MARE SUPERUM – The Sea Connecting Heritage, People and Places

The "Sergej Mašera" Maritime Museum Piran participates in the project by preserving valuable wooden vessels that bear witness to the maritime history of the region. As part of the project, three historic vessels will be restored, while the restoration process will be documented and presented through modern digital approaches.

Visitors will be able to follow the work of the restorers through interactive content and discover the importance of traditional vessels and the knowledge connected with them. By combining heritage, new technologies and local communities, the MARE SUPERUM project creates new ways of discovering the shared Adriatic story.
 

 

Project duration: 1 September 2025 – 31 August 2028

 

Website: https://www.ita-slo.eu/en/mare-superum
 

For centuries, the sea has been one of the most important elements of the Northern Adriatic. It was not only a route for trade and exchange with other cultures, but also shaped the way of life, knowledge, traditions and identity of coastal communities. Maritime heritage, reflected in vessels, traditional crafts, stories and people's relationship with the sea, therefore represents an important part of the shared history of this area.

 

The MARE SUPERUM project aims to bring this rich heritage closer to local communities and visitors, integrating it into the development of sustainable tourism. At a time when mass tourism often offers standardised experiences and focuses mainly on the most visited destinations, the project explores new paths based on authentic stories, local characteristics and the active involvement of communities.

 

Slovenian and Italian partners will jointly develop a cross-border tourism offer connecting places, people and heritage on both sides of the Adriatic. The aim is to enable visitors to discover lesser-known maritime stories, traditional knowledge and cultural features throughout the year, beyond the main tourist season.

 

The key principles of the project are navigation, cooperation, preservation, construction, maintenance and innovation. Activities will include the development of a joint strategy for the enhancement of maritime heritage, new thematic itineraries, a digital heritage catalogue and pilot activities dedicated to the preservation and promotion of maritime culture.

 

The "Sergej Mašera" Maritime Museum Piran plays an important role in the project by restoring three wooden vessels of significant historical value. The restoration process will be carefully documented through photographs, videos, audio recordings and technical documentation, enabling the creation of documentary content and a broader presentation of the heritage to the public.

 

In addition to the physical restoration of the vessels, the museum will contribute to the digital preservation of heritage by creating 3D models of selected objects. An interactive station will be installed in the museum, allowing visitors to follow the different stages of restoration and discover the processes involved in preserving historic vessels.