Wow, what a gem. Well worth the visit if you’re interested in this history. I could’ve spent way more than the 1.5 hours I spent before they closed. They have an awful lot of stuff. Half is presented with Spanish-only minimalistic captions. These are the “Here’s a bunch of stuff” sections. Cool if you can navigate in some meaningful way on your own. Then there are sections with big, new, easy to read placards with well-written, concise English that includes technical specifications. They’ve done a brilliant job with these placards. Kudos. These placards generally cover the big ticket artifacts. Museum lacks broader narrative on how things fit into operational or strategic considerations. Some placards for specific artifacts do discuss tactical relevance. Refreshing to see Spanish Civil War discussed (a bit) and not omitted like other museums. As of the day I visited, 9 December 2020, this museum is open 10am-2pm. Another military museum nearby, the Naval Museum of Cartagena, is also open the same hours. I suspect most people interested in this history would combine both in the same day as I did. Not enough time. I wish these museums found a way to make that work. As such, I was rushed on the second floor which contains a really wonderful history of the harbor defenses. The historical writing was informative in the English translations. Really easy to follow especially with superb, large defensive fortification models. Just leave time! Also upstairs are lots of uniforms. Then you turn a corner into a models section. I didn’t appreciate what this meant. Lots of models. As in, literally, the Guinness Book of World Records holder for largest collection of military models (as of 2012). It’s not just quantity, this is a qualitative collection and I wish I’d had more time with it. I don’t understand why this museum doesn't appear on every list of “Things to do” for not just the city but the whole region. Whoever added all those new placards that are so informative and easy to read (and well-translated) kicked this museum from a collection of stuff to a truly educational experience. Thank you for having me.

Right from the entrance, you will realize that is museum is a very serious place. The items on display are obviously calculated to arrest one's attention and they were indeed captivating. I would go back here again, I hope.