The Two Ships from 1790 Reach Safe Harbor
Three years after the opening of the Port of Tarragona Museum, for which I assumed responsibility for the museographic project, the final piece was still pending: two shipwrecks discovered near the museum during port construction works. Conceived as an artistic installation, this presentation aimed to replicate how they were found: one on top of the other.
The restoration work, extremely delicate, required time. However, the scenic installation was fully prepared so that, once the pieces were ready, they could be displayed.
The photographs illustrate the project's evolution. The initial images capture the two spaces designed to house the shipwreck remains, which, although completed for the museum's opening, highlighted the absence of these exceptional pieces. In contrast, the most recent photographs, from November 2024, show the wrecks now integrated into their scenic space, finally completing the museographic narrative.
On the lower level, the most spectacular ship is displayed, preserving its frames and clearly outlining the shape of a vessel. The ceiling, covered with mirrors, reflects the piece and allows one to imagine its full form and dimensions. On the upper level, the remains of the other ship are presented, offering a perspective that helps understand how the findings overlapped at the time of their discovery.
A shipwreck is generally an ancient vessel that has sunk or been abandoned at sea, in rivers, or along coastal areas, and whose remains have been buried or submerged over time. Often, these remnants become underwater archaeological sites of great historical value, as they can contain information about trade, navigation, life on board, and the maritime cultures of the era in which they were used. Shipwrecks are studied in both archaeology and museography, particularly when they are recovered for conservation and exhibition.
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Museu del Port de Tarragona
Autoritat Portuària de Tarragona
© Photography: Pepo Segura
