Naval Museum, Cartagena

Naval Museum, Cartagena

Housed in an impressive building on the harbour front which was the Maritime Instruction Headquarters. The area in front of the museum has a number of large 17 & 18 Century cannon mounted as if part of the harbour defence.

Entry fee is voluntary, but paying also gets you entrance into the Submarine Museum which is next door (we paid 3 Euro each). 

Now naval isn`t really my thing, but the museum covers the long history of the Spanish Navy from the time of  Ferdinand & Isobella up to present. There are artifacts from all eras: tools, ropes, flags, maps - some very interesting showing the "known world", including a copy of the map Columus had on his famous voyage to the New World! You`ll find weapons, cannon, models of various famous ships. Uniforms, paintings and lots of notice boards (all in English and Spanish). Sections on exploration, medical services, marine engineering, naval infantry and modern anti-piracy operations.

Painting of a sailor cerca 1900

A very impressive 1/56th scale model of a ship from the Spanish-American War (1898) 

Civil War Destroyer made by one of her crew

España Class battleship

I  was a bit puzzeled that the destruction of the Jaime I in Cartagena during the Civil War wasn`t featured among the exhibits, but I`ve found the Civil War is often glossed over in Spanish museums (like the Vichy period is in French ones).

Almirante Valdes

Príncipe de Asturias

START RU-35 SMG

Astra 9mm

   

Valero 50mm mortar   

Flag of the Republican Navy

Torpedo laucher

The boards on this were particularly good

2-man submersible (looks like something out of James Bond 😀

     
Early torpedo

Depth Charge launcher

Anti-Submarine launcher

The following photos were from a section on naval mine laying and detection, very impressive detail

I thought hanging the mine from the ceiling to show how it deployed was a great idea

Mine detection/destruction using a robot mini sub

My eldest son is working for a company who is designing drones to carry out the function right now as it happens.

How sea mines deploy

Cut out seamines

An interesting 3D model showing various mine sweeping techniques

Far too much to photograph and document, the staff were polite and very helpful (allowed us to store our backpacks and coats whilst we walked around). The gift/book shop was very well stocked and I could have spent a fortune 😀 As always my wife was incredibly patient and found stuff which interested her among the huge amount here. 

Highly recommended.