20 Sep 2024
Holidaymakers in Namibia should plan the harbour town of Lüderitz as a permanent stop on their round trip. The new Namibia Maritime Museum tells exciting stories about seafaring and the Namibian coast.
It is located in the lavishly renovated building of the old power station, which was built in 1910/1911. With 2,500 square metres of space spread over five 'decks' (floors), it is the largest museum of its kind in the whole of Africa.
Anchors, propellers, masts and winches adorn the backyard on the seashore. Inside, visitors can marvel at ship models, paintings and everyday utensils used by sailors. A library with hundreds of books on navigation and seafaring invites visitors to browse.
The Namibia Maritime Museum looks far back into the age of European explorers and trade routes. The Portuguese navigator Bartholomeu Dias erected a stone cross on a rock on the other side of Lüderitz Bay in 1488.
From 1883, the Bremen merchant Adolf Lüderitz acquired land around the bay from the indigenous Oorlam-Nama - starting signal for the German colonial era. The discovery of diamonds at Kolmanskop in 1908 gave the small town a huge boost. This included the power station, which now houses the Namibia Maritime Museum.
The museum spans from the past to the present day. The museum shows and explains fish processing, oil and gas exploration off the coast and the mining of diamonds on the seabed.
The equipment of a speed surfer and the kite board and suit of a kite boarder are extremely curious. They represent speed records that were set during the annual Lüderitz Speed Challenge in the specially created channel.
In some rooms you will find giant seashells and skeletons of sharks, rays and other sea creatures. There are also fossils and interesting artefacts from the beach, such as the (empty) eggs of various shark species.
The building also houses offices of the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) and an auditorium. It is also used for research. Cultural events on topics such as cleanliness and sustainable use of the oceans are also planned.
The Namibia Maritime Museum is the brainchild and initiative of businessman Angel Tordesillas. He is the honorary chairman of the board of the Lüderitz Waterfront Development Company, which operates the museum.
More than two decades passed between the idea and its realisation. The Namibian government provided 450 million Namibian dollars for the renovation of the building and the establishment of the museum (more on the concept by Bob Mould Architects and photos by Mashabane Rose Architects from 2015.
The opening of the Namibia Maritime Museum was reported on by the daily newspaper The Namibian, among others. The national broadcaster NBC provides a visual impression in its report on YouTube.
The Namibia Maritime Museum is part of a comprehensive project by the Lüderitz Waterfront Development Company. A hospital with 150 beds, another hotel with a sea view and a large number of flats are also planned.
The harbour town is facing an enormous boom. Following successful exploration, international companies want to extract oil and gas off the coast. A large plant for the production of green hydrogen is also planned south of Lüderitz.
Sven-Eric Stender
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