Between 1958 and 1965, during the building of “Leonardo da Vinci” Airport, inside the ancient Claudius’ Port, the wrecks of five boats, currently shown at the Museum of Vessels, were discovered.

Built in the ’70’s, next to the discovery place, the Museum was inaugurated in 1979; beside the vessel ruins it is possible to admire also some objects connected to life on board and to the different typologies of materials transported (marbles, containers for foodstuffs, etc.)

The wrecks were placed next to the right pier of the port, in a marginal area of the dock, easily subject to covering with sand where a “cemetery” is supposed to be settled for old or ruined boats.
Among the five vessels exposed in the museum, two of them (“Fiumicino 1” and “Fiumicino 2”, which can be dated in the fourth and fifth century after Christ) are characterized by a large and flat bottom, apt to the river navigation, used to transport to Rome, along the Tiber, the products unloaded by the cargo ship vessels in Claudius and Trajan’ s Ports.

Also “Fiumicino 3”, which is smaller, belongs to the family of the river boats.“Fiumicino 4” (dated 2nd-3rd century after Christ), equipped with a square sail, it is supposed to be used for the sea navigation and for the small-medium coasting trade for fishing activity. A rare piece, for the Roman age, is the smallest fishing boat called “Fiumicino 5”, dated 2nd century a.c..

The boat, discovered in an excellent condition, is equipped with a central well deck for the preservation of fish, thanks to the salt water which penetrated through the little holes, provided with taps, on the bottom of the body.

INFORMATION
Archaeological Objects Service of Ostia
Via dei Romagnoli 717 – 00119 Ostia Antica (RM)
Tel. +39 0656358099 – fax  +39 065651500

Museum of the Roman Vessels
Via A. Guidoni, 35 – 00050 Fiumicino Aeroporto (RM)
Tel. +39 06 6529192   +39 06 65010089

Duration of the visit to the museum: 45 minutes
Ticket: 2 euros; free for member citizens of the European Union Countries under 18 and over 65 . Reduced between 18 and 25.

Open to the public: from Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 01:30 p.m.; on Tuesday and Thursday also from 02:30 p.m. to 04:30 p.m. . Closed: on Mondays; 1st January; 1st May; 25th December.

Note: on the first Saturday and on the last Sunday of every month, appointment, by appointment,  at 9:30 a.m. at the Museum for the guide tour, which includes also the archaeological area of Trajan’s Port.

ATTENTION: In this period, the Museum of the Vessels is closed for functional adjustments, anyway the sentry remains open, as it is the starting point of the guide tours to Claudius and Trajan’s Port.