Barcelona Maritime Museum

by David | Barcelona Museums

Situated just to the west of the Columbus Monument on the Avinguda de las Drassanes is one of Barcelona’s most interesting experiences – the Maritime Museum.

The Royal Shipyards, Reials Drassanes, were originally built in the thirteenth century and then, a hundred years later, made into their present imposing Gothic style, with long bays divided by high stone arches. Additions made in the seventeenth century, when the sea still reached into the shipyards, extended them enough to accommodate the building of the long ships necessary to sail the world.

The Maritime Museum, Museu Marítim, has many fascinating exhibits showing the connection between the city and the sea over the centuries. Of immediate interest to most visitors is the vast array of model ships in the museum – made up of exact half scale models built identically to the original ships. There are sail boats, men of war and an incredible full-scale replica of a 16th century royal galley. There are also some meticulously constructed half-hull models, showing a complete longitudinal section of a ship’s hull.

Columbus and Magellan are, as might be expected, the subjects of considerable focus in the museum but there are also some interesting ships’ figureheads, displays of navigation instruments from throughout history and a wealth of ancient maps and paintings. The completely restored schooner, Santa Eulàlia, is a part of the museum even though it is usually moored at a wooden pier in the old port. Tickets for the museum are valid for a visit to the Santa Eulàlia.
As is true of many of Barcelona’s wonderful museums, much of the enjoyment for visitors is gained from the actual buildings of the museum itself; you feel part of the rich maritime history of this historic port.

Location and Opening Times

Barcelona Maritime Museum

The Maritime Museum is very easy to find, being at the south end of Las Ramblas, facing the Columbus monument. There is a Drassanes Metro station on Line 3 and bus lines 14, 18, 36, 38, 57, 59, 64 and 91 all stop here.
The Museum is open daily from 10am until 8pm; entrance is €3, which includes the schooner Santa Eulàlia but it is also possible to buy combined tickets for the museum and Columbus Monument viewpoint (€7.20) and a boat trip around the port or a voyage on a catamaran (€9.60 and €14.40 respectively). There are various discounts available for children between 6 and 10 years old, students between 11 and 25, the unemployed and the over 65s. There is free entrance for all after 3pm every Sunday.