The Neraida remained decommissioned in Elefsina for over 30 years. Her owner, John Latsis, never sent the ship for scrap, as he had a special emotional connection with her. In 2007, four years after his death, his family decided to rebuild and convert the ship into a floating museum.
In September 2007, the ship was loaded onto the heavy cargo ship Maria to be taken to the NCP shipyard in Sibenik, Croatia, a few hundred kilometres south of the city where she was born, Rijeka (formerly Fiume). The project lasted about 3 years. The architectural design was undertaken by the office of Patterson Buxton Consultants in London, the construction of the interior by the German company Metrica Interior and the museological study by Professor Alexandra Bounia.
In April 2010, the work was completed, and after the necessary trials and checks, the Neraida began her return journey to Greek waters.
Contributors
General Coordination:
Vangelis Chronis, Member of the Executive Board of the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation,
President of the Board of Directors of the Neraida Floating Museum
Refurbishing Shipyard:
NCP Sibenik, Croatia
Architectural Design:
Doug Patterson, Patterson & Buxton’s, London, UK
Interior Design:
Metrica Interior, Senden, Germany
Museological/museographical study:
Dr. Alexandra Bunia, Archaeologist/Museologist, Professor, Department of Cultural Technology and Communication, University of the Aegean
Graphic Design:
k2design
Work Team:
Katerina Boublini, Vasilis Tsamourtzis, Claudia Scotoni, Annie Kalou
