Museo do Mar de Galicia

The Museo do Mar de Galicia (Museum of the Sea of Galicia) stands on the Alcabre waterfront south of the city centre, a striking ensemble of buildings opening directly onto the bay. The museum's permanent collection covers the history of Galicia's relationship with the sea: fishing, maritime trade, emigration, the canning industry that once dominated the Galician economy, and the ecology of the ría itself.

The building, designed by Aldo Rossi with local architect César Portela, is architecturally significant in its own right — a dramatic set of interconnected pavilions stepping down to the water's edge. It is the kind of museum where the setting and architecture compete with the exhibits for attention. A good half-day destination, particularly combined with a walk along the Alcabre coastal path.

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The museum occupies a stunning building on the waterfront at Alcabre designed by Aldo Rossi and César Portela — the last major project completed before Rossi's death in 1997. The building itself won architectural prizes before a single exhibit was installed. The museum also incorporates the remains of a real 17th-century fishing settlement, with original walls preserved within the modern structure.