The Museum of Antique Boats (Arsenale Medicea) in Pisa is a fairly new museum that was specially created after a number of antique boats had been found by chance. The museum exhibits 16 old ships, the latest of which dates back to the 5th century.
Arsenale Medicea Pisa
Address, Opening hours and Admission
The address of the museum is Lungarno Ranieri Simonelli, 14-16, 56125 Pisa. Phone: +39 050 80578800. At the moment it is not possible to visit either the excavations or the museum.
History
The Antique Boat Museum is the direct result of an accidental archaeological find. In 1998, during the construction of a new railway, a number of perfectly preserved boats were discovered.
The city decided to exhibit these finds in a museum.
During the work, the site was turned into a kind of open museum, where lay people could experience the excavations and restorations up close.
In the museum 16 old ships can be seen, the newest of which dates from the 5th century.
In addition to the ships themselves, tools and other possessions of the sailors were also preserved.