We are building something new!

From October 3

A new exhibition at the Maritime Museum Rotterdam, starting in October 2025, will tell the stories of maritime women. These stories have remained unknown until now, yet women have certainly left their mark on our maritime history and continue to do so today.

For centuries, women have embarked on ships, run shipyards, or worked in the harbor or fishing industry. Some even became pirates! Why? Out of a passion for shipping, to earn money, or out of love for their husbands or families. The exhibition focuses on women in shipbuilding, inland navigation, on shore, and also on board. They are all featured in the exhibition.

Curator Irene Jacobs conducted extensive research on this group for years. It turned out there were hundreds of women, some of whom we had in our collection. Further research was conducted based on these photos, letters, and other documents. The exhibition showcases some of this research, supplemented with contemporary stories.