The USS KIDD Veterans Museum will offer guests a step back into history with the arrival of the Nao Trinidad, a 16th-century Spanish-built replica with a rich history. The tall ship will be sailing upriver to Baton Rouge next month and be open for public tours from March 13th through the 25th on the downtown riverfront.
The Nao TRINIDAD is a Spanish-built replica of the 16th-Century flagship of the Magellan-Elcano expedition, the first to sail around the world. The original was the flagship of the Armada del Maluco (1519-1522), captained by Ferdinand Magellan. Five Naos (a ship that combined the design elements of both Mediterranean and Northern European-style ships) departed from Sevilla, but only two made it to the Spice Islands, Nao TRINIDAD was one of them. The replica Nao TRINDAD’s visit to America celebrates 500 years since the world’s first circumnavigation of the globe.
Completed after 14 months of construction on March 11, 2018, the replica Nao TRINIDAD weighs 200 gross tons, is 93ft in length with a 26ft beam. Her three masts carry five sails, with the mainmast being more than 82 feet high. Her hull contains five decks and was constructed of tropical Iroko (African hardwood) and pinewood. Nao TRINIDAD has sailed to many different ports in the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic coasts of both Europe and America as a training vessel and floating museum.
The Naos have a unique and original design that made them the most advanced in naval engineering of that time, used first as cargo ships in Spain and then as exploring vessels. Nao TRINIDAD is a full-scale replica, faithful to the original’s design and dimensions. More than a hundred maritime artisans worked on her construction, including ship carpenters, rope masters and naval engineers.
Nao Trinidad Tall Ship sailing to Baton Rouge for tours
Visitors will be able to tour four decks in order to experience how 16th-Century life was like onboard and how it is to live today on an historical ship of that time. They will be able to learn about seamanship directly from the crew, who will have many amazing experiences from their long voyages to share.
While the ship is a part of history, we would never want to paint a rosy picture of a beautiful ship without the realities of the voyages and the times. We encourage everyone to dig deeper and learn more about the ships via the following articles:
10 Surprising Facts About Magellan’s Circumnavigation of the Globe
Enrique, Magellan’s elusive slave
WHAT: Tour the Nao TRINIDAD’s four decks.
WHEN: March 13th through the 25th – 9:30am to 4:30 pm
WHERE: Nao TRINIDAD will be moored alongside USS KIDD during her stay in Baton Rouge.
ADMISSION: Tickets are $25 per person (children under 5 years old with an adult are free) and include access to the USS KIDD Veterans Museum, and both ships.
The floating museum of Spanish maritime heritage has already visited dozens of ports in Spain, Mexico, the United States and Europe.
The Museum will be open for special engagement hours, 9:30am to 4:30 pm, from March 13th through March 25th (the opening date may change, due to weather possibly impacting the Nao TRINIDAD’s arrival in Baton Rouge). Because this is a multi-day event, tickets are available only at the entrance to the USS KIDD Veterans Museum on the day of visit.
The USS KIDD Veterans Museum is open daily. Admission is charged. Visit the website at usskidd.com or call 225-342-1942 for more information.