What kind of museums do you enjoy?
We aren’t generally big on museums, but some locals recommended we check out the SS Rotterdam. With 11 decks and a massive engine room, there was plenty to explore.
The full self-guided tour was a bit expensive (about €33 for the two of us), but the day was well spent. Tickets include audio devices that key into points of interest all over the ship. Some portions – including the engine room – are led by guides, many of whom actually served on the ship during her hay-day. Our engine room tour was conducted all in Dutch, but we could scan in with our audio devices at each stop for the English prerecorded versions.
We saw everything from the captain’s chair to the pipes, levers, and wheels of the underbelly. The ship was originally used as a two-class transatlantic passenger ship and then retrofitted to be a cruise liner. It was also secretly outfitted to serve in the war if called upon, but it was never needed. It was ultimately retired and permanently moored in Rotterdam and now serves as a museum and floating hotel.
Check it out if you want a bit of local history. The welcome mat even conveniently reminds you of the current day of the week 🙂
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