Kalymnos Maritime Museum

Location: Pothia Town
Don't miss: Museums guide (free admission dates and other useful info)

The Maritime Museum of Kalymnos is located in the heart of Pothia, the island’s capital, about 700 meters from the port. Founded in 1994, it is housed in the building of the former Vouvaleios Technical School right beside the Town Hall. This one-of-a-kind museum preserves and showcases the island’s rich maritime history and sponge-diving tradition that has been a big part of its cultural identity since ancient times.

Visitors of the Maritime Museum can witness first-hand a variety of tools and equipment used by sponge divers throughout the years. A highlight of the exhibition is the exposed skandalopetres, flat stones weighing about 15 kilograms that were used to sink divers to the seafloor quickly. The traditional diving suits known as skafandro, which were complemented by a helmet, copper breastplate, and weights on the chest are also of major interest. These revolutionary suits enabled divers who had previously fished for sponges naked to gather bigger quantities of sponges at much greater depths.

Other exhibits include tools used for sponge processing, sextants, compasses, barometers, and air pumps. A rich collection of historical photographs documents the lives of sponge divers as well as the events related to their departure during the 20th century. Archival documents, nautical charts, anchors, cannonballs, boat miniatures, and findings from shipwrecks are also on display. An area of the museum is dedicated to the folklore history of the island with items such as traditional costumes, dishes, jugs, musical instruments, and antique furniture.

Guided tours are offered by the owner of the Maritime Museum of Kalymnos, allowing visitors to delve even deeper into the island’s rich sponge-diving culture.

The Museum is open on Wednesday and Saturday, from 09:00 to 14:00.