I’ve looked at this house for a couple of decades, but never set my foot inside. It’s located right in front of the guest marina, and you have to pass it every time you go shopping. I have a lot of excuses, but this time none of them were valid. We were there, it was open, and a huge bonus was, that you gain entrance with the Museum Card (a must for all tourists).

This quaint little museum concentrates on the seafaring traditions of Nagu. In the time of sailing ships, this was the largest seafaring community in Finland and the traditions are long. I was quite surprised that, even in today’s shipping culture, Nagu is quite the powerhouse in ship registrations in Finland.

The exhibits presented are authentic and local. One can by no means say they are unique if you have visited maritime museums around the world. What I found especially enticing, were the stories and history around the artefacts. Genuine, local and connected to the community.

In one part of the museum, you could find beautiful miniature replicas of actual local sailing ships. I’ve always had a love for these. As a kid, I used to glue and paint those plastic sets, but these are at a level I can only dream of. The amount of detail is quite stunning.

Was it worth the visit? Definitely. If you’ve already made your way to Nagu, you’re probably interested in the archipelago, history, culture and whatever. This little museum is a way to deepen your knowledge and understanding of local traditions.