Maritime Museum of Asturias

Latitude: 43.6129303 Length: -5.7930460
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More than half a century of existence give much. A center with a tradition that has grown in attractiveness while it fattens its inventory and renews its facilities. It is flooded by sea drop by drop, but also by museum experience, both in its informative and conservationist aspect.

Ethnography , culture, and the sea as a factor in human anthropology are reflected in fishing and all the imaginable tools and implements. A vast collection showcases all kinds of fishing gear and equipment used by the sailors of the Cantabrian Sea . Some of the pieces are quite old, such as needles for making and sewing nets, fishhooks, and pins for braiding ropes and rigging. A special section is also dedicated to whaling , an activity deeply rooted in the area until the 17th century. Naturally, there are also scale models of the most characteristic fishing boats of Northern Spain , at least those from the last hundred years: the trainera, the lanchona or lancha mayor, the first steamships, the merlucera…; and a comprehensive exhibition of traditional boatbuilding. Everything is perfectly documented, with images illustrating the process from keel placement to launching, including the essential axe, the blueing, and the irons for careening or caulking.

Marine biology also shines brightly in this vast museum. This section displays samples of flora and fauna from the rich Asturian coast, including preserved, fossilized, and live specimens . If the Cantabrian Sea isn't enough, visitors can also enjoy a collection of exotic pieces from around the world , such as Pacific corals, shark teeth, and African turtle shells. The whale bones are sure to surprise visitors; in this case, they are exotic not because they come from afar, but because they are the last remaining evidence of the area's whaling past. They were collected on La Ribera beach in Luanco, and some are of spectacular size.

Another outstanding section, as are undoubtedly all those in the museum, is the one that clearly and impressively showcases the evolution of navigation and naval architecture from antiquity to the present day . In total, we can admire more than 50 scale models, patiently crafted by another type of sea lover and meticulous craftsman: the artisans . Phoenician, Roman, and Viking ships; Columbus's caravels; the galleys and galleons of the 16th and 17th centuries; and the magnificent ships of the line, the pride of 18th-century European monarchies. We also see later schooners, brigs, and corvettes, as well as the swift clippers that competed with steamships. Continuing our journey through time, at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, we encounter steam battleships, cargo ships, warships, and the modern-day oil tankers and rescue vessels. The appeal of this collection of models is complemented by a unique collection of ships in ceramic, ivory, crystal, and a curious assortment of toy ships belonging to the childhood of a good number of generations.

The museum's living map also features printed territories that have helped to date the sea and its travelers over time: an amazing collection of nautical charts from all seas and eras , maps, engravings, documents (navigation logs, bills of lading, insurance policies…), navigational instruments (compass, sextant, marine chronometer, log line…), photographs and numerous other objects.

We, privileged visitors aboard this great vessel, navigators in essence, traverse the sea to windward and leeward without hindrance, pausing at every point and feeling the true weight of the sea, its history, and its almost boundless nature. Curiously, we never step a single step off land.

Asturias Maritime Museum hours

WINTER SCHEDULE (September to June)
From Tuesday to Saturday: from 11:00 a.m. to 14:00 p.m. and from 17:00 p.m. to 20:00 p.m.
Sundays and holidays: from 11: 00 to 14: 0 h.
Monday: closed (except groups by appointment).

SUMMER SCHEDULE (July and August)
Every day including Sundays and holidays: from 11:00 a.m. to 14:00 p.m. and from 17:30 p.m. to 20:30 p.m.

School groups:
From Monday to Friday: 10:00 a.m. to 14:00 p.m. and from 16:00 p.m. to 20:00 p.m.

Asturias Maritime Museum Rates

· Adults and individual: € 3,50.
· Retirees, unemployed, over 65 years, cards, students: € 2,00.
· Youth, from 13 to 16 years old: € 1,50.
· Children up to 12 years accompanied free.
· Members of the Association of Friends of the Maritime Museum and ICOM Associates exempt from payment.
· Teachers from the Principality of Asturias, guides and companions of groups exempt from payment.
· Tuesday free admission.

Source: Maritime Museum of Asturias.