Description of the attraction
The Imperial Ship Museum acquaints visitors with the history of the relationship between man and the sea over the past thousand years. Hundreds of documents from the mid-18th to mid-20th centuries document the travel and traditions of the merchant and navy, and an extensive collection of nautical charts, compasses, sextants, and other instruments illustrate the evolution of maritime navigation equipment over the centuries. The most interesting section of the museum, one of the first in Europe, is dedicated to wooden shipbuilding - models and artistic reconstructions of shipyards, ships and equipment are exhibited here. In total, the museum has collected over 150 ship models, as well as documents, uniforms, medals, sailors' everyday items, memorabilia and other relics. In addition to the rooms dedicated to the Navy, deep diving and sailing around Cape Horn, the Ship Museum can offer its guests an interesting specialized library.
The building itself, which houses the museum, deserves special attention - a beautiful 19th-century palazzo in Piazza Duomo, directly opposite the magnificent Cathedral of San Maurizio, dominating the rocky promontory of Porto Maurizio.
The Imperial Ship Museum was founded in 1980 and gained worldwide recognition in a relatively short period of time. Its creator and first director was Captain Flavio Serafini, who was able to join the efforts of numerous enthusiasts and scientists researching maritime history. The result of Serafini's undertaking was the preservation of unique exhibits related to the history of the Ligurian and Italian fleets. Interestingly, the museum employees are members of the Friends of the Ship Museum association - former naval officers, captains of the merchant fleet, teachers of maritime disciplines, divers, scientists, etc.
