Maritime Museum in Capoliveri - Island of Elba

The Maritime Museum in Capoliveri was inaugurated in April 2014 inside the renovated building in via Palestro.

In the new area, dedicated to the importance of the sea around the Island of Elba, you can see the exhibition of "The Polluce disaster - Shipwreck in Capoliveri", run by the Tuscan Superintendence of Archaeology and the Commune of Capoliveri.

At the exhibition you have the chance to discover the various stages of the history of the Polluce steamboat and how they got its treasure back.

The Polluce was built in 1839 in France and bought by the De Luchi - Rubattino Shipping Company. On April 13th 1841 it was taken to the port in Genova and a few days later started its regular sailing to and from Marseilles - Genova - Livorno - Civitavecchia and Naples.

On June 17th of the same year, after the Neapolitan ship Mongibello ran into it, the ship sank just off the coast of Capo Calvo at a depth of 103 metres. Due to the fact that the Polluce was carrying something that probably wasn't supposed to reach Genova, like a financial contribution given to the Italian patriots on behalf of the English, many people believe the accident was deliberate.

Fortunately none of those on board - about 80 all in including the crew - perished, except for one sailor.

As it sank, and while the passengers and crew were being saved, everything it was carrying sank too: the ship's papers, letters, the passengers' personal belongings, and all the goods on board.

The entire cargo was very important because it consisted of many gold and silver coins as well as a treasure chest full of jewellery and precious objects belonging to the wealthy passengers on board.

After the Polluce had sunk, its shipowner, the famous Raffaele Rubattino from Genova tried in vain to get the precious treasure back.

At the start of the year 2000 further attempts were made on behalf of some English treasure hunters who did their best to try and cheat the authorities: they managed to get permission to look for the shipwreck of the English ship, the "Glean Logan", that had sunk during World War One but in a completely different area to where the "Polluce" had sunk. Thinking they had been very smart, they gave the nautical coordinates of the "Polluce" shipwreck, and in this way were able to bring its cargo to the surface. Fortunately they had to hand it over to the Italian authorities shortly before it was put up for auction on the English market.

Finally in October 2005 the entire cargo was brought to the surface.

In the museum you can now admire the magnificent treasure that was on the ship, consisting of many small, everyday objects: tableware, cabin objects and general objects used on board .

But the real treasure from the Polluce is the huge amount of gold and silver coins as well as beautiful pieces of gold jewellery, and small porcelain statues and precious objects.