Cartagena Naval Museum (Museo Naval del Caribe)

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The walls and fortifications of Cartagena speak to its importance as a port and major seat of military power during the Spanish colonial era.

A visit to the Museo Naval del Caribe (or Caribbean Naval Museum) in Cartagena will give you some great insight into those fortifications and their role in defending the city from numerous pirate attacks.

The Naval Museum in Cartagena is also the city’s best overall history museum. It has a wealth of information about Cartagena’s history, the colonial attacks on the city, independence, and the modern history of Colombia’s navy.

Read on for a guide to the Museo Naval del Caribe, Cartagena’s Naval Museum, where you will learn what you will see, how to get there, and visitor information.

Cartagena’s Museo Naval del Caribe Overview

Cartagena’s Naval Museum, officially named the Museo Naval del Caribe, and not to be confused with the Museo Naval de Cartagena, Spain, is the best done history museum in Cartagena, Colombia.

It tends to take a back seat to the better known Palace of the Inquisition Museum, which is the official city history museum, but I think you can learn more, especially about the colonial history of the city and context on the walls and fortifications, at the Naval Museum.

As a history and museum lover, I say go to both, but if you only do one, I’d recommend the Naval Museum be that one. You might also want to check out my post on the best museums in Cartagena.

My favorite part of the museum is the models and maps of the different fortifications and attacks on the city, including by Francis Drake in 1586 and Edward Vernon in 1741.

These attacks led to the building of the city’s walls and an extensive network of fortifications, including the impressive and must visit Castillo San Felipe Fortress, and the forts of Bocachica at the entrance to the bay.

The exhibits on those fortifications and the attacks at the Cartagena Naval Museum really put those forts into context and highlight the geography and why they were located where they are.

There’s also exhibits on the San José galleon treasure ship that sank in 1708 near Cartagena that was only recently discovered, a nicely done exhibit explaining Cartagena’s important role in Colombian independence, an exhibit on Colombia’s little known role in the Korean War, and some neat interactive exhibits on Colombia’s modern navy.

So, there’s quite a bit to see here, and for those interested in learning more about the city’s history, especially about the attacks on it, the forts, or the city’s independence, it’s absolutely worth a visit. The interactive exhibits also make this the best museum for kids in Cartagena.

Cartagena Naval Museum Visitor Info

Here is the basic visitor info for the Naval Museum of Cartagena, Colombia:

Hours:

• 10 am-6 pm Everyday

Prices:

• Adults: $23,000 Colombian Pesos (COP)
• Students: $10,000 COP
• Seniors: $10,000 COP
• Military: $10,000 COP
• Children: $2,000

These prices were confirmed in November 2024 on the museum’s Instagram page’s stories. They are not listed on their website, although the hours are.

The age for children is not specified, and the student, senior, and military discounts are likely only for Colombian nationals, but it never hurts to ask since it isn’t specified. The museum also offers 2×1 entrance fees on Wednesdays but only for Colombian nationals (if you’re a foreign resident, again, it can’t hurt to ask).

Location

The Museo Naval del Caribe in Cartagena is located around the backside of the San Pedro Claver Church, with the entrance diagonal to the entrance of the Hotel Charleston Santa Teresa.

It’s located in a section of the church’s buildings that was once a hospital and later a marine barracks. It is also around the corner from the Calle de la Ronda, where you can see some original stonework from Cartagena’s walls where the church and part of the building that houses the museum was built on top of it.

Read on for a more detailed account of what you can see at the Cartagena Naval Museum.

What to See at the Naval Museum in Cartagena, Colombia

As its name implies, the Museo Naval del Caribe is focused on the naval history of Cartagena ranging from the time of colonization to the present day.

While, there aren’t a ton of artifacts, there’s an absolute ton of information on display at this little known but gem of a museum in Cartagena.

Through the exhibits you will learn not only about naval history, but also about how Cartagena was colonized, its importance as a seat of Spanish power, Colombia’s struggle for independence, and wars Colombia has fought since independence.

It really is a bit of a one stop shop for Cartagena’s and Colombia’s history. That’s why, if you are only going to visit one museum in Cartagena, I’d recommend making it the Naval Museum.

When you begin your tour on the first floor, you’ll go through a chronological history of the colonial period.

First, you will learn about the indigenous inhabitants of the area and the Spanish conquest, including the creation of the Walled City of Cartagena atop the indigenous settlement of Calamarí (also called Kalamarí, depending on the source).

Then you begin probably the most fascinating part of the museum, the accounts of the various colonial era attacks on the city.

Cartagena was a constant target for pirates and Spain’s colonial enemies during the colonial era, and it was attacked numerous times.

The exhibits here will tell you about those attacks, including when the city fell to Sir Francis Drake and the French Pirate Barón de Pointis and when the Spanish treasure ship San Jose sank just off the coast.

You’ll also learn about the successful defense of the city against a massive fleet led by Edward Vernon, the last major attack on Cartagena during the colonial era.

The museum has some awesome models, dioramas, and maps of the attacks that show how the attackers entered the bay and provide a day by day account of the events.

There are also models of the city’s fortifications and together with the maps of the attacks, they really put into context what you’ll see when you visit them. Seeing how they worked to defend the city by seeing the geography and their locations will add a lot to a visit to any of the forts and give you a greater appreciation of looking out over the bay.

If you’re a military history buff, the exhibits really are jammed pack full of information.

There is also a neat, newer model and exhibit of the Galeón San José treasure ship that was sunk off the coast of Barú near Cartagena in 1708 and is now the subject of international controversy after its discover and the supposed immense wealth it holds on the bottom of the sea in 2015.

There’s a small exhibit of how Cartagena fit into the network of Spanish colonial trade with a neat little sail you can point in the direction of other major colonial ports like Havana.

Finally, there’s a small exhibit on the impact of cholera during the outbreak of 1849, upon which Gabiel García Marquez’s Love in the Times of Cholera is loosely based.

When you continue your tour upstairs, you’ll learn about Colombia’s struggle for independence and the role patriot naval forces played.

Cartagena played a leading role in Colombian independence and its Declaration of Independence in 1811 established the first fully functioning free state in what became Colombia. It earned its nickname of La Herórica during its stubborn refusal to surrender during the 105 day Siege of Cartagena when it was temporarily reconquered in 1815.

A naval force played a crucial role in the final reliberation of Cartagena from Spanish rule in 1821, and the Cartagena Naval Museum has the only significant presentation of this engagement at any museum in the city.

By the way, be sure to check out the statue to the hero of this battle, Admiral José Prudencio Padilla outside the museum alongside some more modern historic naval guns and statue of other naval figures. Padilla, of mixed race descent, was one of the more interesting figures in the independence era, and was later accused (probably falsely) of stirring up insurrection and race war and executed.

The upstairs section of the museum also has exhibits on Colombian Navy’s role in modern day conflicts up to the Korean War

It’s a little recognized fact, but Colombia was the only Latin American country to participate in the US led United Nations force sent to Korea. You can find a monument to the soldiers who participated in the Parque de la Marina outside the museum.

Finally, there are some cool interactive exhibits of what the inside of a submarine and bridge of a warship look like.

There’s even a Korea War era anti-aircraft gun you can strap yourself into and point at the skies.

If you have kids, they will love imagining they are watching the sonar, looking up the periscope, or sitting at the captain’s chair. Likewise, if you’re like me, and an adult who likes acting like a child, you will also love this part of the museum.

On your way out, be sure to check out the liberty bells on display in the courtyard.

They are bells that tolled when the city declared its independence in 1811 and are a cool piece of history that is easy to miss.

Ready to Visit the Museo Naval del Caribe in Cartagena?

There really is a ton on display at the museum, and it’s easily the most complete in the city.

I hope you found this guide to the Cartagena Naval Museum useful in planning your visit, and, if you go, you enjoy it and learn more that helps you understand the city’s history and adds context to visits to the city’s other historic sites.

If you did go, I’d love to know what your favorite part of the museum is in the comments below!

Cheers and Happy Exploring!