naval ship speaks volumes
don’t be scared
The MS Buffel was launched in 1868 as the very latest innovation in the defence of the Dutch coast. The armoured ship with steam engines was equipped with a secret weapon: a ram just under the water line, designed to ram enemy ships. As there were no longer sea battles, the ship was refurbished as a ‘floating barracks’. As many as 350 sailors sometimes slept on board in hammocks.
Tinker has breathed new life into the museum ship by telling and illustrating stories of the ship and its crew. During your visit to the ship you listen to a conversation in the wardroom, receive a navigation lesson from the lieutenant commander, learn how to stoke the engine boilers, and learn respect for naval discipline in the dark detention room. The cannons roar, and the cabin boy complains about the potatoes he has to peel… With audio, video and exhibits, the old times come to life again in a contemporary way. Now to be seen in the museum harbour in Rotterdam.