museum
Houseboat Museum
Step aboard a real houseboat on the Prinsengracht to see canal-living up close.
Photo: Tomas Navagrockis / Google
Moored on the Prinsengracht on the edge of the Jordaan, the Houseboat Museum (Woonbootmuseum) lets you step aboard a real Amsterdam houseboat and see what canal living is actually like. It's small, quirky and a refreshing change from the city's grand museums.
The museum is the 'Hendrika Maria', a 23-metre Dutch freight barge built in 1914 that once carried timber, sand and gravel before being converted into a home in 1967.
What you'll see
Below deck, the old cargo hold is now a cosy, fully fitted living space — living room, sleeping bunk, kitchen and bathroom — with a surprising amount of room and comfort. Photos, model boats and short films fill in the wider story of houseboat life in Amsterdam, where a few thousand boats serve as full-time homes.
Good to know
It's a quick visit — around 20 to 30 minutes — and just a few minutes' walk from the Anne Frank House, so it slots easily into a Jordaan wander. A self-guided audio tour is available in many languages.
Tips from locals
It's a quick stop, around 20 to 30 minutes, so easy to fit between bigger sights.
It's only a few minutes' walk from the Anne Frank House — combine the two.
Pick up the self-guided audio tour, available in many languages, to get the full story.
Check opening times before you go — being a single small boat, hours can be limited.
Mind your head on the steps down into the hold — it's a real boat, not a purpose-built museum.
Did you know?
The museum boat, the 'Hendrika Maria', was built in 1914 and originally moved under sail.
It spent decades as a working freighter carrying timber, sand and gravel before becoming a home.
It was converted into an 80-square-metre houseboat in 1967 and lived in until 1997.
Amsterdam has roughly 2,500 houseboats serving as permanent homes along its canals.
Many of the city's houseboats are old cargo ships converted to homes during past housing shortages.
FAQ
- What is the Houseboat Museum?
- A small museum aboard a converted 1914 cargo barge, showing what it's like to live on an Amsterdam houseboat.
- Where is it?
- On the Prinsengracht near the Jordaan, a few minutes from the Anne Frank House.
- How long does a visit take?
- About 20 to 30 minutes; it's a single boat.
- Is there an audio guide?
- Yes — a self-guided audio tour in many languages.
- Is it suitable for children?
- Yes — it's a fun, hands-on glimpse of life afloat, though watch your step on the boat.
Houseboat Museum, Amsterdam
Prinsengracht 296K, 1016 HW, Amsterdam