2 Best Sights in Curaçao

Designed to resemble the interior of a ship, this museum contains more than 500 years of maritime and island history with model ships, historic maps, nautical charts, navigational equipment, and more. Exhibit topics include the development of Willemstad as a trading city, Curaçao's role as a contraband hub, De Alphen (a Dutch freighter that exploded and sank in St. Anna Bay in 1778 and was excavated in 1984), the slave trade, the development of steam navigation, and the role of the Dutch navy on the island. The museum also offers a popular ferry excursion through Curaçao's harbor every Wednesday from 2–3 pm (advance reservations required).

Housed in a restored 1853 plantation house that later served as a military hospital, this small museum is filled with artifacts, paintings, and antiques that trace island history. This is also a venue for domestic and international art exhibitions, and there's a sculpture garden that features work by local artists.