Muelle de las Carabelas
Open-air museum with replicas of the Santa María nao and the caravels Pinta and Niña at La Rábida, from where Columbus set sail in 1492.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Muelle de las Carabelas is a museum space in the La Rábida area of Palos de la Frontera, the place from which the ships of Columbus's first voyage set sail in 1492. It brings together replicas of the Santa María nao and the caravels Pinta and Niña, moored in a semicircular dock of 11,500 m² with two access pontoons.
The ships were built as part of a state project for the Quinto Centenario of the Discovery. From 1983 the Instituto de Historia y Cultura Naval, in collaboration with the Navy, researched what the original ships were like. On 3 August 1990 the replicas set out from Palos on a voyage through Spanish and European ports that ended at the Seville Universal Exposition of 1992. Afterwards, the Sociedad Estatal Quinto Centenario agreed with the Diputación Provincial de Huelva to leave them permanently beached in the province, at the place where the feat began.
The dock building, designed by the architect Pluvio Fernández Heredia, opened on 15 March 1994. The visit lets you walk through the ships and is complemented by an audiovisual of around 23 minutes on the voyage of Discovery, shown in Spanish and English.
Highlights
- Replicas of the Santa María nao and the caravels Pinta and Niña
- Semicircular dock of 11,500 m² with two pontoons
- Audiovisual of around 23 minutes on Columbus's first voyage, in Spanish and English
- Located in La Rábida, the cradle of the discovery of America
Permanent exhibition
- Naves de la expedición colombina y audiovisual – Replicas of the Santa María nao and the caravels Pinta and Niña moored in the dock, with an audiovisual about the voyage of Discovery.
- Founded
- 1994
- Operated by
- Diputación Provincial de Huelva
- Visitors per year
- approx. 200,000
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €3.60 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €1.50Students, pensioners and groups of at least 20 people |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 4 · Free admission for under-5s. |
| Seniors | €1.50Pensioner rate. |
| Students & apprentices | €1.50 |
| Groups (20+ people) | €1.50 per personGroups of at least 20 people; travel agency groups: €1.20. The group leader enters for free. |
| Families | €7.50Family unit: married couple and children under 18. |
General admission: €3.60. Free admission for under-5s and special groups. Prices may change. Payment at the ticket office is accepted only by credit card; tickets can also be bought online.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: no information
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
In case of rain, access to the ships is prohibited for safety reasons.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
- Café
The toilets and café are for the exclusive use of visitors.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Photography | Professional photo shoots are charged at €30. |
| Good to know | The guide service for groups of more than 20 people is requested on +34 959 530 597. The ticket is valid for one visit only and must be kept for the whole visit. Please take care on the ships' stairs. Pets are not admitted, except guide dogs. |
