A night in Amsterdam

At the end of a sunny spring day, yet still armed with a coat and scarf against the evening chill, I’m sitting on a tour boat cruising through the canals of Amsterdam. I pass the impressive facades of former warehouses and trading houses, picturesque alleys, houseboats, and countless bicycles locked to railings. Every few minutes, I have to duck my head as the boat passes under one of the low bridges.

I leave the boat at the National Maritime Museum, where the striking replica of an East Indiaman from the heyday of Dutch seafaring lies at anchor, and enjoy the view of the city at dusk. As darkness falls, the visible clues to the city’s different eras disappear, leaving room for the imagination to journey back to Amsterdam’s past as a thriving trading hub.

The building that houses today’s National Maritime Museum was built as a monumental warehouse in the 17th century and is impressive for its harmonious architecture. Since 2011, a delicate glass roof has spanned the courtyard; at night, it’s lit by many lights like a starry sky, giving the space a unique atmosphere.