Traveling museum sails back into West Tennessee

DECATURVILLE, Tenn. — A traveling museum has returned to West Tennessee.

The museum, a ship named the Pinta, is back after two years. The replica is a traveling museum modeled after one of three ships — the Niña, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria — that sailed with Christopher Columbus in 1492.

“She’s actually constructed a little bit larger than what you would’ve seen back in the 15th century. But she’s a replica of a Portuguese caravel. It was a style of ship that was used by Christopher Columbus and many earlier explorers to open up trade routes all over the world,” said the Pinta Captain Stephen Sanger.

It took 20 men and 36 months to build the ship using the same hand tools and methods that were used back over 530 years ago to build the original.

“You really come on board and appreciate the craftsmanship of the ship. She was constructed down in Brazil by eighth generation Portuguese shipwrights. The techniques of how to build this style of ship was actually passed down through generations,” Sanger said.

The traveling museum travels 10 months out of the year to about 20 to 30 different locations educating the public about the the early voyagers and their journey on the ship.

“The life on board for those 20 to 30 men that all lived on the ship, what their purpose was on board the ship, how to sail the ship, the mechanics of the ship, and the lessons about the voyages of Columbus,” Sanger said.

The Pinta ship is docked at the Fisherdale Marina in Decaturville and will be open to the public this weekend.

“We’re going to be open to the general public for no reservation, self-guided tours from 9 to 5 daily Friday, Saturday and Sunday. That’s the 28th-30th of July. You just show up to the ship’s location and purchase your tickets there,” Sanger said.

For more information on the Pinta and the ports schedule, click here.

Find more local news here.