Open Tuesdays through Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Netherlands Maritime Museum in Amsterdam is located in the National Naval Depot, a warehouse built more than three hundred years ago for the Dutch Navy. The nautical museum focuses on the maritime history in Netherlands and has a collection which is said to rank among the most important in the world.

Outside in the dock visitors will see a replica of the Amsterdam, a sailing ship that sank on its first voyage to the East Indies. It has since been recreated, making a permanent home next to the museum, and draws many visitors to see the sailors 'living' onboard and manning the ship. If you're there at the right time, you might even hear the sailors singing old maritime tunes while scrubbing the deck and unloading cargo.

The museum and ship tell the story of the success during the times of the VOC (Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie), the first stockholding company and the Dutch colonial empire. Netherlands Maritime Museum has several floors with exhibits, stretching from paintings to porcelain from the Far East and other historical artifacts. From mid-June to mid-September, the museum is open on Mondays. Admission is 7.00 EUR and 4.00 EUR for children 6 to 17.