I visited this museum as a child with my parents, so it was practically like going for the first time. I loved seeing plants with so many colorful flowers—they were Trinias, one of my favorite species. As we approached, I noticed a micro-perforated sticker at the entrance featuring a picture of a child, an image that filled me with joy and optimism. Across the entire front of the main entrance, they’ve placed some marine elements—a dolphin figurine, whale fossils—and we can also admire the xerophytic vegetation characteristic of the area, which adds a lot of charm to the garden.

Upon entering, we first went to the reception desk to check in and paid a very reasonable admission fee of 50 VES, equivalent to 1.3 HIVE or 0.069 HBD. While we were there, the woman told us she was too busy to be our guide and that we should only contact her if we had any questions, so we toured the entire museum on our own. What she did make clear to us is that everything in the museum is authentic. This museum houses a vast collection of marine species, as well as navigational artifacts. I was a bit surprised that the lighting was very dim, as was the ventilation, so I had to make an effort to take photos, always trying to focus my phone’s camera by seeking out natural light. The first thing I saw upon entering was a display board with many drawings made by children; from there we moved on to see the species, starting with the reptiles. In this area, I was surprised to see very large sea turtles, of which only the shells remained, though we also found taxidermied specimens and some fossils, such as the skeleton of the Lora turtle, one of the smallest species, measuring 65 cm and weighing approximately 50 kilograms.

From there, we moved on to the fish section. We began the tour by looking at whale fossils, followed by dolphins; a couple of these were displayed in liquid preservation, placed in glass jars, while their entire anatomy was also shown in a skeleton, just like that of the manatee, a harmless animal that likes to swim with others of its own kind to play.

I thought I would only find marine species, but the collection includes other items, such as various models of ships, submarines, diving suits, and the evolution of rudders over time. Among the ships was the Tres Carabelas, the vessel sailed by Christopher Columbus, who discovered the Americas and landed on the Cumanese coast, making it the first landmass he reached on the continent. The first rudders were enormous; later, as they were perfected, their size gradually decreased in order to exert greater control over the ships.

These species are classified; the variety among shrimp, lobsters, and crabs is incredible. Among the most striking are the hermit crab, which lives alone in a shell, and the blue crab, distinguished by its grayish, brown, and bluish coloring; it is also considered a delicacy in restaurants. They also have a collection of mussels and a model showing one of the systems used to farm them. The technique involves suspending ropes or nets to hold the mussels in place until they reach a suitable size.

I came across some coral species, among the most striking: the Long-Eared Coral (scientific name Acropora palmata) and the Flower Coral (scientific name Mussa angulosa). When I visited the aquarium, I was particularly drawn to one of the tanks—the largest one—because of its interior design. Unfortunately, it didn’t have any fish, and where there were fish, they were quite small; they swam nonstop, and the photos didn’t turn out well at all. The giant squid was a must-see in this collection; among its characteristics, it can change color in seconds to match the seabed, and it feeds on fish and other squid. Another important species is the coelacanth, one of the oldest fish in the world; its appearance dates back more than 400 million years, but it has continued to evolve over time.

I once held a common starfish—whose scientific name is Astropecten articulatus—in my hands while walking along the beach; I rarely found them on the shore. However, this museum houses many of them, such as the Echinaster, which stands out from the common starfish due to its reddish coloration and thick, spiny body.

The museum features a section dedicated to birds. The most common species, the pelican, is abundant along our coastlines. These large birds have a pouch under their long beak, which measures approximately 1.20 meters, and can weigh up to 3 kilograms. They always travel in groups in search of fish and are highly skilled hunters. The museum houses a skeleton of this enormous bird and a stuffed specimen.

As I continued exploring the museum, I came across a fox cub, mounted by taxidermist Pablo Figueroa; it was found in the town of Caigüire, Cumaná, Sucre State, Venezuela. Another species featured in this museum’s collection is the otter, a semi-aquatic mammal with a large lung capacity. Otters are playful by nature, carnivorous, and play a vital role in the ecosystem because they help maintain balance in aquatic environments, control fish populations, and serve as indicators of environmental health.

The collection at the Museo del Mar is quite extensive; this is just a brief overview of what I managed to see during the hour I had free before the lecture began. I think if I’d had a guide, it would have taken me much longer and I still wouldn’t have been able to see everything—I practically ran through the museum. The museum is large, and to see and explore its entire collection, you need to set aside several hours; it’s truly worth it. Every species surely has an interesting story.

That wraps up our tour of the Museo de Mar, a space dedicated to marine culture. If you’d like to visit, just head to Vela de Coro Street, inside the Luis Manuel Peñalver Cultural Complex. I hope you enjoyed this tour as much as I did. See you next time.

Saludos estimados amigos de Worldmappin, bienvenidos a mi blog. Hoy comparto con todos ustedes mi visita al Museo de Mar, fue algo inesperado y sorpresivo a la vez. Desde hace tiempo quería ir a este lugar, pero mi horario de trabajo no me lo permitía, las cosas pasan por algo y la causalidades estuvieron a mi favor. Resulta que justo por mi trabajo, me invitaron a una conferencia en el Complejo Cultural Luis Manuel Peñalver, cuando pregunté donde quedaba este sitio, mi compañero de trabajo me dijo “en el mismo edificio donde está el Museo de Mar”, que alegría sentí. Pensé que por el horario de la conferencia no me daría tiempo, no obstante, nos fuimos más temprano y logré mi objetivo.