Melaka Maritime Museum is a replica of the Flor de la Mar, a Portuguese ship said to have been carrying loot plundered from Malacca when it sank off the coast of Malacca on its way back to Portugal. Opened to the public in 1994, this unique museum is an enlightening trip back into Malacca’s past. The 34m-high, 36m-long and eight-metre-wide structure is located at Quayside Road (right beside the. Set 10 minutes away from the Dutch Square, the Melaka Maritime Museum is divided into the different eras that Malacca has gone through, from the Melaka Sultanate period, to Portuguese, Dutch and British rule The Melaka Maritime Museum aims to highlight Malacca’s importance back in the day as ‘a regional and international business centre’. Displays include artefacts and documents from the Malacca Sultanate, Portuguese, Dutch and British administration era that reveal why political control of Malacca was essential to maritime dominance of the region. Additionally, there is a collection of model ships as well as reading material on Malacca’s history and famous Malaccan legends such as Hang Tuah. The interior of the Melaka Maritime Museum is subtly lit with a spiral staircase dominating the space: downstairs is a collection of porcelain, silk, textile and spices that were brought in by traders from Arab, India and China back in the day. Check out the series of framed paintings and pictures illustrating Malacca’s role as an emporium for these traders. The upper level of the ship has a diorama of a captain’s cabin: though visitors are not allowed to enter the cabin, on the doorstep of the cabin is plenty of material on the vital role the captain on Portuguese ships played.