The Maritime Museum’s collections are extremely rich and varied. They include pieces ranging from a ship that still sails to a postal stamp, or from a steam engine to a 14th-century manuscript. Of course, they also include everything you expect to find in a maritime museum: binnacles, anchors, model ships, navigational tools, etc. In other words, all sorts of documents and objects from the miniscule to the huge, from all different periods and made of all sorts of materials. For decades, the Museum has gathered examples of the maritime past, a heritage that reminds us of the lives of seafarers, the histories of ships and maritime activities in peacetime or war.
We would like to offer a selection of objects and documents that are notable for their historical interest, their rarity or their aesthetic value. These can give you a general idea of the content of the Museum’s collection. However, do not forget that there is a great deal beyond this selection, with thousands of artefacts and documents that you can discover using our search engine or other resources.
We encourage you to take a stroll through some of the key pieces in our Museum’s collection, grouped into twelve categories to help you keep your bearings.
Permit granted by Pere Aimeric to Marçal Noguera
Documents
The Porters’ Guild was an association created at the end of the 13th century, made up of the professionals who transported the merchandise that arrived in the port of Barcelona, and the merchandise from the city shipping out of the port. One of the purposes of the guild was to look out for the interests of its members and their families, as a form of social protection.
In this document, conserved in the Guild collection, powers are given to Marçal Noguera, the guardian of Caterina, a young girl who cannot yet work and who has no money. He is permitted to sell mortgages on her inheritance, so that he can obtain 39 pounds to dress and feed her.