Santa Maria Ship & Museum Facts for Kids

The Santa Maria in 2008

The Santa Maria Ship & Museum was a special museum ship located in downtown Columbus, Ohio. It was a full-size copy, or replica, of the Santa María. This was one of the three ships that Christopher Columbus used in 1492. He sailed on it during his first big trip to the Americas.

The ship was on display in Columbus from 1991 until 2014. It had to be moved because of a big riverfront project called the Scioto Mile. Since then, the Santa Maria has been stored on a city-owned piece of land.

What Was the Santa Maria Ship?
How Was the Santa Maria Built?
Pictures of the Santa Maria Ship
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What Was the Santa Maria Ship?

The ship on the Scioto River by Battelle Riverfront Park

This wooden ship was a full-size copy of Christopher Columbus's Santa María. It was one of the three ships he used on his first journey to the Americas in 1492. Many people believed this new ship was the most accurate copy of the original Santa María ever made.

The people who built the ship called it a "15th century caravel". A caravel was a type of small, fast sailing ship used by explorers. This replica had three tall masts. It was about 98 feet (30 meters) long. The ship was shown on the Scioto River, tied up near Battelle Riverfront Park.

How Was the Santa Maria Built?

The Santa Maria was ordered in the late 1980s. The idea was for it to be a lasting attraction along the river. This was planned for the 1992 Christopher Columbus Quincentennial Jubilee. This event celebrated 500 years since Columbus's first voyage.

The ship was built using $2 million from private donations. It was constructed at Scarano Boat Building in Albany, New York. In 1991, the ship was cut in half and brought to Columbus by truck. It was put back together in a parking lot near the Franklin County Veterans Memorial. Then, it was moved to Battelle Riverfront Park.

The ship was officially opened on October 11, 1991. This was just before Columbus Day. About 150 people protested the event. Many of them were Native Americans. They gathered at nearby Bicentennial Park and in front of the ship.

The ship was meant to bring people to the Columbus riverfront. Many school groups from the city visited it. However, it did not attract as many visitors as hoped. Over the years, fewer people came to see it.

The group that ran the ship closed down in 2011. The Columbus Recreation and Parks Department then took over. Around 2014, the Santa Maria had to be moved again. This was because of the Scioto Mile project. Also, it needed a lot of expensive repairs, costing $5-6 million. The ship was taken apart into ten pieces. It was moved to a city-owned lot on the South Side of Columbus. This lot is next to a water treatment plant. A group called Santa Maria Inc. worked to raise money for repairs. There was hope that the ship could return to the riverfront one day.