Frommer's Review
Housed in a 19th-century fortress built by convict labor, this museum exhibits artifacts, models, and maps pertaining to Bermuda's nautical heritage. The fortress's massive buildings of fitted stone, with their vaulted ceilings of English brick, would be worth visiting even if they weren't crammed with artifacts and exhibits. So are the 9m (30-ft.) defensive ramparts; the underground tunnels, gun ports, and magazines; and the water gate and pond designed for boats entering from the sea. Exhibits in six large halls illustrate the island's long, intimate connection with the sea -- from Spanish exploration to 20th-century ocean liners; from racing dinghies to practical fishing boats; from shipbuilding and privateering to naval exploits.
The compound's most impressive component is the Commissioner's House, dating from around 1834. The world's first cast-iron building was once the British colonial government's equivalent of the White House in Washington, D.C. Although its life as a historic monument began after its restoration in 2000, many of its exhibits weren't fully operational until about seven years later. Today, glistening with a richly restored sense of Imperial Britain at the height of the Victorian age, it contains exhibits associated with the slavery and the slave trade; antique maps; a collection of 19th and 20th century maritime paintings; watercolors with maritime themes painted in Bermuda; exhibits linking Bermuda's trade and emigration patterns to the Azores and the West Indies; and testimonials to the cooperative efforts of the British and U.S. Navies.
Don't omit a visit to the half-dozen stone and masonry buildings surrounding the Commissioner's House. The best of these is the 1837 Shifting House, which opened for viewing by the public in 1979. The artifacts inside include gold bars, pottery, jewelry, silver coins, and other items recovered from 16th- and 17th-century shipwrecks. The collection includes some earthenware and pewter that belonged to the English settlers on their way to Jamestown aboard the Sea Venture, which was wrecked in 1609. Most visitors come here to gaze at the Tucker Treasure. A well-known local diver, Teddy Tucker, made a significant find in 1955 when he discovered the wreck of the San Antonio, a Spanish vessel that had gone down off the coast of Bermuda in a violent storm in 1621. One of the great treasures of this find, the Pectoral Cross, was stolen in 1975 just before Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the museum. The priceless original cross was replaced by a fake. The original cross has not been recovered, and its mysterious disappearance is still the subject of much discussion.
As you enter the Parade Ground at the entrance to the museum, you'll notice a 3m-high (9 3/4-ft.) figure of King Neptune. This has been duplicated in Indiana limestone from a figure that was recovered from HMS Irresistible, when the ship was broken up in 1891. The Queen's Exhibition Hall houses general maritime exhibits, including displays on navigation, whaling, and cable and wireless communications. A "Bermuda in Five Hours" exhibit focuses on Pan American's early "flying boats." The building itself was constructed in 1850 for the purpose of storing 4,860 barrels of gunpowder. Some of the most intriguing objects on display within this building were salvaged from 16th- and 17th-century wrecks discovered in Bermuda's offshore waters.
The Forster Cooper Building (1852) illustrates the history of Bermuda and its Atlantic trade routes. The Boatloft houses part of the museum's boat collections, including the century-old fitted dinghy Victory, the 5m (16-ft.) Spirit of Bermuda, and the Rambler, the only surviving Bermuda pilot gig (a commanding officer's light boat kept on a large ship). On the upper floor, the original dockyard clock, which is still working, chimes every quarter-hour. Somewhere within the maritime museum, within premises still under debate at press time for this edition, is the Bromby Bottle Collection, boasting more than 2,000 rare and antique bottles that have washed up on Bermuda's shores. Admission to the Shifting House, Queen's Exhibition Hall, Forster Cooper Building, Boatloft, and Commissioner's House are included in the entrance price to the Bermuda Maritime Museum.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
