Each area of this incredible museum is designed to make you feel the passage of time and admire unique pieces of underwater heritage, mostly original, with the exception of two scale replicas, one of them of the Santa Maria ship.
By Amelia Cuesta
Editorial Staff El Inmobiliario
SANTO DOMINGO – In the beautiful Colonial City, at 4 Colón Street, you'll find the Royal Shipyards Museum (MAR), the first underwater archaeology museum in the region. Its 16th-century colonial building occupies 1,200 square meters and houses a collection of artifacts from approximately 12 shipwrecks dating from the 16th to the 19th centuries.
What we know today as the MAR (Marine Shipyard) is the site of the first shipyard in the Americas, whose construction began around 1506. Here, ships were repaired and customs activities were carried out to collect taxes owed to the Spanish Crown for maritime trade between the Old and New Worlds. Originally, it consisted of two Gothic vaults and was completed about 40 years later with a third vault.
The director of MAR, Mónica Gutiérrez Fiallo, recounts that underwater archaeology began to be practiced in the Dominican Republic in 1976; where the State and rescue companies negotiated guidelines aimed at maintaining the transparency of the expeditions and the recovery of cultural assets, which is why in 1979 the architect Pedro J. Borrell created the Underwater Archaeological Rescue Commission with its headquarters in the Museum of Royal Houses.
From there, an exhibition was held of the first relics that became part of the collection of the Underwater Rescue Commission (Royal Houses headquarters), the Columbus Lighthouse and the Naval Museum of the Royal Shipyards, which at that time had a completely different museography than the current one.
After a period of inactivity, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) undertook a project in 2019 to renovate the Royal Shipyards Museum. Dominican architects, including Esteban Prieto and Eugenio Pérez Montás, were hired, with Alexy Cordones managing the project. The design was handled by Hidria-Reina de Corazones, while Cruz Apestegui provided naval construction consulting. The museography was the responsibility of the company Avanzia, with the collaboration of Pedro Borrell and a team of historians from the General Archive of the Nation, explains Gutiérrez.
Following these renovations, the MAR reopened in 2019 in a modernized phase, but like so many other things, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it only operated for a few months. After the health crisis subsided, it reopened in August 2021 during the current administration of President Luis Abinader.
At MAR, modern structures coexist harmoniously with the old without disrupting them. The lobby's glass walls allow you to appreciate its monumental columns, brick arches, and imposing wooden door.
One of the things that caught my attention the most was the soft lighting that contrasts with the light of the exhibited pieces, designed to give a more realistic touch to each space and immerse us in the story we are going to discover.
The museum design is contemporary, light and interactive; a welcoming and immersive space where, if you allow yourself and let your imagination run wild, you could even feel like a pirate about to receive millions in riches.
Valentina González, coordinator of the MAR, describes how the exhibition is segmented. The Royal Shipyards Museum is divided into five spaces, each with a different story and adventure.
In the room covering the 15th and 17th centuries, you can appreciate the first European shipwrecks in Hispaniola; then we move on to the 17th century with global trade; the 17th and 18th centuries with trade routes; the 18th and 19th centuries, which explains the European wars and conflicts in the Caribbean; a full-scale replica of the deck of the galleon Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe - this room is full of excitement, we see bunks, cannons, and they show you how people lived on a ship, how they ate and worked, even how to take care of themselves when they got sick -; last but not least, there is the room for temporary exhibitions and displays dedicated to underwater archaeology.
Several screens accompany the tour with information about each expedition and its history in four languages: Russian, Portuguese, Spanish, and English; an interactive, touch-sensitive map; odoramas, an augmented reality method that allows visitors to experience the aromas of goods from that era; screens with explanatory audiovisual material; and a cinema. They also offer free guided tours, the best option, as there are many more details to explore and share about each expedition
Each area of this incredible museum is designed to make you feel the passage of time and admire unique pieces of underwater heritage, mostly original, with the exception of two scale replicas, one of them of the Santa Maria ship.
Dedicated to establishing the MAR as one of the main museums and research centers for underwater archaeology in Central America and the Caribbean, they invite us on a journey where we can recreate the history of navigation with the evolution of ships and navigational instruments; learn about the similarities and differences of the cultures of the time, and live experiences that encourage knowledge of history and the development of Dominican identity.
Museum for the world
The MAR Museum welcomes school visits. For more information about their programs, please contact them via email or phone. Please note that visits are subject to change depending on the number of students and the number of people each guide can lead.
