned historic Dutch vessels.  While visitors cannot board the vessels, which are now used as private residences, they can walk along the quay to view the boats and read information panels in front of each one.  The Museumhaven Amsterdam is managed by the Vereniging Museumhaven (Harbour Museum Society), which seeks to preserve and restore historic commercial vessels, such as cargo ships, clippers, and tugboats, that were used in the inland waterways and canals of the Netherlands.  The Society provides facilities for mooring, restoration, and maintenance, and also works to inform the public about the construction and use of the historic vessels in its collection.  All of the vessels moored at Museumhaven Amsterdam have been saved from the scrapyard, bought from their skippers, or in some cases even dredged up after they had sunk.  They provide fascinating insight into Dutch shipbuilding techniques of the 19th and early 20th centuries, the design and evolution of commercial vessels in the Netherlands over this period, and the economic activity that such craft supported throughout the country. 

Photos taken 28 April 2026

A view of the historic small vessels of Museumhaven Amsterdam, moored along the Oosterdok waterfront, across from the National Maritime Museum.  The green glass building on the right is the NEMO Science Museum, designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano and opened in 1997.

The cargo vessel Krommenie 1, measuring 25.4 metres (83.3 feet) in length, with a beam of 4.7 metres (15.4 feet), and a maximum load of 97 tons.  The boat was built in 1926 by the Zaanland Shipbuilding Company for Klaus Knap, the founder of Knap Transport services.  Krommenie 1 was used to transport linseed oil, cork, and rolls of linoleum between the linoleum factory in the Dutch town of Krommenie and the Prins Hendrikkade in Amsterdam.  With the growth of road transport from the late 1960s, Krommenie 1 was used as a storage depot and workshop for a decade until being converted into a houseboat in 1980.  From 2002 to 2012, the boat was uninhabited and fell into a state of disrepair.  Her current owner commenced a restoration effort in 2012, reinstalling the wheelhouse, engine room entrance, and aft section.  The 60-horsepower 2-cylinder Kromhout engine was also restored to working order after 45 years.

Looking along the Oosterdok at the historic commercial vessels moored here at the Museumhaven Amsterdam.

The executive vessel Britannia (left) and the cargo vessel De Hoop (right).  Britannia was built by the shipyard 't Kromhout, Wed. J.L. Ceuvel in Amsterdam in 1912 for the Dutch Steamboat Company.  Launched on 21 February 1912, she was used to ferry Dutch Steamboat Company executives between the Dutch Coffeehouse beside Amsterdam's Centraal Station and the Oostelijke Handelskade (Eastern Commercial Quay) during the morning and evening commutes.  Britannia also served as a tug, assisting in the mooring of the big ships operated by the Dutch Steamboat Company, until 1967.  De Hoop was built in 1903 for the De Hoop flour mill in Sprang-Capelle and was one of the first motor cargo ships in the Netherlands.  Given the low power output of marine engines in that era, De Hoop was built to be as streamlined as possible, evident in the design of her bow.  From 1903 to 1967, De Hoop operated scheduled services between Rotterdam and Sprang-Capelle carrying a maximum payload of 85 tons, comprising both passengers and cargo.  The boat's wider than average gangways were designed to permit the loading and unloading of barrels containing oil products.  After being retired from cargo service in 1967, De Hoop was put into storage and became badly dilapidated.  In 2017, she was purchased by a private owner, who restored her using traditional techniques, such as riveting.

Another view of Britannia and De Hoop.  Britannia measures 15.8 metres (51.8 feet) long, with a beam of 3.4 metres (11.2 feet).  She was originally fitted with a 35-horsepower 1-cylinder Kromhout engine, replaced in 1953 by a 2-cylinder 24D engine.  De Hoop measures 24.9 metres (81.7 feet) in length (following a five-metre extension in 1932), with a beam of 4.9 metres (16.1 feet).  Her Deutz 1-cylinder engine was installed in 1932.

The sailing clipper De Kaper was built at the Vlijt shipyard in the Friesland village of Gaastmeer in 1914.  She measures 29.5 metres (96.8 feet) in length, with a beam of 5.5 metres (18 feet), and is powered by a Mercedes-Benz engine.  In service, De Kaper was used to transport up to 161 tons of various cargoes, such as gravel, sand, rice, potatoes, and peat.  Although the fast speed of such sailing clippers was useful when carrying perishable foodstuffs, their streamlined design reduced the amount of total cargo that could be carried.  In 1947, De Kaper was converted into a motor clipper and, in the 1960s, served for several years as a floating gunpowder storage depot in Hardenberg for the Dutch Ministry of Defence.  During her long career, De Kaper sailed mostly on Dutch inland waterways but occasionally made voyages to Germany, Belgium, and France.  Withdrawn from commercial service in 1998, De Kaper has been converted into a residence for her private owners.

The luxury motor yacht Trots Alles (Proud of Everything) was built at the Voorwaarts shipyard in West-Graftdijk in 1940.  She measures 30.4 metres (99.7 feet) in length, with a beam of 5.4 metres (17.7 feet).  Trots Alles displays building styles and techniques developed in the 1930s and 1940s, such as large windows in the living spaces and the interchangeable use of riveting and welding.  Trots Alles's sharp vertical bow, saloon deckhouse, and wheelhouse are characteristic of early-20th century motor yacht designs.  Records indicate that Trots Alles was originally fitted with cargo-loading gear, which was later removed.  Originally, she sailed between Groningen and Zaandam, carrying up to 170 tons of wheat to Zaandam and flour on the return journey.  Sold to a new owner in 1972 and renamed Parma, the boat was renamed Furie several years later.  The boat's current owner restored her original name and, as part of a restoration project, removed a five-metre hull extension added in 1950, removed the deckhouse, and re-installed the cargo-loading gear.

The single-masted clipper Eben Haezer, built in 1906 by the Van Duijvendijk shipyard in Lekkerkerk for K.M. van Dijke of Sint Philipsland.  She measures 29 metres (95.1 feet) in length, with a beam of 5.6 metres (19.2 feet).  This design of clipper originated during the period of transition between wooden and iron shipbuilding, with characteristic features being the flared bow and a peaked, overhanging stern.  K.M. van Dijke used the vessel for many years to transport up to 43 tons of sand, gravel, and beets throughout the south of Holland and Belgium.  In the 1950s, Eben Haezer was motorised and her sailing rig removed.  In 1964, she was further modernised by van Dijke's son, who took over the family shipping business; this modernisation included the addition of a wheelhouse, a six-metre extension of the hull, and the installation of a 185-horsepower Mercedes engine.  Eben Haezer continued in service as a cargo vessel until 1995, when she was purchased and transformed into a houseboat.  This work included shortening the vessel to her original length and height, adding wooden hatch covers and leeboards, and removing the wheelhouse.  Further restoration, including the return of the sailing rig, continued under a new owner from 2008 and, in 2010, Eben Haezer sailed for the first time in nearly 60 years.

The tugboat Adriana, built at the Vliet shipyard in the Dutch village of Veur (now part of Leidschendam) in 1933.  She measures 10.2 metres (33.5 feet) in length, with a beam of 2.8 metres (9.2 feet).  Adriana is powered by a DAF 5.75-litre turbo diesel engine.  In 1938, Adriana was moved to Belgium, converted for push towing, and renamed Michel while in service with the company Kalis SA.  In 2007, the boat returned to the Netherlands for recreational use by five friends who have been restoring her.

The Frisian clipper Stern, built in 1910 by the Zwolsman shipyard in the Dutch village of Makkum.  She measures 25.7 metres (84.3 feet) in length, with a beam of 5.1 metres (16.7 feet).  Named West-Friesland when originally built, this cargo vessel was designed to sail on the major Dutch rivers and waterways.  Such Friesland clippers quickly became the universal ship, suitable for all types of freight.  The design is recognisable by the S-curve in the sternpost, the widening bow, and the flaring stern.  The rudder is fitted through the deck instead of being attached to the rear of the vessel.  In 1937, West-Friesland was converted into a motor cargo vessel with the installation of a 2-cylinder, 90-horsepower Elve crude oil diesel engine.  The current owner began restoring the vessel to her original condition in 1980, with a Gardner 6LW engine now providing power.

Rehoboth, built at the Mol shipyard in Dedemsvaart in 1911.  She measures 25.9 metres (85 feet) in length, with a beam of five metres (16.4 feet).  Rehoboth was designed to carry 125 tons of peat from the peatlands in the east of the Netherlands to the major cities in the west, via the Zuiderzee.  The boat's hull was built to be very 'full' in order to carry as much cargo as possible.  Rehoboth's design was derived from the Dutch inland clipper, but features a full, rounded stern; this provided more living space for the skipper and his family.  When sailing through long, small canals, a smaller sailing rig was usually used.  The boat's first skipper named her Evolutie (Evolution), while the name Rehoboth was conferred by her second skipper.  Rehoboth is a water source in the former Mesopotamia mentioned in the Bible; it was a water source peacefully used by all of the tribes living in that area and thus the name Rehoboth symbolises the concepts of harmony and peace.

The Groningen zeetjalk (sea-going barge) Annechiena Willemiena, built by the shipyard of G. van der Werf in Stadskanaal in 1893.  She measures 24.5 metres (80.4 feet) in length, with a beam of 2.1 metres (6.9 feet).  Annechiena Willemiena was built for Hendrik (Pieters) Bul at a cost of 3,100 Dutch guilders.  The Dutch tjalk, a single-masted, flat-bottomed sailing ship, was one of the first types of vessel to be built of iron in the late-19th century.  Since iron was a relatively new building material, the original wooden construction was copied almost exactly, being particularly evident in the boat's stem.  Sea-going tjalks like Annechiena Willemiena were larger than tjalks designed for use on inland waterways, and insurance companies also required the sea-going tjalks to be built more strongly so that a sea certificate could be issued.  In 1901, a sea certificate was issued for Annechiena Willemiena and she transported grain to Scandanavia and timber on return journeys to the Netherlands.  From 1912, Annechiena Willemiena ceased undertaking sea voyages and after 1952 no longer sailed under her own power, instead being moved by tugboat.  In 1977, the ship was purchased by a new owner, re-rigged for sailing, and converted into a houseboat.  In addition to sails, Annechiena Willemiena has a MAN 6-cylinder, 150-horsepower engine.

The cargo vessel De Tijd Zal ’t Leren (Time will tell), built in 1927 by the shipyard of Th.J. Fikkers in Foxhol.  She measures 24 metres (78.7 feet) in length, with a beam of 4.5 metres (14.8 feet).  Launched under the name Verandering (Change), her skipper, Thies van der Hoek, registered the boat under the name De Tijd Zal ’t Leren three days later.  Steep-stem vessels such as this are recognisable by their straight bow, bulbous stern, and light construction, with dimensions determined by the size of the locks and canals in the northern Netherlands.  Between 1927 and 1933, De Tijd Zal ’t Leren transported British coal and cardboard between Harlingen and the province of Groningen, carrying up to 80 tons each trip.  In 1961, van der Hoek passed the boat to his son who renamed her Grietje, after his wife.  Between 1965 and 1969, Grietje sailed between Groningen and Amsterdam under skipper Georg Bakker.  In 1986, she was converted to a houseboat and regained her old name, De Tijd Zal ’t Leren.  Only in 2000 was an engine installed aboard.

The tugboat Stad Gent (City of Ghent), built by the shipyard of Nicolaas Witsen in Alkmaar in 1931.  She measures 15.6 metres (51.2 feet) in length, with a beam of 3.5 metres (11.5 feet) and a draught of 1.2 metres (3.9 feet).  Launched on 15 February 1931, Stad Gent immediately sailed for Belgium, where she worked as a harbour tug in the port of Ghent.  In 1962, she was sold and returned to the Netherlands under the new name Baco III.  Operated by a contracting company in Halfweg for the next 12 years, little is known about the boat between the years 1974 and 1993, except that she was drydocked in the Waal floodplains for around a decade and fell into disrepair.  From 1993, she was owned as a recreational craft by various private owners and her original name was restored.  Stad Gent's current engine is a Kromhout 5-cylinder 5-TS-117 originally built for the De Valle pumping station in Colijnsplaat in the southern Netherlands; the engine was installed in Stad Gent around 2001.  Of note, the original wood panelling is still present in Stad Gent's cabin.

Flesschenfabriek Delft (Bottle Factory Delft), was built as a 'pack ship' in 1888, probably by the Otto shipyard in Krimpen aan de Ijssel.  She measures 19.5 metres (64 feet) in length, with a beam of 3.8 metres (12.5 feet).  Built without an engine, Flesschenfabriek Delft carried up to 42 tons of cargo and was towed along the sides of the canals in the provinces of North and South Holland; sailing rig allowed her to cross lakes.  The vessel first appeared in the records of the Ship Measurement Service in 1902, since prior to this time a record was not mandatory for ships under 20 metres (65.6 feet) in length.  In 1902, the boat carried the name Flesschenfabriek Delft, after the company which operated her.  She carried sand, an ingredient in making glass; coal to fuel the company's glass-making furnaces; and likely also cargoes of empty glass bottles.  In 1907, Flesschenfabriek Delft's sailing rig was removed, an engine installed, and her hold lengthened and heightened to permit 10 tons of additional cargo to be carried.  As part of restoration efforts, Flesschenfabriek Delft has been returned to her original length, height, and loading capacity.  She is powered by an Iveco 4-cylinder, 65-horsepower engine.

The tugboat Anna Sophia, built by the shipyard of J.Th. Wilmink in Groningen in 1907.  She measures 18.6 metres (61 feet) in length, with a beam of 4.8 metres (15.7 feet) and a draught of 1.8 metres (6 feet).  Named after the wife of shipowner E. Frater Smid, Anna Sophia has the same white band around her funnel as other vessels in Frater Smid's fleet.  As early as 1948, Anna Sophia was converted from steam to diesel power.  She served in the ports of Groningen, Dordrecht, Rotterdam, Delfzijl, Zwolle and, finally, Amsterdam, undergoing name changes several times during these years: Henri XXIV, Luctor 61, Gruno, Triton, Cor, and Gruno again.  The tug was retired from service in the 1970s and sold as a pleasure craft.  In 1989, the original name of Anna Sophia was restored by her then-owner.  Anna Sophia fell into disrepair over the years and was in particularly poor condition by 2012, when a thorough restoration began.  She returned to Museumhaven Amsterdam in 2020.

A final look at some of the historic vessels belonging to the collection of Museumhaven Amsterdam moored along the Oosterdok, with the prominent dome of the city's Basilica of Saint Nicholas visible in the distance.