Museum of Ancient Shipbuilding, Mainz (must see)

The Museum of Ancient Shipbuilding features five fourth-century Roman military ships. These ancient shipwrecks were discovered in Mainz in 1981 during construction work on the Hilton Hotel. The ships were buried under seven meters (23 feet) of mud and were in remarkable condition for being buried for 1500 years.

During Roman times, Mainz was an important trading city and a base for the Rhine river fleet. Roman patrol boats would travel the Rhine river and protect the area. These patrols were an important part of the empire's defenses.

The ancient ships were made of German oak. Four ships were troop transporters, and one was a patrol vessel. Most of the museum is barrier-free, which allows visitors to get up close to many of the exhibits.

In addition to the shipwrecks, the museum has two ship replicas that show what a complete Roman military ship looked like. Additional exhibits show the history of shipbuilding, starting from dugouts in the Stone Age and continuing to modern times.

Visitors can watch modern shipbuilders restore ancient ships and create new models in the museum's workshop. The museum also has a fun activity area for kids.

In addition to the exhibits, the museum has a collection of reliefs that depict ships. Items on display include tombstones and coffins from the first and third centuries.