Maritime Museum of San Diego readies to welcome newest edition to its fleet

More than any other object, the Spanish galleon San Salvador has become the embodiment of California’s origin story. The voyage of 1542, with Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo at the helm, also establishes California as one of the places where we can say our country truly began.

Centuries after this Voyage of Discovery, the Maritime Museum of San Diego has nearly completed construction of a representation of the original galleon. A Spanish-style Fandango held celebrating the upcoming completion of this full-sized, fully functional, and historically accurate replica of the San Salvador.

“We’re continually encouraged by the progress our volunteers are making in completing the San Salvador,” said Dr. Ray Ashley, CEO of the Maritime Museum of San Diego. “By finally removing the scaffolding that has surrounded the vessel, we’re witnessing the full scope of this magnificent achievement.”

When completed, the vessel will act as a floating classroom and teach students and museum visitors the history of California in a tangible way. The San Salvador is expected to launch in early 2015 and be fully completed in the summer of 2015. The vessel’s maiden voyage will reenact a portion of Cabrillo’s voyage in 1542, stopping in various ports of call along the California coast. It will then join the museum’s permanent fleet of well-known vessels including the Star of India and the HMS Surprise.

Visitors are encouraged at the construction site of the San Salvador. More information can be found at: www.sdmaritime.org/san-salvador-build/