Learn about Gothenburg’s history of seafaring and the lives of ancient mariners through diaries, simulators and an aquarium full of fish.
The Maritime Museum features models of merchant and naval ships, real sailors’ accounts of sea adventures and relics of Gothenburg’s history of fishing. After enjoying maritime-related history, explore the museum’s aquarium to see marine species that inhabit the waterways around Sweden.
Since opening in 1913, the Maritime Museum has been a commemoration of the importance of sailing and fishing in Gothenburg’s past. Browse exhibits that explore the time of development in Gothenburg, when the East India Company and the Swedish America Line were crucial institutions for trade and transport. The museum’s aquarium is one of the oldest in the world.
Take on the responsibilities of a 19th-century captain and commandeer a ship in the museum’s ship simulator. Discover how sailors lived on the seven seas in the large Memorial Hall, where you’ll find sailors’ diaries and authentic maritime relics. See priceless porcelain found within the sunken Gothenburg. Examine figureheads shaped like mythical creatures that were salvaged from well-known ships. Admire the intricacy of a scale model of the East Indiaman ship, Finland.
Children can find fun in the T/S Supertube exhibition, where they will learn from maritime films and load containers onto a ship. Young children will enjoy Knattegatt, a playroom resembling a ship. Take kids through the aquarium for a close-up look at eels, sea wolf and lobster, among other local species.
Find the Maritime Museum in the Old Shipyard Park, southwest of Gothenburg Central Station. Get there by tram to Stigbergstorget or drive and find parking in the streets nearby. Follow the Mariner’s Tower, a memorial to seamen topped by a bronze statue, to find the area. The prominent statue lies adjacent to the museum.
The Maritime Museum charges admission for adults over the age of 25. Tickets include access to the Mariner’s Tower and are valid for a year. Book in advance for guided tours of the museum or aquarium. The museum is closed on Mondays and public holidays.
