Scheepvaart Museum (for)

This special KLM Delft Blue miniature depicts the National Maritime Museum in Amsterdam. KLM released the miniature on 21 January 2016, during the Dutch Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

The National Maritime Museum

The National Maritime Museum is housed in the former Zeemagazijn, also known as the Admiralty Storehouse. It is one of Amsterdam’s most impressive historic maritime buildings.

The building was designed in 1656 by architect Daniël Stalpaert for the Admiralty of Amsterdam. It served as a large warehouse for cannons, sails, flags and other equipment for the fleet.

The storehouse was built on approximately 1,800 wooden piles on an artificial island in Amsterdam’s harbour. Its enormous size reflects the importance of shipping to Amsterdam in the 17th century.

40,000 litres of rainwater

The building featured a special rainwater collection system. Approximately 40,000 litres of rainwater could be collected in the barrel-vaulted chambers beneath the courtyard.

This water could then be supplied to ships as drinking water before they set sail from Amsterdam.

Fire and reconstruction

During the 18th century, the enormous building began to subside. Buttresses had to be added to prevent it from collapsing.

In 1791, the storehouse was almost completely destroyed by fire. Only the outer walls remained standing. Following its reconstruction, the blackened brick façades were covered with white render, patterned to resemble large sandstone blocks.

During a major restoration that began in 2007, the façades were once again covered with white render, restoring the appearance the building had acquired after the fire of 1791.

From Admiralty Storehouse to museum

In 1795, the Batavian Republic was established and the five Dutch admiralties were abolished. They were replaced by a national navy, which continued to use the building as a naval storehouse.

The building retained this function until the early 1970s. Today, it houses the National Maritime Museum, which explores the history of Dutch shipping and Amsterdam’s maritime past.

KLM and the European Aviation Summit

On 21 January 2016, a summit on the future of European aviation took place during the Dutch Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

As the National Maritime Museum provided the setting for several important meetings in 2016, KLM commissioned a special Delft Blue miniature of this historic Amsterdam landmark.

Released on 21 January 2016, the miniature forms part of the collection of special KLM Delft Blue miniatures, separate from the annually numbered KLM houses.

FOM and FOR versions

Two versions of this miniature are known to exist. This is the version marked “FOR” on the underside.

There is also a version marked “FOM” on the underside. The difference between the FOR and FOM markings is very subtle and difficult to distinguish with the naked eye.

Address of the original building

The National Maritime Museum
Kattenburgerplein 1
1018 KK Amsterdam
The Netherlands

About this KLM miniature

• Building: The National Maritime Museum
• Historic name: Zeemagazijn / Admiralty Storehouse
• Address: Kattenburgerplein 1, Amsterdam
• Architect: Daniël Stalpaert
• Year of construction: 1656
• Original purpose: storehouse for the Admiralty of Amsterdam
• KLM release date: 21 January 2016
• Version: FOR
• Alternative version: FOM
• Type: special KLM Delft Blue miniature