Museu Marítim de Mallorca: Life by the Sea

Recently, the Maritime Museum of Mallorca has been expanded, renovated and illustrated with contemporary murals. So if you are interested in life by the sea beyond beaches the Museu Marítim de Mallorca is a great place to connect with the history of the Mediterranean. While the sea has triggered longings at all times, for islanders it used to be supplier of food and transport route rather than a place for recreation.

Today, the setting of the museum alone is unique. It is located in the Cultural Center Ses Voltes in Palma’s old fortress wall, just below the cathedral. Each of the rooms features a historic vaulted sandstone ceiling and is dedicated to a different topic. You can marvel at a shipbuilder’s workbench, learn about the diversity of marine life and fishing, or about the history of lighthouses. There is also a separate area for children and a pirate chest with books about the sea.

SOMA‘s floor-to-ceiling illustrations connect the historical exhibits to the present. The realistic motifs are painted in bold colors, the artist’s unmistakable handwriting. Other than his murals on the streets of Palma he calls these #streetmar. And while almost every piece of street art is transient, his #streetmar murals are now permanent features of the exhibition.

In fact, the Museu Marítim de Mallorca has two locations. Next to the one in Palma there is another Museu de la Mar in Port de Sóller. Set in the medieval Ermita de Santa Catalina high above the sea, it is overlooking the harbor bay to one and the Mediterranean Sea to the other side. Next to the displayed objets both museums are dedicated to maritime projects and education.