Galata Maritime Museum was opened in 2004, when Genoa was awarded European Capital of Culture. Today, this innovative and technological establishment is the largest maritime museum in the Mediterranean Sea. The Galata Museo del Mare, a museum of the Municipality of Genoa, forms part of the Istituzione Musei del Mare e della Navigazione. The Institution includes, along with the Galata Museo del Mare, another three major museums, united by a common thread, the sea, addressed in all its many aspects. The Associazione Promotori Musei del Mare e della Navigazione plays an extremely important role in promoting Genoa's historical and cultural maritime heritage. Genoa, Italy