A while back I went to the Museo Del Mar in Punta del Este with my kids. The sea museum covers everything from marine wildlife and nature, to pirates and beachside fashion in the past.
The Museo Del Mar building itself is pretty large and you’d be pressed to get through it all in one go. In fact, it’s over 2,000 square metres in size.
My kids were learning about the dangers of plastics in the ocean so they focused on that… until they spotted the pirate zone!
We learned some great pirate trivia, including all about pirate flags, songs and history, and of course treasure. All in all, the Museo Del Mar is very educational.
There is a huge shell collection. Side note : all these little plastic looking balls on the beach in Punta del Este? It took us ages to realise they’re in fact sea shell eggs.
Perhaps the most impressive thing for the kids in the Museo Del Mar was the giant sperm whale skeleton… and the narwhal’s tooth (or ‘sea unicorn’ as my kids call them).
Oh and the story about the little dog… some of the exhibition is a little bit sad. There is a LOT of taxidermy, which scared my youngest at first. However, it’s not about showing off dead animals, but educating the living.
My children also loved the depth room. Here it’s all black, just as it would be deep down in the ocean. How we giggled to see our smiles on camera!
Personally I loved the section on Punta del Este through the ages. Punta has a reputation as a rather glamourous resort and from all the photos and artefacts it seems it was much more glamorous in its heyday.
All in all the museum is fun, education and rather kooky. It’s not a fancy museum like you’d see in London or Paris for sure, but it’s just as educational in it’s own way. While you might not plan a whole day around it, do bear it in mind for a change in scene or rainy day.
Visting the Museo Del Mar:
The Museo Del Mar is cash only. We had to drive into town to find a cash point (there is one at the OH! La Barra shopping centre). When we visited we paid $190 pesos per adult and $170 pesos per child.
It’s air conditioned so worth the entrance fee alone on a hot day!
There are not so many descriptions in English. While this didn’t spoil the fun for us, don’t go expecting a multilingual experience.
Open from 10.30am to 5.30pm on weekends.
Address: Romildo Risso, La Barra. (About one kilometre from the wavy bridge).
PS there is an insect museum just over the road too. I’m not such a fan of creepy crawlies, but I’m told it’s worth a look in, too.
Visit: museodelmar.com.uy
