The city of Valencia had not opened a new municipal museum in nearly two decades, since the opening of the Centre Arqueològic de l’Almoina. That will change on September 15: the Museu de la Mar opens its doors at the Casa dels Bous in El Cabanyal-El Canyamelar, a 19th-century building that originally housed the oxen used to launch and haul ashore the trawlers.
The museum traces the origins and evolution of “bou” fishing (the type of trawling historically linked to the neighborhood), the trades associated with it, the dyeing of nets, traditional boats, and the transformation of the Port of Valencia over time.
Among the exhibits, a llaüt —a traditional Mediterranean boat— stands out , surrounded by fishing gear and accompanied by life-size replicas of two oxen, as well as references to Joaquín Sorolla, whose work frequently depicts the beach and the Casa dels Bous, and to Vicente Blasco Ibáñez, a prominent Valencian writer and author of *Flor de mayo*, a novel that accurately portrays the lives of the fishermen of the Marítim.
Admission to the museum is free starting next Tuesday afternoon, and during the opening week, the museum has organized a program combining guided tours, discussion sessions, lectures, and concerts. On Wednesday the 16th, guided tours begin at 12:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., along with the discussion session “Building the Museu de la Mar” and a concert by the Albert Sanz and Rafinha Barros Duo. On Thursday, the 17th, the discussion will focus on “Maritime Museums in the Valencian Community: Present and Future,” and on Friday, the 18th, the lecture “The Museu de la Mar and the Neighborhood: Living in and Telling the Story of El Marítim” will close out the week of activities.
The weekend features the most festive schedule: on Saturday the 19th, there will be guided tours at 12:00 p.m., 1:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m., and 6:00 p.m., a live demonstration of net-mending from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., a Valencian paella at 2:00 p.m., and a concert by the band Badlands at 7:30 p.m. On Sunday the 20th, there will be guided tours at 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. and another demonstration of net-making from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., with the week closing out with a concert by the Unión de Pescadores Music Society at 1:00 p.m.
