The museum has the sea as its subject-matter. The exhibits cover a chronological span, from paleontological to prehistoric periods until present times and includes among other exhibits the replica of a Mesolithic (9200 B.C.) papyrus vessel, an exact life size replica of the ancient ship of Kyrenia of the Classical period ( 400 B.C.) , a traditional Cypriot ship of 19th century, known as “Passara”. The sea museum also houses Cypriot antiquities, bones and skulls of endemic pygmy hippopotami and elephants of Cyprus (8000 years old) as well as fossilized exhibits such as sea-urchin, and corals. Visitors can also look at stuffed mammals, fish, sea turtles and marine organism such as shells, barnacles, starfish, sponges, crabs, lobsters, and marine plants. These are just some of the indigenous examples on display which come from all around the island.