Museums

Historical Naval Museum

The Naval History Museum illustrates the maritime tradition of Acapulco. Located in Costa Azul on Calle Mateo Mauri 19, this museum has detailed models of the historic ships and blue prints. Many exhibits are “hands-on.” The museum also offers a library with references about how the sea has influenced Acapulco. The children will enjoy not only the ship replicas but also the recreation of a Spanish boatwright’s workshop, which helps explain how they made the famous galleons. Exhibits also explain how Acapulco came to play a role in the opening up of the orient once Andrés de Urdaneta, who at the time was an Acapulco local, discovered the currents that brought the ships back east from China and the Philippines. The museum is open from 10 to 2 and 5 to 8 every day.

Historical Museum of Acapulco

The Acapulco Historical Museum is housed inside of Fort San Diego. It is operated by the Anthropological Museum of Mexico City. Apart from presenting all the details about Fort San Diego, this museum has exhibits and reference about the State of Guerrero in pre-Columbian times and also about the colonial experience of all Mexico, from Cortez in 1521 to Independence in 1821. The museum consists of as series of well-illuminated rooms. In one of them you can see a good representation of trade goods, like silks and spices, which were brought in by the galleons on their return trips to Acapulco from Asia. Other rooms cover the era of the pirates, the attempts by missionaries to Christianize the indigenous peoples, and the local battles during the war of independence. There are displays of antique furnishings and native pottery. On Thursdays through Saturdays the Museum schedules different kinds of performances – usually music and dance -- in its outdoor venue. The shows begin at 8:00. The Historical Museum is open daily except Mondays from 10 to 6. Admission is $30 pesos except on Sundays, when admission is free to all. Students are always admitted for free.