Naval Technical Museum

The Museo Tecnico Navale is one you won't want to skip — it's the oldest naval museum in the world, with roots going back to the 16th century and a permanent home in La Spezia since 1870. Sitting right on the waterfront, it houses an impressive collection of ship figureheads, scale models, and naval artifacts that tell the story of Italy's maritime history. It's the kind of place that's surprisingly easy to spend a few hours in without noticing. Open daily 8:30am–7:30pm, with closures on January 1st, August 15th, and December 25th.