Maassluis combines the history of tugboat shipping with art, architectural history and walking and cycling tours. Its different themes offer a range of ways to enjoy a stay: you can explore the maritime past, visit collections and historic buildings, or choose one of the routes described here.
Tugboat Shipping and Maritime History
The Nationaal Sleepvaart Museum in Maassluis tells the story of tugboat shipping in the Netherlands and is the only museum of its kind in the country. The museum ship Hudson offers a different perspective on seafaring: it is the only pre-war seagoing tugboat preserved in the Netherlands and features an exhibition about seafaring during the Second World War. Historic tugboats and a salvage vessel are moored at the Museumshaven Sleepboothaven Maassluis.
These different maritime themes sit side by side: the history of tugboat shipping, seafaring during the Second World War, and historic vessels in the museum harbour. If you want to plan your stay around one of them, you can decide in advance whether to focus on the history of an entire branch of shipping, the exhibition aboard the Hudson, or the vessels moored in the harbour.
Art, Architectural History and Cultural Venues
Museum Maassluis presents modern visual art and the history of the city under one roof. Its exhibits include models of buildings and fishing vessels, as well as objects from crafts and everyday life. The collection thus brings art and local history together with examples from various aspects of daily life.
The Groote Kerk in Maassluis was built between 1629 and 1639. Its tower houses a carillon, which the town carillonneur plays regularly. You can climb the tower by arrangement; from the top, the view extends across the historic city centre. A visit to the church therefore brings architectural history together with a sweeping view of the centre.
The Korenmolen De Hoop tells a different story of architecture. Built in 1690 and fully restored in 1980–81, it has milled grain on a small scale ever since. Exhibitions, workshops and presentations are held at the Douanehuisje at the tip of the outer harbour. The house is used for this purpose by artists, collectors, associations and cultural organisations.
On Foot, by Bike or on the Water
De 9 rondom Maassluis is a nine-kilometre circular walk around the city. The QR-code walking route Historisch Maassluis offers a themed alternative: it passes various historic sites marked with QR-code signs and features stories about them. The self-guided route takes in a range of places. The two options offer different experiences: a clearly defined circular route in one case, and historic sites and their stories in the other.
For a cycling tour, Smaakmakers van de Polder covers around 15 kilometres through Maassluis, Vlaardingen and Maasland. The route starts at Weij in Maassluis and passes six local food producers and craft businesses. If you plan to visit a business, check its opening hours in advance. You can walk and cycle in the Boonerlucht.
The water offers another way to explore the area: from Maassluis, you can travel along the Noord- and Zuidvliet towards the green countryside of Midden-Delfland and discover the historic Delflandse Trekvaarten. This offers a different way to experience the landscape and its waterways than on foot or by bike.
The historic Monstersche Sluis was ceremonially reopened on 1 September 2018. The reopening created new opportunities for leisure boating: boats could then travel from Midden-Delfland to the inner harbour of Maassluis. This historical connection adds another perspective on the link between Maassluis and the hinterland, complementing the stories of tugboat shipping and the waterways.
When planning a stay, you can choose a tour based on its type and length: De 9 is a nine-kilometre walk, while Smaakmakers van de Polder is a cycling tour of around 15 kilometres.
For the main travel overview: Maassluis.
