The Matthew is a full-scale, seaworthy replica of the small caravel that John Cabot sailed from Bristol to Newfoundland in 1497 — the first documented European voyage to North America since the Vikings. Built in 1996 for the 500th anniversary of Cabot's voyage, the ship actually made the crossing again in a modern re-enactment, arriving in Newfoundland to celebrations on both sides of the Atlantic.
The replica is moored in the Bristol Floating Harbour, usually visible from the quayside near M Shed, and is periodically open to visitors. Its scale is striking — it is a very small ship for such a voyage, barely 20 metres long. The contrast with Brunel's enormous SS Great Britain just along the harbour makes the scale of maritime ambition across five centuries vividly apparent. The ship is occasionally taken out for sailing trips and events; check with the harbourside visitor information for current access arrangements.