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The Caribbean Naval Museum (Museo Naval del Caribe) is one of the most important museums in the UNESCO World Heritage listed historic walled city of Cartagena, Colombia.
Buildings of the Caribbean Naval Museum
The museum is housed in two buildings in the Old Town of Cartagena behind the Church of San Pedro Claver. One was a former Jesuit college, hospital, and headquarters of the Colombian Marine Corps. The other was the Hospital San Juan de Dios.
Visiting the Caribbean Naval Museum
Adult admission is COP$23,000 (as of April 2024), and it’s typically open daily from 10am to 6pm. Allow at least 90 minutes to go through the exhibits. Check the official website for more info.
Ground Floor of the Caribbean Naval Museum
The museum is broken down into two sections. On the ground floor is the first section, which contains displays about the naval history of Colombia from pre-Hispanic times to the formation of the independent country.
Displays have an overwhelming amount of information and it’s all in Spanish. Both aspects could be a turn-off to visitors, but interactive items keep your interest.
I found the models of all the Spanish fortresses and naval battles to be the most interesting, as well as a small display on the history of the building as a hospital.
Courtyards
After finishing the ground floor exhibit, I walked through a small courtyard with a canteen selling drinks and snacks. From there, I went upstairs and looked down on another courtyard before starting the second floor exhibit.
Colombian Naval History
The second floor covers modern Colombian naval history, starting with naval uniforms and a map of Colombian naval bases.
Next, I learned about important Colombian naval heroes such as José Padilla, who fought with the Spanish in the Battle of Trafalgar.
I also learned about Colombian naval battles such as the Battle of Lake Maracaibo, the Thousand Days’ War, the secession of Panama, and conflicts in the Amazon against Peru.
One display contained famous naval ships, while another described Colombia’s contribution to the Korean War. It finished with an exhibit about naval cadets.
Interactive Exhibits
The last section of the museum was the most enjoyable. I was able to enter a submarine simulator and press all kinds of buttons. Each button triggered a different noise that you’d hear on a submarine.
There was also the bridge of the Quitasueño, a former Colombian Coast Guard vessel. First I climbed to the top and had a look around.
Then I went into the ship to look at the controls. Another room displayed radar and other screens that crew members would monitor while on duty.
Another interactive boat was on display but out of order.
The final section included information on how ships are designed and built, and a scale model of a dry dock.
My Thoughts on the Caribbean Naval Museum
Overall, I think the Caribbean Naval Museum is an excellent museum, but as I mentioned earlier, there’s way too much information to keep visitors interested. If they cut down a bit, it would make it easier to enjoy without relying too much on the interactive exhibits. They would also benefit from including information in English to make it more accessible to foreign visitors.
