Genoa’s livelihood has always been linked to the sea, and you can wander the port to see boats of every size and facet, but to truly learn about and appreciate the maritime history of Genoa, a visit to the Galata is a must. The building itself is the oldest surviving construction of the dockyard from the old Republic, where the Genovese galleys were built during the 17th century. You enter into the gallery dedicated to the old port with paintings and artifacts of the period, and then it’s on to the fantastic, full-scale reproduction of a Genovese “attack ship” (known as a galley), with fun artifacts and props, and good English translation that will engage all ages.