Betina Museum of Wooden Shipbuilding
Starting from the summer of 2015, Šibenik and its surrounding are proud to present you an another attraction. You don't need to rent an apartment, a room or a vacation house in Betina, in order to visit Betina Museum of Shipbuilding which has been founded here. Shipwrights from island Murter have been well known across Croatia of their magical skill – wooden ships rising upon their diligent hands. Shipbuilding tradition is still alive, even now when residents existence is no longer connected with agriculture, fishing or sailing. The most important economy is tourism here today. So, the next natural thing for Betina and island Murter to have is the museum of this kind. Shipbuilding tradition goes from 18th century till today. Shipyard in Betina was founded in 1948 and it is still active; building small wooden ships, along with its maintenance and repair. The most famous ship which sailed from this shipyard is Betina's gajeta. The skill of building gajeta is one of Croatian non-material goods. Betina shipwrights have developed specific terminology for shipbuilding on the island, along with unique features of their ships which are adopted by unique needs of local ship owners. For example, gajeta has one wooden footstep on the forecastle which eases boarding on rocky shores of the island. That one, along with the other curiosities, you can spot in Museum which is situated in two merged traditional Dalmatian stone houses. Years ago, those houses were a home of one of Betina`s shipwright, yet today those 350 square meters are telling a most amazing story about the love of a man and a wooden ship. Ship used to be a member of a family. Not every family had a boat, but those ones who had it, shared it with their neighbors with love and care which can be hardly found in our days. Shipbuilding in Betina, the craft which lived till our days due to suborn love of those hardworking men and the sea, will enchant you and fill your sails with a whiff of persistence and warmth to help you get through cold winter days ahead.
