Scheepvaart Museum
Encyclopedia
The Nederlands Scheepvaartmuseum (Netherlands Maritime Museum) is a museum in Amsterdam
, The Netherlands. The museum is housed in a former naval storehouse, 's Lands Zeemagazijn or Admiraliteits Magazijn, designed by the Dutch architect Daniël Stalpaert
and constructed in 1656. The museum moved to this building in 1973.
The museum is dedicated to maritime history
and contains many artifacts associated with shipping
and sailing
. The collection contains, among other things, paintings, scale models, weapons and world maps. The paintings depict Dutch naval officers such as Michiel de Ruyter
and impressive historical sea battles.
The map collection includes works by famed 17th-century cartographers Willem Blaeu
and his son Joan Blaeu
. The museum also has a surviving copy of the first edition of Maximilian Transylvanus'
work, De Moluccis Insulis, the first to describe Ferdinand Magellan's
voyage around the world.
Moored outside the museum is a replica of the Amsterdam
, an 18th-century ship which sailed between the Netherlands and the East Indies
. The replica was built in the years 1985-1990.
The museum is finishing a major renovation and will reopen on October 2nd 2011.
The Belgian naval history is also housed in a museum called 'scheepvaartmuseum'.
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, The Netherlands. The museum is housed in a former naval storehouse, 's Lands Zeemagazijn or Admiraliteits Magazijn, designed by the Dutch architect Daniël Stalpaert
Daniël Stalpaert
Daniël Stalpaert or Daniel Stalpert , was a Dutch architect who worked on the new town hall of Amsterdam, now the Royal Palace.-Biography:...
and constructed in 1656. The museum moved to this building in 1973.
The museum is dedicated to maritime history
Maritime history
Maritime history is the study of human activity at sea. It covers a broad thematic element of history that often uses a global approach, although national and regional histories remain predominant...
and contains many artifacts associated with shipping
Shipping
Shipping has multiple meanings. It can be a physical process of transporting commodities and merchandise goods and cargo, by land, air, and sea. It also can describe the movement of objects by ship.Land or "ground" shipping can be by train or by truck...
and sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
. The collection contains, among other things, paintings, scale models, weapons and world maps. The paintings depict Dutch naval officers such as Michiel de Ruyter
Michiel de Ruyter
Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter is the most famous and one of the most skilled admirals in Dutch history. De Ruyter is most famous for his role in the Anglo-Dutch Wars of the 17th century. He fought the English and French and scored several major victories against them, the best known probably...
and impressive historical sea battles.
The map collection includes works by famed 17th-century cartographers Willem Blaeu
Willem Blaeu
Willem Janszoon Blaeu , also abbreviated to Willem Jansz. Blaeu, was a Dutch cartographer, atlas maker and publisher....
and his son Joan Blaeu
Joan Blaeu
Joan Blaeu was a Dutch cartographer.He was born in Alkmaar, the son of cartographer Willem Blaeu.In 1620 he became a doctor of law but he joined the work of his father. In 1635 they published the Atlas Novus in two volumes...
. The museum also has a surviving copy of the first edition of Maximilian Transylvanus'
Maximilianus Transylvanus
Maximilianus Transylvanus , also Maximilianus of Transylvania and Maximilian von Sevenborgen , was a sixteenth century author based in Flanders who wrote the earliest account published on Magellan and Elcano's first circumnavigation of the world...
work, De Moluccis Insulis, the first to describe Ferdinand Magellan's
Ferdinand Magellan
Ferdinand Magellan was a Portuguese explorer. He was born in Sabrosa, in northern Portugal, and served King Charles I of Spain in search of a westward route to the "Spice Islands" ....
voyage around the world.
Moored outside the museum is a replica of the Amsterdam
VOC ship Amsterdam
The Amsterdam was an 18th-century cargo ship of the Dutch East India Company. The ship started its maiden voyage from Texel to Batavia on 8 January 1749, but was wrecked in a storm on the English Channel on 26 January 1749. The shipwreck was discovered in 1969 in the bay of Bulverhythe, United...
, an 18th-century ship which sailed between the Netherlands and the East Indies
East Indies
East Indies is a term used by Europeans from the 16th century onwards to identify what is now known as Indian subcontinent or South Asia, Southeastern Asia, and the islands of Oceania, including the Malay Archipelago and the Philippines...
. The replica was built in the years 1985-1990.
The museum is finishing a major renovation and will reopen on October 2nd 2011.
Other museums
Other museums on the naval history of the Netherlands are:- The Fries Scheepvaart Museum in SneekSneekSneek is a city southwest of Leeuwarden and seat of the former municipality of Sneek in the province of Friesland . As for 2011 it is part of the municipality Súdwest Fryslân...
- The Scheepvaartmuseum in Groningen.
- The Maritiem Museum RotterdamMaritime Museum RotterdamThe Maritime Museum Rotterdam is a maritime museum in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Dedicated to naval history, it was founded in 1873 by Prince Henry of the Netherlands. One of the major attractions is the 19th-century ironclad ram ship HNLMS Buffel, which is moored outside of the museum.-External...
- The Dutch Navy MuseumDutch Navy MuseumThe Dutch Navy Museum is a naval museum in Den Helder, Netherlands.The museum is dedicated to the history of the Koninklijke Marine ....
in Den Helder
The Belgian naval history is also housed in a museum called 'scheepvaartmuseum'.
- The Nationaal Scheepvaartmuseum in Antwerp