New Amsterdam History Center’s Mapping Early New York

debuts

3D Model "Shipwreck and Salvation: The Wreck of the Prince Maurice 1657"

at the

Hendrik Willem van Loon Lecture, April 21, 2026

in the

Pilgrim Fathers Church in the Netherlands

NAHC is thrilled to announce a collaboration with the Pilgrim Fathers Church in Delfshaven, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.   Shipwreck and Salvation: The Wreck of the Prince Maurice 1657, an interactive 3D model, will be displayed there April 25, 2026, through September 2026. Please join us in Delfshaven for a celebratory opening at the Hendrik Willem van Loon Lecture on April 21 at 7:30 PM (19:30 hours). Tom Visée, NAHC Trustee, will present the model for the first time in Europe. Tickets to see the lecture in Delfshaven are available here.

The story of the shipwreck of the Prince Maurice in 1657, similar to the voyage of the Mayflower in 1620, highlights hazardous Atlantic crossings and demonstrates the complex legal system of the Native Americans with their democratic process that ultimately saved all of the passengers. More than 100 years later, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson adapted Native American councils and federation structures to help shape the American system of states, federal government, and representative councils.

We recognize the 400 th anniversary of Dutch influence in America, and the 250th anniversary of the resulting democracy. This event examines the trade and cultural exchange between New Netherland, New England, and the Netherlands that forged the basis for modern America. The exhibit will be open for the public during open church days, or by appointment. Guided group tours are also available https://www.oudeofpelgrimvaderskerk.nl/en/visit

Major Support for Mapping Early New York is provided by:

Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation, the Society of Daughters of Holland Dames, the First Families of New York, Ken Chase, the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in New York, the Netherland America Foundation, and the supporters of the New Amsterdam History Center.

The Hendrik Willem van Loon Lecture is supported by The Netherland America Foundation

The keynote speaker this year is William A. Harris, Director of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.

This annual event will reflect on the theme of Freedom as the core value binding the US the Netherlands. Join us in honoring Hendrik Willem van Loon's legacy and engage in meaningful discussions about democracy and history on April 21 at the Oude of Pelgrimvaderskerk in Rotterdam.