The opening of a grand hall (now hosting the exposition “Game of Thrones”) is expected to become a crucial moment in the museum’s return to its regular functions. According to recent estimates, more than 250,000 visitors will come to the Maritime Museum every year, transforming this space into a true center for maritime culture and fostering connections between Catalonia and the larger Mediterranean region.
The reconstruction works designed to restore the whole building began in 1986. In the new century, the planners split the project into four phases meant to account for the general size of the museum. By 2012, the restoration expenses amounted to 17 million euros. Between 2012 and the current year, the government had to allocate an additional 6 million euros for the same purposes. In 2016, workers finished the restoration of the main façade and the entrance to the building. As mentioned before, this year also was marked by the opening of the “Game of Thrones” exhibition hosted in the building’s great hall.
In November of 2018, “Game of Thrones” will be replaced by the exposition, “La Marina Catalana,” an exhibit narrating the history of the Mediterranean fleet of Catalonia from the middle of the XVIII century to the mid-XX century. Visitors to the museum will therefore see the XIV-century vessel, Les Sorres, which was discovered by archeologists during the construction of the Olympic Canal of Castelldefels.