Thousands of people enjoy this beautiful city every year. You really need to see, hear, taste and feel Hoorn for yourself! The past of the mighty Dutch East India Company that “maintained trade relations” with Asian countries in the 17th and 18th century with its beautiful ships, is visible everywhere. It is part of what gives the city its special atmosphere.

Museums
Hoorn has no fewer than five museums. The West-Frisian Museum shows us the distant past of the city, while the Museum of the 20th Century is a feast of recognition for the young at heart. The Hoorn-Medemblik Steam Tram takes you on a trip through time. The Poster Museum and the Toy Museum are also worth a visit.

Harbour
You can see the history of Hoorn in its harbour as well. Time seems to have stood still there. The sails are about to be hoisted, the deck swabbed; you can almost smell the spices that the VOC brought from their travels to the Far East. Of course there are lots of nice terraces; after all, there is plenty to see on and around the water.

City walk
The best way to get to know the city is on a guided city walk. The guide will pick you up from the ship, and in an hour and a half you will see the most beautiful places in Hoorn.

Sailing Heritage Centre
Here you will find an exciting maritime exhibition about the importance of shipping and fishing in the Zuiderzee area, and about shipbuilding and restoration. The space is attractively decorated with unique fishing attributes and ship parts, historical photos, and drawings by fishing historian Peter Dorleijn. In addition, you can see how Hoorn grew into a hub of international trade, thanks to the shipping industry. Sailing routes to all corners of the world originated in Hoorn. Thousands of ships landed there, with cargo, passengers and fish. Countless residents earned their living through shipping, shipbuilding, fishing and ancillary businesses.

Halve Maen
There are ships that have changed the course of history. The Halve Maen (Half Moon) is one of them. This VOC ship owes its fame to the voyage of discovery that the English captain Henry Hudson undertook to the East Coast of North America in 1609. This journey gave the impetus to the foundation of the New Netherlands colony and the settlement of New Amsterdam, today’s New York. However, there is much more to tell about the Halve Maen. It is truly a ship full of stories.

Visit Hoorn
A visit to Hoorn can easily be combined with a sailing trip on the centenary sailing ship Catharina van Mijdrecht. We will be happy to arrange this activity for you.