There is a great diversity of species in the Mediterranean Sea. From different plants and corals to the most exotic animals. Underneath the surface of the water you will find a lot of life. And this life must be protected, Francisco Pinto knows. He is a shark specialist at the Alborán Museum and now guides us through the museum. Directly after the entrance you pass a mountain of compressed plastic waste. At first sight, this structure seems like a work of art. In fact, however, it is a small part of garbage that was fished from the Mediterranean. "This is one of the main problems that the Mediterranean has", Francisco Pinto says. "There is far too much plastic waste in the Mediterranean that negatively affects the world. The animals eat the plastic and the people eat the animals and therefore the plastic as well. It is an eternal cycle".
Then we go upstairs and pass an aquarium in which a turtle swims as well as many fishes. "The turtle was injured by a ship its screw", Pinto explains. "Now she is recovering with us." Directly behind the aquarium there is the section of mammals. Shark and whale skeletons of real animals are exhibited there. On the ceiling there are replicas of the animals in original size. Francisco Pinto explains to us in detail what makes the animals so special, where they can be found and what the visitors have to pay attention to. It is a fascinating tour through the rooms of the museum. The turtles also have a large section. In the Mediterranean, there are many large specimens that you would never expect there. Afterwards, we pass some ship models and the steering wheel of a big ship and go into the back room of the first floor.
In the rearmost room of the first floor you can find corals and small sea creatures in a showcase as well as real and large squids which are very well preserved. These are in a container filled with water. The length of the animals is impressive. Next to the room there is the staircase, which now leads down again towards the exit. Shortly before the exit, visitors can admire numerous exotic fishes, crabs, a moraine and many other sea creatures in one of the many aquariums.
The Alborán Museum is an interactive museum where the exhibits can be touched. Because only when visitors touch these things, they develop a feeling for nature. In addition, there are numerous exciting test objects such as a water vortex, rudder simulations and more. If you want to get to know the underwater world between the Costa del Sol and Africa and you want to have fun at the same time, you should visit the Alborán Museum. It is suitable for the whole family. (Editor/Photos/Video: Michael Trampert)
Skeleton of a whale.
Mouth of a shark.
Model of a whale.
Teeth of a turtle.
A turtle that hurt its arm.
Model of a turtle laying her eggs in a sand hole.
The bridge of a ship.
A fishing boat and in the background ancient objects found in or near the sea.
A coral.
A display case containing numerous corals, aquatic plants and small animals.
A camouflaged fish.
A scorpion fish.
