Discoverthe local history, customs and cultural insights from the island at the St.Maarten Museum, located in a quiet side street of the Dutch town ofPhilipsburg. Take a break from the beach life and see what this little museumhas to offer.
The firstmuseum in St. Maarten opened in 1989 and has continued to expand ever since,thanks to the St. Maarten National Heritage Foundation. Exhibits in this museumaim to explain the island’s natural, social and political history.
See artefactsthat date back to 500 B.C., such as tools, sculptures and tombs, in themuseum’s informative permanent exhibits. Early human life on the island beganaround A.D. 1000 when the Arawak people arrived here from the South Americanjungle.
Discoverthe colonial history of the Caribbean and St. Maarten’s time as a Dutch,Spanish, English and French colony. Learn about the sugar farming and saltmining industries on the island during the time of slavery, when thecolonialists brought Africans to work on the mines and plantations.
See thePre-Colombian pottery and other artefacts found in an important archaeologicaldig at the Hope Estate area on the French side. Explore the HMS Proselyteshipwreck exhibition, featuring relics recovered from the Dutch navy ship thatbecame part of the British Royal Navy fleet after a mutiny. The ship sank offthe St. Maarten coast in 1801 and was a fascinating site for diving, leading tothe collection of relics and artefacts now on display at the museum.
Find St.Maarten Museum just off Front Street in the centre of Philipsburg. Parking isavailable nearby and the museum is open Monday to Friday. There is no cost forentry, but a small donation will keep the museum open and accessible toeveryone.
