San Salvador and her epic journey.

With the framing nearly complete and the stem and beakhead fitted, San Salvador now resembles a ship meant to sail.

The Maritime Museum of San Diego is building a full-sized, fully functional, and historically accurate replica of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo’s flagship, San Salvador.

• Site Visiting Hours
• Kumeyaay demonstration Schedule
• NPS Living History Program Schedule
• San Salvador – Cabrillo’s Galleon of Discovery and other gifts
• FREE downloadable paper model of San Salvador
• Video & news articles
• Webcam

San Salvador is being constructed in full public view at Spanish Landing, giving you the opportunity to watch from a close perspective as an example of the first modern industrial activity in the Americas comes to life before your eyes.

Enjoy a rare opportunity to visit this most historic of shipbuilding endeavors. As a Museum member you can visit the build site as often as you please, you will also be able to visit the site with your museum admission.

Building San Salvador at the prominent waterfront Spanish Landing village, some of what you will fine will be demonstrations on shipbuilding, blacksmith, sail making, Native American Kumeyaay demonstrations such as tulle boats, baskets, and pottery making. Ship models will be on display for your viewing enjoyment. Costumed docents from Cabrillo National Monument will be giving tours on select days. Gift shop available on site.

After construction, San Salvador will remain on exhibit as part of the Museum's fleet of historic and replica ships and will travel along the California coast as an ambassador for San Diego.

Come see history being made.

San Salvador Village at Spanish landing
Site hours 11:00am - 4:30pm daily.

Guests who want to stamp their initials into the ship may do so by having the store staff person provide them with the appropriate equipment.

Kumeyaay demonstration schedule:

Local Kumeyaay College instructors Stan & Martha Rodriguez will be working with Kumeyaay students teaching traditional arts and doing demonstrations with the visiting public at the San Salvador build site twice a month on selected weekend dates.
May 19 - Games
June 2 - Rabbit Skin Blankets
June 30 - Native Foods
Demonstration times: 10:00am – noon and 1:00pm - 3:00pm.
For more information contact the museum’s education department at 619-234-9153 x126

NPS Living History Program Schedule:

The programs are 30 minutes, with the presenters staying for a total of an hour to answer questions.

May 12th, 1:30pm - Shipboard Life 1542
Discover the sights smells and sounds of seaboard life in the 16th Century. This living history presentation gives you an introduction to navigational tools used at the time, jobs and roles of the sailors, the food and drink of the day as well as other salty tales from the sea. Join the Boatswain of the Cabrillo expedition and set sail on an educational adventure.

San Salvador gifts and collectables:

San Salvador – Cabrillo’s Galleon of Discovery is now available. To get your copy and see other San Salvador gifts and collectables Click here.

Milestone Keel laying, news, video, and pictures.

Official Maritime Museum video - Click Here. Port of San Diego Article - Click Here. Port of San Diego Flickr Pics - Click Here. 10 News article and Video - Click Here. National Park Service article - Click Here.

San Salvador Webcam view:

Stills and Real-time generated time-lapse animations
Webcam is owned and supported by the National Park Service, installation and hosting by HPWREN - Click Here to view.

San Salvador paper model, Coming soon.

Now available for download 3 beautifully designed San Salvador posters depicting the design, building, and voyage to California. Click here to download.

Model (when available) is offered FREE of charge by the Maritime Museum of San Diego, this model will help teach young and old alike the details of sixteenth-century Spanish galleons.

Be sure to visit our San Salvador page under Explore > The Ships

Bookmark this page as we will update details often!