Dubrovnik Maritime Museum
Why should you visit the Dubrovnik Maritime Museum?
The Dubrovnik Maritime Museum is situated in the Fortress of Saint John. It is a very suitable place for it because the fortress protects the old city’s harbor. For centuries the guards needed to spread a chain from the fortress to the breakwater on the side. That was the way how the Dubrovnik Republic secured the port by night.
In the Maritime Museum, objects are dating from various periods. They help us understand how the navigation and the ship-building industry of Dubrovnik developed through the centuries.
Maritime Museum at the entrance to the old Dubrovnik port
The very beginning of the city’s history was in this harbor. It started much earlier than many people think. Already in the times before the common era, while the old Greeks were sailing through the Adriatic, they would stop in this protected bay. It was in the middle of the way between two Greek colonies. The Greek coins dating from the 4th century BCE found in the old port, confirm this fact. Little by little, the city of Dubrovnik was formed.
The inhabitants of Dubrovnik realized very early that the sailing would bring them profit. The region couldn’t provide them with natural wealth. That is why they needed to live from what they could get from the sea. Fortunately, our ancestors were very skilled. They traded by the sea, but later also through the hinterland. Firstly, they entered into several commercial contracts with the other Adriatic ports. Gradually, they progressed further to the Mediterranean. Since the 16th and 17th century their ships were reaching the shores of England and Portugal. Some of them even reached America and India. Suffice to say, the Dubrovnik Republic had 80 consulates and embassies in that period.
But what types of boats were they constructing? What did they transport? What would they do if the pirates attacked?
The answers to these and other questions are on the first floor of the Dubrovnik Maritime Museum.
In the 19th century, things changed. Even though they had sailboats, they couldn’t compete with the steamboats. The second floor of the museum tells us that story. There you can find out more about the modern maritime history of Dubrovnik.
A few things you need to keep in mind if you decide to visit the Maritime Museum in Dubrovnik:
- The entrance fee is 20 euro per person (adults); children (age 7 to 18) – 8 euro; children under 7 years of age – free
- With the same ticket, you can visit also: Rector’s Palace, Ethnographic Museum, Archaeological exhibitions, House of Marin Držić, Dubrovnik Natural History Museum, Gallery Dulčić Masle Pulitika, Museum of Modern Art
- The ticket is valid for 7 days and for one visit of each museum.
- To visit the upper floors, you need to climb the stairs. There is no elevator.