Noordelijk Scheepvaartmuseum: Groningen's Maritime Museum Then and Now
There is no ticket to buy for the Noordelijk Scheepvaartmuseum: the Groningen museum that carried that name for around 90 years has become Museum aan de A, a museum about the history of the city and province rather than ships alone. Its home on Brugstraat is temporarily closed while the medieval buildings are reworked, so a visit today means the surrounding A-kwartier, not the galleries.
What the Noordelijk Scheepvaartmuseum was
For roughly nine decades the Noordelijk Scheepvaartmuseum told the story of northern Dutch shipping from the medieval Canterhuis and Gotisch Huis on Brugstraat, using a collection that included the museumschip Emma and beurtvaart trips on the ZK4. In 2018 it drew just under 36,000 visitors, about 3,000 fewer than the year before, a dip the museum linked to the cancellation of its ZomerWelVaart festival.
Even then the institution was already describing a shift away from purely maritime themes towards the broader history of Stad en Ommeland, with temporary shows such as an exhibition of stereoscopic photographs from the Groninger Archieven pulling in local visitors.
What replaced it: Museum aan de A
The successor is Museum aan de A, named after the river A that runs through Groningen and gave the city its water, trade and drinking supply. The museum presents itself as a place about ordinary and extraordinary Groningers, covering both successes and darker chapters, from Rabenhaupt's 1672 victory to Groningen's involvement in slavery, alongside pioneering local women and portraits from the earthquake area.
Shipping has not vanished from the story: the museum says the topstukken of its shipping collection will form part of the new permanent display, and states outright that without shipping Groningen would not be Groningen. Expect a history museum with a strong maritime strand rather than the dedicated scheepvaartmuseum of the old name.
Where it is in Groningen
The museum occupies the Canterhuis and Gotisch Huis at Brugstraat 24, in the A-kwartier almost in the shadow of the Akerk, with its entrance soon literally on the Kleine der A. That puts it a short walk from the Grote Markt and the Martinitoren, so it slots easily into a morning in the centre rather than requiring a separate trip.
The A-kwartier is the quarter the museum is named for, with the Brugstraat and the Hoge, Lage and Kleine der A all carrying the name of the river A. Walk it slowly for the canal views, and treat the museum address as a landmark rather than a destination for now.
Opening status: closed for rebuilding
The museum is temporarily closed, and the museum has not published a reopening date. Work on accessibility and sustainability in the Canterhuis and Gotisch Huis is set to start no earlier than 2027, after which the rear extension of the complex follows, so the closure is a long one rather than a matter of weeks.
Because the complex is being tendered for construction, the museum states that direct acquisition is not possible there at present. There is therefore no ticket price, opening time or timed slot to plan around for Museum aan de A.
Museumcafé Het Pomphuis is already open
One part of the complex is operating: Museumcafé Het Pomphuis, with a sunny terrace on the Kleine der A, has already opened. That makes it the practical stop for a coffee while you are walking the quarter, and the one address on the site where you can currently sit down.
The museum has not published the café's opening hours or menu, so treat it as a bonus rather than the reason for the walk. Do not expect to see galleries or the shipping collection from the café side.
The collection and themes behind the closure
When the redone museum does open, the permanent exhibition will cover the history of Groningen with room for temporary shows and public activities in the entrance hall and museum rooms. Themes already flagged include the siege of 1672, the city's role in slavery, women pioneers and earthquake-area portraits, alongside the ships that made the northern economy.
The museum describes itself as a living historical meeting place with workshops, theatre, dance, music and lectures developed with partners including the Groninger Museum, the Groninger Archieven and Noorderpoort. That mix is worth knowing if you are deciding whether to return once the building work finishes.
What to see nearby while it is shut
The Akerk, the church that gives the A-kwartier its name alongside the museum, stands beside the museum site and anchors the walk. From there the A-kwartier streets lead back towards the centre, where the Groninger Museum on the canal side and Forum Groningen on the Nieuwe Markt give you two substantial indoor stops within walking distance.
If you want more of the city's historic core, the Prinsenhof and the Martinitoren are short walks away, and the Noorderplantsoen gives you a green loop north of the centre. Pick two of these to avoid turning a single closed museum into a rushed circuit.
Fitting the A-kwartier into a city break
Treat this as a short walk rather than a half-day stop: the museum is shut, the café is a pause, and the streets and the Akerk carry the visit. Build it into a loop with the Grote Markt and the Forum Groningen, and keep the rest of the day for open sights.
If you are planning several days across the city, use the Groningen Attractions: 7 Visitor Guides to line up which sights are actually open and how long each needs.
If you came for ships: the Amsterdam alternative
Travellers who specifically wanted a maritime museum can head to Het Scheepvaartmuseum in Amsterdam, which is open daily from 10.00 to 17.00 and closes on King's Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Adult admission is €20, students and CJP cardholders pay €8.50, and children aged 0 to 4 go free, with the Museumkaart, ICOM and I Amsterdam City Card accepted.
Note that the museum takes card and credit card payments only, not cash, and that these are Amsterdam prices and hours, not Groningen ones. It is a full day out from Groningen rather than a substitute stop.
Should you still walk to Brugstraat?
Yes, but for the quarter rather than the museum: the Akerk, the Kleine der A and the old streets around Brugstraat make a pleasant short loop, and Het Pomphuis gives you somewhere to sit. Skip it if your only reason was the shipping collection, since the galleries are closed with building work starting no earlier than 2027.
Plan the rest of your day around open sights, and if ships are the priority, book the Amsterdam museum instead of waiting for Groningen to reopen.
Explore more Groningen guides
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I visit the Noordelijk Scheepvaartmuseum in Groningen now?
No. The museum on Brugstraat has become Museum aan de A and is temporarily closed while the medieval buildings are reworked, with the alterations to the Canterhuis and Gotisch Huis starting no earlier than 2027. No reopening date is published, so there is no ticket, opening time or timed slot to plan around.
Where exactly is the old Noordelijk Scheepvaartmuseum?
At Brugstraat 24 in Groningen, in the A-kwartier almost in the shadow of the Akerk, with its entrance soon literally on the Kleine der A. It is a short walk from the Grote Markt and the Martinitoren, so it fits into a walk through the city centre.
Is anything at the site open while the museum is shut?
Yes. Museumcafé Het Pomphuis, with a sunny terrace on the Kleine der A, is already open, making it the one address on the site where you can currently sit down. The museum has not published the café's opening hours or menu, so treat it as a bonus rather than the reason for the walk.
Why did the Noordelijk Scheepvaartmuseum change?
After around 90 years the institution moved from a museum about northern shipping to a museum about the history of Groningen city and province — ordinary and extraordinary Groningers, successes and darker chapters from Rabenhaupt's 1672 victory to Groningen's involvement in slavery, alongside the maritime collection. The rebrand to Museum aan de A follows that shift, which the museum was already describing in 2018.
What can I see nearby instead?
The Akerk anchors the quarter, and from there the A-kwartier streets lead back towards the centre, where the Groninger Museum and Forum Groningen are substantial indoor stops. The Prinsenhof and the Martinitoren are short walks away, and the Noorderplantsoen gives you a green loop north of the centre. Pick two so a single closed museum does not become a rushed circuit.