Living afloat

The story of the Luxe Motor MS Watergeus and how to convert a Dutch barge into a houseboat

Hendrika Maria

• See also: Website of house boat museum

The houseboat museum is an unique project. I have visited many boat museums, but this one is special. You get a feeling. It is a very small boat, used till the 60's for commercial use, then a houseboat and since a couple of years used as a museum.

The Hendrika Maria on the Prinsengracht in Amsterdam

The interior is original, but slightly changed for museum use. It is small, entering the boat and having the original skipper's accommodation with bedroom and small washing table (kitchen???). The second room is now a reception desk, but used to be the kitchen when it was a houseboat. From the kitchen you walk into the main living room and also the biggest room of the boat. The next place is a small corridor and three rooms. One room is the toilet, another is used as tv room for museum (used to be a sleeping room??) and a room for th children to play (used to be???).

On deck are, as usual in Amsterdam, many flowers.

The boat is well maintained and worth a visit. The conservator has big collection of books on inland vessels and houseboats. If you ask, he takes time to explain and illustrate some of his ideas by showing these books.

Some pictures of the original back accommodation

The kitchen in the back accommodation

The bed in the old accommodation

The old accommodation

Some pictures of the current accommodation, made in the old cargo hold

Part of the living room, created in the cargo hold

Windows in the new accommodation

Going to the toilet, sleeping accommodation