Uitkijkschip

In the Biesbosch National Park, a remarkable landmark rises: the Uitkijkschip (Lookout Ship). This artwork, part of the RiverArt project, takes the form of an upright ship that serves as a lookout tower while powerfully referencing the region’s rich shipbuilding history. From the bow of the ship, visitors are treated to a breathtaking view of the vast river landscape of the Biesbosch and, in the distance, the skyline of Dordrecht.

The ship is being repurposed by local entrepreneurs and placed upright along the banks of the Nieuwe Merwede. In doing so, it becomes not only a striking visual landmark, visible from the water, but also a physically accessible site that invites exploration. Visitors can climb the ship and experience firsthand how nature, culture, and history quite literally converge.

The Uitkijkschip blends seamlessly into its surroundings: over time, it will be reclaimed by nature, becoming overgrown with plants and inhabited by birds and insects. In this way, the ship once again becomes part of its natural habitat — without disturbing it.

As both artwork and experiential site, the Uitkijkschip gives new meaning to the Biesbosch — not only as a protected natural reserve, but also as a cultural landscape with a story to tell. The project exemplifies how art, heritage, and ecology can reinforce one another, together adding a new layer of meaning to this remarkable place within the Dutch river delta.