Introducing The Museum Of Underwater Activities Piran
The Museum of Underwater Activities Piran is a small but very interesting museum that gives an excellent overview of the history of diving in the Adriatic Sea, exhibiting old deep-sea diving suits and helmets. Besides the collection of antique diving equipment, the museum also has several models of submarines and the uniforms of their crews on display.
Review of Museum Of Underwater Activities Piran
Although somewhat awkwardly named, the Museum Of Underwater Activities Piran is dedicated to the history of diving and diving related activities in and around the region. It is a very interesting place for a short stop while in Piran, not only for diving aficionados but for those who have an interest in the sea. The museum is very easy to find and if you are walking along the harbour towards the historic centre of Piran you can not miss the mannequins outside sporting antique diving gear. The price of admission is €4.50 per person, which is quite high for a single storey two room museum, but it’s worth the money.
Once inside, the first half of the museum goes through the development of diving and techniques from the late 19th century. Particularly noteworthy is a collection of old deep-sea diving suits and helmets from the 20th century, which is a bit freaky in that ‘how could anyone survive in this thing’ way. When you consider some brave soul in the early 20th century slipped on one of these massive armored suits and helmets and sank into the deep sea, your hairs will stand on end.
Besides the collection of antique diving equipment, the second half of the museum is focused on the war efforts including the construction and activity of submarines which were based in the area and some of which were built in Slovenia. It then goes on to post war diving applications including ship building and bridge building and the development of a local diving school.
From mid-June to mid-September the museum is open daily from 9:00 to 20:00 (or 22:00); the rest of the year it is open Friday through Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00. Admission is €4.50 for adults, €3 for children between 3 and 12, children 3 and younger get in free. Although photography is not prohibited in the museum you are only allowed to take one picture per person.
If you dive or have an interest in the sea, the museum’s small but absorbing collection is great way to spend an hour. Everything is translated into English and Italian and there’s plenty of info on the evolution of diving.
Opening hours:
from January 1st to June 14th: Friday to Sunday 10:00 to 17:00, closed on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays;
from June 15th to June 30th: daily 9:00 to 20:00;
from July 1st to August 31st: daily 9:00 to 22:00;
from September 1st to September 15th: daily 9:00 to 20:00;
from September 16th to December 31st: Friday to Sunday 10:00 to 17:00, closed on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Museum Of Underwater Activities Piran Pictures
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The small but absorbing collection in the museum is dedicated to the history of diving in the Adriatic Sea, exhibiting old deep-sea diving suits and helmets.
Display of deep-sea diving suits and helmets.
Museum would appeal mostly to people interested in diving.
The second half of the museum focuses on the war efforts including the construction and activity of submarines which were based in the area.
A section is devoted to underwater warfare, with models of submarines on display.
Uniforms that were worn by crew members of various submarines.
Diver helmet of brothers Kuscer from 1938.
A 12-bolt copper and brass diving helmet by Siebe Gorman.
Siebe Gorman & Company Ltd was a British company founded in 1819 that developed diving equipment.
It’s hard to believe some brave soul in the early 20th century actually sank into the deep sea with these massive armored suits and helmets.
For divers, shipwrecks are always magical places where history and human folly mix.
If you’re walking along the harbour towards the centre of town you can’t miss the mannequins outside sporting antique diving gear.
The beautiful historic building housing the museum.
Photos courtesy of Muzej podvodnih dejavnosti Piran
Museum Of Underwater Activities Piran location on the map
Address: Zupanciceva ulica 24, 6330 Piran, Slovenia
Latitude and Longitude Coordinates: 45.526103, 13.568656
GPS coordinates: 45° 31′ 33.9708” N 13° 34′ 7.1616” E
Region: Littoral
The charming coastal town of Piran is a medieval jewel on the Adriatic coast, situated at the cape of the Piran peninsula on the northern side of Istria, with Italy on the horizon. Since being part of the Republic of Venice, Piran has a rich cultural heritage and the close Venetian influence is immediately apparent in its architecture with the narrow winding streets, houses huddled close together, rising in cascades, beautiful squares and churches and breathtaking sea views. |
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Overall Rating: The Tartini Square is a lovely square in the heart of the medieval walled Venetian town of Piran, the most famous town on Slovenia's 43-kilometre coast, which sits between Italy and Croatia. For a small town this is a wide open and quite large square. It's very Venetian in its white marble paving and surrounded by charming, Venetian buildings with wonderful architecture displayed. |
Overall Rating: The Church of St. George is the jewel on the crown of Piran. Originally built in the 12th century, its current structure dates from its expansion in the early 14th century, and its subsequent Baroque revamp in 1637. The church is beautifully decorated with frescos, marble altars and a large statue of St George slaying the dragon. |
Overall Rating: In front of the Church of St. George, built separate from it in 1608, is the iconic 46,45 metre-high bell tower. There are 146 steps that lead to the top of the bell tower that houses four bells and is capped with a pyramidal spire. At the top of the tower sits a weather vane in the form of the 3,6-metre-tall Archangel Michael. |
Overall Rating: Piran's Town Walls were built in various stages from the 7th to early 16th century and are one of the most famous attractions in the town. Originally the walls enclosed only the area west of the main Tartini square but between the years 1470 and 1534 expanded to include the entire peninsula. Sections of the wall and seven gates still stand throughout Piran, though the rest of it has been demolished. The walls themselves are great and quite impressive and you can climb to quite a height. The view however is the main reason to visit! |
Overall Rating: The Piran Shell And Snail Museum with its permanent exhibition the Magical World of Shells is one of the best and most interesting museums in Slovenia. It features more than 4,000 specimens of rare and unique mollusks from all around the world. You'll see some of the most unusual clams, sea urchins, crabs, sea stars, and much more, varying in sizes and shapes. |
Overall Rating: Piran’s maritime history is exhibited at the superb Sergej Masera Maritime Museum. Named after a famous Slovenian sailor from Gorica, the museum offers information on Slovene naval history, the Adriatic Sea, sailing, fishing, salt-making and much more. The bulk of the museum collections is housed in the wonderful 19th-century Gabrielli Palace, right at the waterfront near Tartini Square in the historic centre of Piran, but quite a few of its collections are also presented elsewhere. |
Overall Rating: If you are in Piran, try to take the time to visit this small, pleasant museum and make sure you attend the 3D movie to learn about the history of Piran. It will give you much more of an appreciation for this charming coastal town. |
Overall Rating: The Museum of Underwater Activities Piran is a small but very interesting museum that gives an excellent overview of the history of diving in the Adriatic Sea, exhibiting old deep-sea diving suits and helmets. Besides the collection of antique diving equipment, the museum also has several models of submarines and the uniforms of their crews on display. |
Overall Rating: The Piran Aquarium was founded in 1964 and is now the biggest aquarium in Slovenia with its collection of more than 120 species and 25 aquarium tanks. It showcases a good selection of fish and invertebrates living in the northern Adriatic Sea. |
Overall Rating: The First of May Square, previously known as the Old Square, was the centre of Piran until the 13th century. It is surrounded by mainly baroque-inspired architecture as well as a few restaurants. art galleries and a great little wine bar. In the centre of the square, on a raised platform, there are a few eye-catching statues and a stone rainwater cistern which was built in the second half of the 18th century after the region suffered a severe drought. |
Overall Rating: The Church of St Francis Assisi dates back to the beginning of the 14th century, but has been enlarged and renovated over the centuries. The present interior dates back to the 17th century and the exterior is from the 19th century. Attached to the church is a Franciscan monastery with a splendid atrium, the cloister, which is considered by many as the most beautiful in Slovenia. In the monastery's basement there is a superb collection of paintings by various Venetian artists. |
| The accommodation options in Piran can be divided into five main categories: hotels, guest houses, B&Bs, apartments and hostels. |
The charming coastal town of Piran is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Slovenia, but being such a small town, there are not many hotels in Piran. Actually, there are only four of them. We've reviewed all of them so take a look and find out which one would best suit your needs, style and budget. |
Piran guesthouses are definitely a good choice for a place to stay as they are comfortable and wallet-friendly with owners who take an interest in their guests. Some guesthouses also offer a breakfast buffet in the morning that has quite a few choices and is usually very good value for money. Find out which guesthouses in Piran we recommend and why. |
Bed and breakfasts are a budget-friendly way of staying in Piran. In essence you get a room and usually also a private bathroom in someone's house, with breakfast included in the price. Take a look and find out which bed and breakfasts in Piran we recommend and why. |
Apartments are a great option in Piran as they are cheaper than a hotel room but more spacious, well-equipped, and with a kitchen to save money on eating out. But be careful, the rates and quality vary seriously, so always do a good research before you book an apartment for your stay! Here you will find the apartments that we think are the best ones in Piran right now. |
Hostels are the cheapest places to stay in Piran. Most spaces and amenities are shared, but even if you’re not up for the cheapest option - a bed in a dorm room - you can often get a basic private room for significantly less than the cost of a low-end hotel or privately rented room. Competition between Piran hostels has grown over the past five years and there are now some really good hostels in Piran. Find out which are the ones that we recommend and why! |