Discovering Columbus Ships: Replicas of The Pinta & Nina

There is nothing more we enjoy than “living history museums.” When we heard that replicas of the Pinta & Nina would be touring close to our home, we jumped at the chance to check out the floating museum. Discovering Columbus Ships is a traveling museum, so be sure to see if it is coming to a place near you!

As everyone learned in history class as children, Christopher Columbus set sail in 1492 with three ships (Niña, Pinta and Santa Maria) to discover the New World.

All ships were further used for other voyages, but they vanished from the face of the earth at some point in history and only the wreckage of the Santa Maria (off the coast of Haiti) has ever been found.

Building the Nina and Pinta was no easy feat since they had no specific specs to go by.

Instead, they had to rely on Columbus’ personal journals and other ships built during the time period.

It is a small ship, so you can imagine how crowded it must have been for men trying to eat & sleep among all the supplies they were bringing with them to the New World.

So if you are wondering what it might have been like to be on a voyage with Christopher Columbus, here is your chance to board replica ships that will give you a first-hand perspective.

During your tour of these replica ships, you will be able to learn how Columbus navigated his journey and how important it was to use certain types of knots on the riggings.

While you cannot venture below the deck, you can get a glimpse into the gallows from the main deck.

The Pinta replica is similar to the Niña, but was built on a larger scale to accommodate more people.

Discovering Columbus Ships Exhibits are touring up & down the East Coast, so if you live within a few hours’ drive, you should check them out.

The tour is self-led although there are volunteers who may be able to answer any questions you have.

If you love learning about the history of the United States, there is no better experience than to see what it was like for Christopher Columbus and his crew to travel onboard one of these ships.

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