Maritime Museum of Montenegro
Grgurina Palace with collections on Boka’s seafaring.
Exhibits cover trade routes, shipbuilding and local captains. Portraits, ship models and instruments connect the town to its bay.
How to Get There
On foot from Kotor center ~3-5 min.
From TIV airport (Tivat) by taxi/transfer ~14 min.
From TGD airport (Podgorica) by taxi/transfer ~60 min.
Description
What this place is
The Maritime Museum of Montenegro in Kotor is the country’s principal naval museum, housed in the early-18th-century Baroque Grgurina Palace on Boka Navy Square. Its core grew from the Boka Navy Fraternity collection and has been open to the public since 1900.
Key features
- Originated from the Boka Navy collection (c. 1880), public since 1900.
- In 1938, displays were arranged on the first floor of Grgurina Palace.
- In 1949–1952, the entire palace was restored and adapted for the museum.
- The 15 April 1979 earthquake caused major damage; conservation and restoration in 1982–1984 enabled reopening.
What to see
- Historic interiors of Kotor’s captain families (Florio and Ivelić salons)
- Maritime-technical collection, arms, and the Boka Navy section
- Ethnography of the Bay, multimedia room, and a summer terrace for events
History
Formed by the late 19th century, the Boka Navy collection became public in 1900 and, in 1938, was installed on the first floor of the early-Baroque Grgurina Palace in Kotor’s Old Town.
After World War II, in 1949–1952, the palace was fully restored and assigned to the museum. The 1979 earthquake halted activities; restoration in 1982–1984 allowed the museum to reopen. In recent years it has expanded exhibitions and education programs and earned the WTTC Safe Travels stamp.
Practical information
Location: Kotor Old Town, Boka Navy Square, Grgurina Palace.
How to get there: 3–5 minutes on foot from the Sea Gate along the main route to the square.
Access: entry via the palace; multimedia room and conservation workshop on site; occasional event-related restrictions.
Visiting hours: daily per museum schedule.
Visit duration: 30–60 minutes for the main floors; longer with temporary shows.
Best time: weekday mornings; summer events often on the terrace.
Special conditions: audiovisual content in several languages; exhibits spread across three levels.
