Estepona's Museo del Mar to add new exhibits, videos and immersive seagrass meadow

The project, which has involved an investment of 65,347.87 euros, funded 70 per cent by the EU and 30 per cent by the Andalusian regional government, has provided a comprehensive refurbishment of the exhibition space. New features have been added to improve the presentation and interpretation of material related to Estepona's seafaring tradition and its close historical ties to the sea.

Among the main additions are three large display cases that will house part of the López Mateo collection, which the town hall describes as "one of the finest in Spain for navigation and fishing instruments".

The new layout has allowed the larger pieces to be moved into a more spacious area, improving their presentation and giving visitors a better view of the collection.

Several large-format information panels have also been installed, covering different aspects of Estepona's relationship with the sea. The new material looks at fishing, protection of the marine environment, traditional boatbuilding, the canning industry and seafaring traditions, among other subjects.

The refurbishment also includes new audiovisual resources. Three productions have been created for a screen in the exhibition room, focusing on three important aspects of the town's maritime history and heritage: the Alboran Sea and its biodiversity, traditional boatbuilding and the tradition of the Virgen del Carmen, an annual festival honouring the patron saint of sailors and fishermen.

Another major feature of the refurbishment is an immersive room with screens and interactive resources designed to recreate a Posidonia seagrass meadow.

The initiative reflects the species' importance in the area, with Estepona home to one of the four Posidonia populations in Malaga province. The conservation and recovery of these seagrass meadows are considered important in efforts to tackle climate change in the Mediterranean.

Estepona town hall opened the Museo del Mar in November 2025 with a clear educational, informative and emotional focus, aiming to show visitors not only how people navigated at sea but also why.

Every object on display tells a story of ingenuity, survival, exploration and tradition. The museum houses the Miguel López Mateo collection, belonging to a fisherman, diver, sailor and collector from Malaga.

The collection comprises hundreds of carefully restored and catalogued pieces, ranging from astronomical navigation instruments to 19th-century diving equipment, as well as models, rigging, fishing gear and everyday objects from life aboard ship.