Discover Maassluis: Culture, Waterways and History

Culture and History

The Nationaal Sleepvaart Museum in Maassluis provides information about tugboat shipping in the Netherlands and is the only museum of its kind in the Netherlands.

The tower of the Groote Kerk houses a carillon that is regularly played by the city carillonneur. The Groote Kerk in Maassluis was built between 1629 and 1639.

The tower of the Groote Kerk can be climbed by arrangement and offers views over the historic town centre of Maassluis.

The Korenmolen De Hoop in Maassluis was built in 1690 and completely restored in 1980–81. Since then, it has once again been grinding grain on a small scale.

Historic tugboats and a salvage vessel are moored in the Museum Harbour Sleepboothaven Maassluis. The museum ship Hudson is the only pre-war seagoing tugboat still preserved in the Netherlands and presents an exhibition about maritime shipping during the Second World War.

Museum Maassluis presents modern visual art and the history of Maassluis under one roof. The exhibits include models of buildings and fishing vessels, as well as objects from crafts and everyday life. Museum Maassluis has four exhibition rooms.

The Douanehuisje at the tip of Maassluis’s outer harbour is used for exhibitions, workshops and presentations by artists, collectors, associations and cultural institutions.

The historic Monstersche Sluis was ceremonially reopened on 1 September 2018.

Maritime history, historic buildings, visual art and everyday life in the town are documented at various locations in Maassluis. The Museum Harbour preserves tugboats and a salvage vessel, while the Hudson, as a museum ship, presents an exhibition on maritime shipping during the Second World War. The picture is complemented by the Groote Kerk, the Korenmolen De Hoop and the Douanehuisje at the outer harbour.

Nature and Trails

The Avonturis nature playground is open daily from sunrise to sunset; admission is free.

At Avonturis, children can build dams in a stream. The nature playground also has a beach with a large play boat.

De 9 rondom Maassluis is a 9-kilometre circular walking route around the town.

The Historisch Maassluis QR-code walk passes various historic sites marked with QR-code signs and featuring special stories.

You can walk and cycle in the Boonerlucht area.

Smaakmakers van de Polder is an approximately 15-kilometre cycling route through Maassluis, Vlaardingen and Maasland. It starts at Weij in Maassluis and passes six local food producers and craft businesses.

The routes connect short explorations within Maassluis with trails in the surrounding area. The 9-kilometre circular walk stays around the town, while Smaakmakers van de Polder runs through Maassluis, Vlaardingen and Maasland. In the Boonerlucht area, walking and cycling are part of the activities described; the QR-code walk complements the routes with historic sites, signs and stories.

Waterways and Locks

From Maassluis, you can travel via the Noordvliet and Zuidvliet towards the green countryside of Midden-Delfland and discover the historic Delflandse Trekvaarten.

The reopening of the historic Monstersche Sluis created new opportunities for recreational boating; as a result, pleasure boats could reach the inner harbour of Maassluis from Midden-Delfland.

For the main travel overview: Maassluis.