A trip to the Bilbao Maritime Museum with our Spanish school

Although the modern Bilbao is constantly changing and developing, it has always had a strong connection with the sea. This is why one of its most popular tourist attractions is the Maritime Museum.

We paid a visit to this fascinating museum last Wednesday 13th, as part of the programme of free cultural activities which Instituto Hemingway puts on every afternoon for its Spanish students.
The Maritime Museum explores the evolution of the port of Bilbao, exhibits numerous navagational ítems and sometimes even offers the opportunity to visit some of the old boats moored in the museum’s docks. The museum is situated in the old wharfs, and boasts an area of 27,000 m².

We found out about the evolution of the port and of the history city itself, from its founding in 1300 until the present day. We also learned about the various modernisations that the port has undergone over the years according to the economic evolution of the city and the development of the shipbuilding industry: from wooden boats to steel ships to the very latest technologies.

One of our favourite exhibits was the glass mural entitled “The human side of the estuary”. As large as an entire wall, the mural is a kind of homage to the many people connected with the estuary.

Our students were amazed by how fascinating the museum was, and many confessed that it had by far surpassed their expectations.

What could be better for a rainy afternoon?