Il Museo della Navigazione Fluviale

The rivers and canals have been used since ancient times as the natural and safest routes for the transportation of goods and passengers. In particular, in Veneto, the dense river network influenced the development of social and economic relations, supported by a wide and advanced variety of vessels. The "river workers" represent a civilization carrying its own culture, linked to specific working objects, with a rational use of resources, adapting to the slow and often irregular flow of water. Between the boatman and his cargo vessel (burcio and padovana), a relationship of toil and emotions was established. The Museum is divided into several sections; the section on the ground floor illustrates the parts of the vessels, the various types for transporting goods and people, and the construction characteristics. In Hall B, the equipment used in the boatyards, the sites for the construction and maintenance of boats, is displayed. On the middle floor or Hall C, testimonies related to waterways, hydraulic works, and transported goods are collected. Upon reaching the first floor, one can admire traditional means of propulsion on one side, while on the other, the components of motorization testify to the means of propulsion that were replaced in the post-war period by the inboard motor. In the last hall, objects necessary for navigation and everything needed for life on board have been collected.