Maritime Museum
Maritime Museum,Kerala,located at INS Dronacharya in Kochi and focusing on the maritime heritage of the Indian Navy is one of the most popular museums of Kerala.By showcasing the naval prowess of India the Maritime Museum, Kerala acts as a knowledge house in educating the civilians to understand the value of existence of naval force, which plays a vital role in safeguarding territorial waters of India.The maritime museum at Kochi throws light not only on the evolution of the Indian navy since 1612,when the Indian Marine was established in Surat but also on the achievement and landmarks of the Indian Navy.These include influence of India s naval power in South East and the Indian Navy s share of credit in different operations like Junaghad operation, the Goa liberation, Indo-Pak conflicts of 1965 and 1971,Operation Cactus,Operation Pawan and the strategic maneuvers during Kargil, when it took on its aggressors and eventually emerged successful in the end.Through a sound and light show,the Maritime Museum, Kerala also displays ancient artifacts, life-size statues and paintings on canvas and highlights Kerala s trade links with Arabs, colonization of India by European powers in the medieval period, the early sea trade routes from the west to east, ancient and modern ports of Kerala, spice trade, arrival of Vasco-da-Gama, the gallant actions of Kunjali Marakkar, the arrival of Dutch in Kerala, the Canarese war along the Malabar Coast, evolution of the port of Cochin and etc. The artifacts are illuminated and the commentary in both English and Malayalam is offered in a narrative form with music.A section of the Maritime Museum, Kerala also projects the fascinating panorama of Indian shipbuilding activities, including Indian expertise trend in ancient and modern shipbuilding which took the Indian culture to the shores of Java, Sumatra and Bali between 3rd century BC and 12th century AD.Thus by displaying each and every important aspect of Indian Navy, the Maritime Museum, Kerala is a unique museum in its own kind.