The Museum of the Sea – Rei D. Carlos in Cascais was innaugurated in June 1992. The museum is a study of mammals and artifacts, some still found in the surrounding waters. Exhibits are displayed in small galleries. Models of mammals are grouped together showing porcupine fish, white skate, various types of sharks including the seven gilled, Atlantic Bluefin Tuna, sperm and the pigmy sperm whale.

The connection between town and sea is shown with models of fisherman with their clothes, nets, and fisherwives with costumes, aprons and slippers and shoes, some used in the traditional processions relating to fishing.

In another gallery some navigational instruments including compasses, lanterns, a bronze gun – cast at Florence dating to the seventeenth century collected at Cascais are displayed. Cannon balls, also from the seventeenth century, were found in Carcavelos and silver coins dating to the eighteenth century in the São Julião da Barra and Troia waters. An interesting collection of eighteenth to nineteenth century ceramics, mainly vases and jars, with the name George Rex were found in a Dutch ship sunk off Luanda, Angola.

Up a short flight of stairs is a boat gallery housing models of fishing boats and pleasure crafts that once sailed the Tagus.

A curious find is the picnic hamper with kettle and burner dating to the nineteenth century.

 

 

Below are exhibits of old cannons from the Tejo and Sado estuaries and Roman vases. The latter were used to transport fish paste to provincial towns from the Sado estuary. An audio-visual room which seats about forty people is to the right side of the entrance. Videos are shown throughout the day.

Located at Rua Julio Pereira de Mello, Cascais. Open Tuesday to Friday 10am to 6pm. Saturday/ Sunday: 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 6pm. Closed Monday. Tel:  +351-214815906. Next to the Paula Rego Casa das Historias .