Maritime Museum (Fort St John)

The Maritime Museum occupies the upper floors of Fort St John (Tvrdava Sv. Ivana), the large stone fort that guards the entrance to the Old Port of Dubrovnik, in Croatia's Dubrovnik-Neretva region. The fort was built in the 14th and 15th centuries to protect the harbour and a chain once stretched from it across the port mouth. The museum tells the story of the Ragusan merchant fleet, which made the Republic one of the Adriatic's major trading powers, through ship models, maps, navigation instruments, flags, paintings of ships, anchors and documents. Rooms show the evolution of vessels from medieval galleys to 19th-century sailing ships, and exhibits explain the Republic's maritime insurance and consular network. The lower level of the fort houses the Aquarium, which is a separate ticketed attraction. Visitors can combine the museum with a walk along the fort's terrace, which gives views over the harbour, the breakwater and the City Walls. A visit normally takes about 45 minutes. The museum is open from 09:00 to 18:00 from April to October and 09:00 to 16:00 from November to March, closed on Wednesdays. Adult admission is EUR 10 (about $11.50), students pay EUR 7, children under 7 are free, and a family ticket costs EUR 25. It is included in the 10 Museums ticket at EUR 20. The museum is rarely crowded, so late morning is a sensible time, and it makes a good indoor stop in rain or midday heat. The best photographs are from the harbour-side terrace looking toward the Old Port and the Lokrum ferry landing, and the walk from the Rector's Palace takes about three minutes.