Nautical Museum – Former Jail and Forum

With recent reopening, the Ilhabela Nautical Museum is located in the building of the old Prison and Forum, in Vila, the city's Historic Center.

The site has a collection of pieces from shipwrecks, mainly from the Príncipe de Asturias, as well as panels with information and images, with emphasis on the six-meter one indicating shipwrecks from 1825 to 1990.

At the Museum, visitors can also learn about the history of Ilhabela's coastal lighthouses, such as the Ponta do Boi Lighthouse, from 1900, and ship models.

Another important attraction is the exhibition on shipwrecks, the result of recent research by historian and archaeologist Plácido Cali. ​

In Ilhabela, there are records of 16 documented wrecked vessels, in addition to 12 more that require confirmation, and several others unknown, found by divers.

The old Ilhabela Prison and Forum that houses the Museum was built in 1914 and is located in the city's Historic Center, also known as Vila, at Praça Coronel Julião, close to the Main Church. 

Its building was listed by Condephaat in 2001. In an eclectic style, the two-story building features rich architecture with a cylindrical tower that gives the building a fortified appearance.

Credit: Plácido Cali

Address: Praça Coronel Julião, 115, in the Center.

Operation Hours: Free entrancy. Every day, from 9am to 10pm.