Fort Zoutman

Fort Zoutman was built by the Dutch in 1798 on what was then the waterfront of Oranjestad, a small square fort against pirates and privateers, and it is the oldest surviving building on Aruba. In 1868 the Willem III Tower was added to it as a lighthouse and clock tower, and the two together make the most recognisable historic structure in the capital. Land reclamation has since put the sea some distance away. The fort holds the historical museum, with material on the Caquetío period, the Dutch settlement, the gold and aloe eras and the oil years, and the Bon Bini folklore evening is held in the courtyard.

What you actually see

• The 1798 fort - the oldest building on the island.
• The Willem III Tower - the 1868 clock tower and former lighthouse.
• The historical museum - the island's story from Caquetío to oil.
• The Bon Bini Festival - the weekly folklore evening in the courtyard.

When to go

Year-round; the museum keeps weekday hours. The Bon Bini Festival runs on Tuesday evenings in the courtyard with folk music, dance and craft stalls. Cruise days fill central Oranjestad.

Honest expectations

It is small and takes under an hour. The museum has had periods of closure and its displays are modest. Land reclamation has left the fort inland from the water it was built to guard, which weakens the setting. The Bon Bini Festival is a tourist-facing folklore evening rather than a community event.

Nearby

Oranjestad's centre is around it; the cruise berth is a short walk.