Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Nederlands Scheepvaart
Museum
For anyone who loves ships, the
maritime museum is a must.
Where sails, ropes, guns and
munitions were once stored is
now an Aladdin's Cave of nautical
treasures. Don't miss the Royal
Barge on the ground floor and
the East Indiaman Amsterdam,
moored outside
(see pp41 and
68)
. The museum is closed for
renovation from 2005 to 2007.
d
Kattenburgerplein 1
•
Map G3
•
020
523 2222
•
www.scheepvaart-
museum.nl
•
Open 10am-5pm
Tue-Sun & public hols; also open
10am-5pm Mon during school
holidays
•
Admission charge
Aquarium, home to more than
2,000 mesmerizing fish.
d
Plantage Kerklaan 38-40
•
Map G4
•
020 523 3400
•
www.artis.nl
•
Open
Apr-Sep: 9am-6pm daily; Oct-Mar:
9am-5pm daily
•
Guided tour 11am
Sun
•
Admission charge
Entrepotdok
The flat brick façades of
these typical 19th-century
warehouses, punctuated by
shuttered, arched windows,
seem to stretch endlessly along
the dockside. When owned by
the Dutch East India Company
(VOC), they were declared part
of a free port, and no duties
were levied here on cargoes in
transit. Now they have been
converted into offices and
apartments, served by pleasant
cafés and restaurants with tables
outside in summer.
d
Map G4
Artis
If you want to give human
culture a break, the zoological
garden makes a terrific contrast.
About 900 species are kept in
reasonably naturalistic surround-
ings, including a recently created
African landscape. Watch the
Japanese monkeys grooming
one another, the reptiles
slithering in their steamy jungle,
or the polar bears lazing with
menacing unconcern. There are
plenty of places where you can
shelter from the rain, including
the Planetarium, Geological and
Zoological museums, and the
Werf 't Kromhout
Museum
In the 18th century, the Eastern
docklands were packed with
shipyards. Today this recently
restored working yard is one of
the few remaining. It has surviv-
ed by moving with the times -
concentrating on restoration
when shipbuilding declined,
producing the diesel engine that
powered most inland waterways
craft, and doubling as
a museum. Its
displays include tools,
machinery, steam
engines, photographs
and an exhibition on
300 years of ship-
building in the area.
d
Hoogte Kadijk 147
•
Map
G4
•
020 627 6777
•
www.machinekamer.nl
•
Open 10am-3pm Tue
•
Groups by appointment
•
Admission charge
Artis Planetarium
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