Guided tour through the Scheepvaarthuis

The Scheepvaarthuis (Shipping House) is one of Amsterdam’s best examples of the architectural style of the Amsterdam School (the Dutch response to Art Deco). It is regarded as an architectural masterpiece and we totally agree on this! Museum Het Schip organises guided tours through the beautiful building. An art historian will guide you through the building and will show you places areas of the building you normally won’t see.

The Scheepvaarthuis is designed by architect J.M. van der Mey in Amsterdam School style and was taken into business by six shipping companies in 1916. The Amsterdam School originated as an association of friends and took over from the Amsterdam society of architects Architectura et Amicitia in 1916. Amsterdam School exuberantly conveyed the architecture’s dynamics and structure, using vivid colours and materials and extensive ornaments. Nowadays, the five-star hotel, Grand Hotel Amrâth Amsterdam, takes up residence in the building of the old Shipping House.

Guided tours through the Shipping House every Sunday

We love to take our own guests who also love architecture, for a quick view inside the hotel. We show them the elaborate staircase, the bar lounge and restaurant Seven Seas. Our quick visits are nice to get a glimpse of the grandeur of the building, but we would definitely recommend you to take a guided tour through the building. The tours are organised by Museum Het Schip – another amazing example of the Amsterdam School architecture – and includes a cup of coffee or tea as welcome drink, a guided tour of about 1 1/2 hours and a delicious High tea or a smaller lunch. The tours including High tea are organised every Sunday. It is advised to make a reservation a week in advance.

Curious, but no time for a guided tour?

The hotel has a lovely bar lounge and a restaurant called Seven Seas. So if you don’t have time to do the guided tour through the Scheepvaarthuis with the guide of Museum Het Schip, then you can still enjoy the interior of the Shipping House and have lunch or dinner in restaurant Seven Seas, or have an High tea or a drink in the bar lounge. Don’t forget to take a look at the beautiful main stair case.

Guided tour Scheepvaarthuis

Address: Prins Hendrikkade 108, 1011 AK Amsterdam
Website: Museum ‘t Schip or Grand Hotel Amrâth