Buenos Aires Puerto Madero

Museo Fragata Sarmiento. Docked in Dique 3, this perfectly maintained museum ship was built in England in 1897 and served as one of the Argentine navy’s most important vessels at the beginning of the 20th century. Though it never saw combat (Argentina didn’t have too many naval conflicts then), it did serve as a major training ship and sailed around the world numerous times between 1899 and 1938. Onboard, you can view the ship’s holds and engine rooms and peruse exhibits on its past voyages and residents. (Dique 3. S Plaza de Mayo. ☎4334 9386. Open daily 9am-5pm. Voluntary contribution AR$2.)

Buque Museo Corbeta Ara Uruguay. North of Fragata Sarmiento in Dique 4 is this similar, though smaller, museum ship. Built in 1874, also in Britain, it’s the oldest vessel in the Argentine fleet and, much like the Fragata Sarmiento, has taken several spins around the global block. It also served as a training vessel for the Argentine navy and was used in many of the country’s expeditions to Antarctica, where Argentina, strangely enough, has a large land claim. (Dique 4. S LN Alem. ☎4314 1090. Open M-F 2-7pm, Sa-Su 10am-7pm. Voluntary contribution AR$1.)