Watery Holland used to have few good roads. Transport of people, animals and goods took place mainly over water.  The Zuiderzee was an important link in this network of waterways. For centuries, sea-going and inland vessels alike sought their way in between the many shoals and shallows. Maps, beacons and navigational methods were important aids.

In the course of time, for every waterway and every type of transport a specific type of boat was developed. Shipbuilders kept trying to design the most ideal means of transport, resulting in a varied fleet plying the Dutch waters. 

Shown here are ship models and ship decorations, paintings and prints, as well as a number of maritime maps and navigation instruments that aided skippers to cross the Zuiderzee safely.