World Port Days 2026 at the Maritime Museum

See the Red Figee 12 in action

The iconic harbour crane from 1964 is a special piece of Rotterdam’s harbour history. During a demonstration, you’ll discover how the crane worked and why one of its legs was made longer, so that the crane could travel perfectly straight.

Discover the power of steam

Step aboard the Stadsgraanzuiger 19 and discover the impressive engineering behind this historic machine. See how the steam engine and air pumps worked together to extract dry bulk goods, such as grain, seeds and rice, from ships.

Family workshop at the smithy

Take part in a family workshop at the smithy and forge your own creation alongside blacksmith Bas, just as they used to do in the old days. Watch as the blacksmith works on maintaining our historic fleet and enjoy a spectacular demonstration with sparks flying everywhere.

Make your own skipping rope

Saturday and Sunday 11:30 - 16:00
Can you tie a knot in it? Discover the age-old craft of rope-making and make your own skipping rope. Adjust it to the perfect length and take your homemade skipping rope home with you!

Go treasure hunting on the sandy island

Saturday and Sunday 11:00 - 16:30
Grab a spade and go in search of hidden treasures! Dig in the sand and discover what lies hidden beneath the surface.

Long live plastic

Saturday and Sunday 12:00 - 17:00
From packaging to litter in the water: plastic is everywhere. Come along to this creative workshop to find out how plastic is recycled and give it a new lease of life.

Sing Along with Beachcomber Thijs

Saturday and Sunday
12:00 - 12:30 and 14:00 - 14:30

Come aboard the seagoing ship Zeemeeuw and join Beachcomber Thijs on a musical adventure along the coast and out to sea. With violin, accordion, piano and guitar, Thijs takes you to Bird Island, where birds from all over the world come together! Children can sing along, discover different musical instruments and learn through play about the sea, waves, tides and nature.

Meet the Hutten family on board the Annigje

Saturday and Sunday 11.00 - 17:00
Step aboard the historic Hasselt barge, built in 1908. This authentic sailing vessel, which is still in service today, offers a glimpse into how inland waterway skippers lived and worked around 1900. Meet the Hutten family of skippers and discover what it was like to live and work on the water.

Learn all about sailor’s knots

Saturday and Sunday 11.30 - 16:30
On board the historic tjalk Gruno, you’ll learn how to tie maritime knots, such as the figure-of-eight knot and the clove hitch. With the help of volunteers, you’ll have a go yourself. The Gruno sailed throughout the Netherlands until 1972 and offers a glimpse into how skippers used to live and work on a traditional cargo ship.

Come and see the tugboats from Maassluis

Saturday and Sunday 11:00 - 12:00 Take a look around on board vessels such as the Tonijn and the Bruinvisch and experience the rich history of Dutch tugboat shipping. Both of these historic tugs have been restored with great care and demonstrate how these sturdy workhorses were once used in the harbour and at sea.

Experience the history of the Balder

Saturday and Sunday 11:00 - 12:00 Step aboard the VL.92 Balder, a historic herring lugger from Vlaardingen. Built in 1912 for herring fishing using the ‘vleet’ method, the Balder is now a sailing museum ship. Discover what life and work on board were like and experience the history of Dutch herring fishing.

Boat trip: Take a cruise through Rotterdam’s port history

Experience the history of the Port of Rotterdam on a historical boat tour along the Nieuwe Maas. Step aboard the Volharding 1 or join us on the Dockyard V for a unique boat trip. Along the way, you’ll sail past landmarks such as the Erasmus Bridge, the SS Rotterdam and the Rotterdam skyline, whilst learning more about the fascinating history of the museum ships. Good to know: the boarding point is not in the museum harbour, but at the Zuid excursion terminal.

Excursion: Life and work on board

This tour takes you back to days gone by. Discover how families used to live and work on board – not just the men, but the women and children too. You’ll visit areas on board that are not normally accessible to visitors. A guide will take you to the living quarters and the mates’ quarters of the towboat Geertruida, you’ll meet the historical inhabitants of the Annigje and get a glimpse inside the skipper’s quarters of the Graanelevator. The tour starts at the Lighthouse in the museum harbour.

Excursion: A boat trip from Dak to Dok

Experience the World Port Days from the water, from a bird’s-eye view and at a historic shipyard. Take an electric boat trip through the Maritime District, enjoy the view from the Witte Huis and discover Stadswerf Koningspoort. Includes stories about Rotterdam as a world port and a visit to the ‘Launch!’ exhibition.

This exclusive guided tour is a special collaboration between Stadswerf Koningspoort, the Erfgoedhavens Rotterdam Foundation, the Witte Huis, Inside Rotterdam and the Maritime Museum Rotterdam.

Boat tour through the Maritime District

Take a look at our Stadsgraanzuiger 19 and the historic harbour from the water! Along the way, the skipper of the electric boat will tell you the story of the area and show you the most beautiful spots. Weather permitting, the electric boat sails several times a day.

Let’s drop anchor at Het Lage Licht for a while

Enjoy fresh coffee, delicious pastries, light lunches and tasty hot dishes at the museum café, Het Lage Licht. A charming meeting place where visitors and passers-by come together, and where culture and hospitality go hand in hand.

Discover the museum shop

Have a look round the museum shop and find an original maritime gift or a memorable souvenir of your visit. With a surprising range of items, there’s something appealing for young and old alike.