Museu Maritim de Barcelona

No trip to Barcelona is complete without a visit to the Maritime Museum, housed within the awe-inspiring Drassanes Reials—Barcelona’s royal shipyard. Steeped in centuries of nautical tradition, this grand Gothic building served as the hub of Mediterranean shipbuilding from the 13th to the 18th century.

Set just steps from Barcelona’s bustling port, the museum introduces you to the very soul of the city’s relationship with the sea.

Walking through its vast vaulted halls, visitors are immersed in a world of exploration, naval innovation, and sea-bound legends. The museum’s exhibits showcase everything from intricately crafted vessels and navigational instruments to full-scale replicas, including the striking 16th-century galley centerpiece that seems to sail through the heart of the hall. But more about this stunning centrepiece later.

A special boat on display is the Les Sorres X, a medieval boat that was unearthed during the construction of Barcelona's Olympic channel in 1990.
The 14th -Century vessel is one of the few surviving examples of the Mediterranean trade ships from that era. 

And of course, no visit to the Maritime Museum of Barcelona would be complete without encountering the full-scale replica of the royal galley "La Real" —a stunning 16th-century warship that famously led the fleet at the Battle of Lepanto.

Stretching nearly 60 meters in length, this majestic vessel once carried a crew of about 400 men, including an impressive 236 oarsmen. Its elaborate design showcases a Neptune figurehead riding a dolphin on the prow, and a triple lantern at the stern symbolizing Faith, Hope, and Charity. The ships were lavishly decorated with carvings and mythological motifs designed to impress Spain’s allies and intimidate its enemies
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Throughout the museum’s expansive galleries, visitors embark on a journey across centuries of maritime history—from majestic Mediterranean galleys  that carved paths through ancient trade routes to towering Atlantic Cruise Liners that once ferried passengers across oceans in style and luxury.
 
Nestled alongside these historic giants are exhibits on pleasure boats, the sleek vessels that bring joy to modern-day sailors each summer. With polished decks and streamlined designs, they offer a playful contrast to the weighty ships of the past, reflecting how maritime traditions continue to evolve—not just as industry, but as recreation and lifestyle.

When we visited, there was a powerful exhibition on the Catalan involvement in Colonial slavery. The exhibition focuses on the period between 1821 and 1886, when slavery was outlawed yet Catalonia's involvement in human trafficking intensified - especially in Cuba and Puerto Rico. Through maps, artifacts, paintings and testimonies, the exhibition traces the journey of enslaved Africans from coastal "factories" to sugar plantations.