Maritime museum opens aboard HMAS TEAL in Girne

The HMAS TEAL maritime museum, created aboard a former British and Australian naval vessel, has opened to visitors at the tourist port of Girne. HMAS TEAL arrived in Cyprus in 1994 and was used for many years to provide practical training for students of the maritime faculties of Near East University and Girne University.

The museum opened on 1 August with the support of the two universities. The opening was attended by the founding rector of Near East University, Dr Suat İrfan Günsel, and Girne Mayor Murat Şenkül. The exhibition is dedicated to the maritime history of the Mediterranean and Cyprus, ports and trade routes, naval battles, fishing and the development of maritime technologies.

The museum features historical maps, archival documents, navigational instruments, original maritime objects and contemporary artworks on maritime themes. The surviving spaces of the vessel itself — the bridge, living quarters, engine room and decks — have been transformed into themed exhibition areas.

Girne Mayor Murat Şenkül said that the museum would become an important attraction for the city and called on schools to include it in their visit programmes.