Museum Tours – Elementary, Middle and high School
Let’s discover the Museum of the Ancient Ships of Pisa: once upon a time… the sea giants!
The tour focuses on stimulating the students’ curiosity, from the younger visitors to the older students: everyone will become familiar with the great Roman ships and the history of Pisa.
Sailing in ancient times, techniques and equipment in use: the sky is our guide
When compass had not been invented yet, the stars in the sky where the basic landmarks to find one’s bearing at sea. Thanks to this interactive tour we will discover the sailing techniques of the ancient world by learning to observe the sky: the small planetarium inside the museum shows a section of the sky and of the constellations that were visible at the times when Pisa ships sailed the seas.
Trading routes and shipments: import-export in the ancient world
The majority of the ships found in San Rossore area were cargo ships and, as a matter of fact, they still had their loads on board when they were discovered. These incredible finds allowed us to increase our knowledge on trading goods and routes: the ships sailed on genuine “sea streets” to transport various kind of goods, such as “hams” from Spain, fruits from Campania, even mysterious ones as the kilos of sand from Naples Gulf.
Life on board: daily activities, games and hobbies
How did people in the past travel? There were no passenger ships, so people would have to board on cargo ships. The exceptional finds discovered in Pisa give us a glimpse on daily life on board. Let’s browse inside the passengers’ luggage to find out what sailors ate, which were the cults and the superstitions on board and what games would the passengers play as a pastime during their long trips.
Duration: 1.5 hours
Durata:1,5 ore