Barcelona Maritime Museum
The Barcelona Maritime Museum is housed in a large former shipyard building with Gothic pointed arches and tall windows located directly at the port. Inside, extensive collections of ship models, navigation instruments, weapons, and portolan maps document maritime history from earliest times to the present day.
The shipyard building was founded in the late 1200s and expanded over centuries while serving as a royal ship construction and repair center. Archaeological excavations in 2012 revealed layers of medieval shipyard structures and beneath them a Roman graveyard, attesting to the site's long history of human activity.
The museum stands in a former royal shipyard, and this industrial heritage shapes the character of the space today. The massive stone walls and expansive halls give visitors a direct sense of how ships were once built and repaired, naturally connecting Barcelona's maritime traditions with the present day.
The museum sits directly at the harbor and is easily walkable, with wide corridors and ramps accessible to all visitors. The exhibits are clearly organized with informative labels on objects, making it straightforward to navigate your visit.
The complex houses a detailed replica of a 16th-century galley that fought in the Battle of Lepanto, showcasing the power of these historic warships. About 500 meters away, visitors can board the Santa Eulalia, a merchant sailing ship built in 1919, and experience firsthand what life aboard a real vessel felt like.
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