Maritime Museum Genoa

We had a wonderful day at the Maritime Museum which had marvellous displays related to ships, navigation, exploration, maps. emigration and more!

All those history lessons about the Age of Exploration came to ind.

Putting aside the horrors of colonial rule and the sacking of riches from the New World, the technical advancementeswere very interesting to see.

|It was 5 floors of fantastic exhibitions, describing the history of navigation in general as well as the role of Genoa. On the top floor there was a very impressive display based around emigration(Italians leaving) and immigration (people arriving more recently from many countries). It was impressive because it presented the stories of immigrants to Italy in a very sympathetic way. Genoa is home to many migrants, and this display was focused on building tolerance and understanding.

There was also a large section dedicated to the experience of Italians who emigrated to the Americas. The boats that transported them there left from the quay on which the museum was built.

Visitors could look up all sorts of information about families who had emigrated.

On the top floor there was an exhibition devoted to the sinking of the luxury liner the  Andrea Doria in 1956. It was excellently curated.

Some similarities with the Titanic - it was a luxury liner that as built in 1953,  very innovative and stylish for the time. It marked the rebirth of Italian elegance and lavishness. Unfortunately it sank after a collision with another ship. The rescue mission was heroic, but many lives were lost. A video on YourTube here tells the story.