Bartolomeu Dias Museum Complex, Maritime museum in Mossel Bay, South Africa
The Bartolomeu Dias Museum Complex is a museum facility in Mossel Bay with three main buildings: the Maritime Museum, the Shell Museum featuring a mollusc collection, and a historical Granary building. Together, these structures provide a complete look at the area's maritime heritage and natural history.
The complex opened in 1989 to honor Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias, who sailed around Africa's southern tip in 1488 as the first European to do so. This achievement changed the course of global trade and navigation forever.
The ethnobotanical garden displays plants that local communities have traditionally used for food, medicine, and daily life. A Braille pathway lets visitors explore these plants through touch and experience how people connected with nature.
The site offers guided tours and educational programs for visitors of all ages. You'll find a souvenir shop, parking, and nearby restaurants that make planning your visit straightforward.
Inside the Maritime Museum stands a full-size replica of Dias's caravel ship, showing how maritime technology worked in the 15th century. This model reveals how small and simple these vessels were compared to later ships, yet capable of crossing vast oceans.
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