Housed in a 350-year-old warehouse, formerly an arsenal for the Admiralty of Amsterdam, the Scheepvaartmuseum (Maritime Museum) is truly one of the best maritime museums in the world, offering the most comprehensive look at the Netherlands' centuries-long tie to the sea.There's an extensive exhibit on the Dutch East India Company, touting the important role it played in early international trade. Visitors can climb aboard a replica of the merchant ship Amsterdam, which sank off the coast of Hastings, England in 1749 on its first trip to the Spice Islands, now known as Indonesia. During the warm summer months, actors recreate life aboard the ship.