Naval Construction Museum, a space for the whole family in the historic Ferrol Arsenal

The city of Ferrol is one of the jewels still somewhat unknown to the tourism that visits Galicia. Although its origin is located in the medieval neighborhood of Ferrol Vello, the most central area, And Magdalenawas designed and built in the century XVIII following the standards of the Illustration. Many of the buildings of the time are still preserved, alternating with other more recent ones, among which those of style Modernist signed by him architect Rodolfo Ucha and with the galleries as protagonists of the urban landscape.

The legacy of the Enlightenment is abundant, but highlights the Arsenal Militaryraised with the contributions of historical figures such as Cosme Álvarez, Jorge Juan, Francisco Llobet or Sánchez Bort. Those constructions are still active today, many still fulfilling the mission for which they were conceived, others converted into unique spaces, such as the Shipbuilding Museum.

A few meters from Canton ‐the first urban alameda in Galicia‐ is located on blacksmith building. As her name indicates, she served as navy blacksmith and maintains its characteristic chimneys on the outside, as well as the spaces for the forge and the wells from which fresh water was taken inside. Completely restored but maintaining its spectacular structure, it now houses the Shipbuilding Museuman institution managed by the Exponav Foundation, in which the Navy and the administrations are represented and whose board of trustees also includes organizations and companies such as Navantia.

The museum is unique in Europe regarding its content; going through it means doing a journey through the history of naval building, from the first ships that were just a few wooden boards floating in the sea to the most modern warships and civilians. It is a space designed for the whole family: the little ones will enjoy visiting a recreation of the interior of an 18th century ship or participating in one of the workshops in which they teach how to tie sailor knots or look for clues to find a pirate treasure; the older ones will be able to appreciate everything from the instruments and way of working in a riverside shipyard to the latest milestones in naval design coming out of the factories in the Ferrol estuary.

models as imposing as the one reproduced by the Esteiro eighteenth-century shipyard or those of cruise ship Canarias and the aircraft carrier Príncipe de Asturias; royal ships of all kinds – from snipes even “polbeiros” boats- constitute some of the most striking pieces in the museum. But if you doubt the jewel of the collection es the wreck of the frigate Magdalena, sunk off the coast of Viveiro in 1810 and whose remains -which are now exhibited in a privileged space on the ground floor- were recovered in the 20th century from the bottom of the sea. Also impressive is the reproduction of a frame ‐the skeleton of a ship, in this case 18th century‐ in the reception area of ​​the museum, perhaps the most photographed place in the entire building.

Along the route we also find a life-size diorama that reproduces the operation of an old blacksmith shop; a space dedicated entirely to riverbank carpentry and a gauge room where we can learn how work was done in the first “industrial” shipyards, drawing the pieces of the boats with their real dimensions on the ground and choosing the most suitable woods for each of them by its shape and consistency. The propulsion systemsfrom sailing or rowing to motors also occupy a good part of this floor, in which the welding and riveting methods and the tools for executing the jobs are displayed.

On the first floor, the visitor can get to know the whole history of shipbuilding in the Ferrol estuary, from the 18th and 19th centuries to the creation of the shipyards on both banks of the estuary, first under the Naval Construction formula to continue evolving through different stages until it became the northern headquarters of the Navantia public group. Throughout this itinerary the visitor can find explanatory panels, models, photographs and objects from the different historical periods: from an old telephone switchboard or the first computers to the challenges of the shipyard 5.0.

The first floor also houses a exhibition of lighthouses and maritime signals with pieces donated by the Port Authority of Ferrol-San Cibrán and Puertos del Estado.

The museum also has a temporary exhibition hall in which samples of different artistic disciplines are usually made. It also has a interesting File, Archive y library with an extensive documentary collection of great scientific-technical value.

On the website of the Exponav Foundation there is the possibility of making a virtual tour of the museum.

Time:

Monday to Saturday: from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Sunday: from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

It is possible to arrange group visits via email [email protected] or by phone 981 359 682.

All visitor information here

–