Volvo Ocean Race Museum in Alicante - Free entry announced

by Volvo Ocean Race on 28 Jun 2013 As the Volvo Ocean Race Museum celebrates its 40th anniversary there will be free entry with immediate effect, giving more people than ever a chance to experience the historic round-the-world sailing race first hand.

The move to offer free entry comes as part of the Volvo Ocean Race's 40th birthday celebrations, which began with the opening at the Alicante Museum of a stunning new photographic exhibition entitled '40 years, 40 faces'.

'We want everyone to be able to enjoy this spectacular interactive Museum and get to know a race that has been creating heroes and legends since 1973,' said Volvo Ocean Race CEO Knut Frostad.

'We're currently enjoying our 40th birthday celebrations and we want Alicante locals and tourists alike to see the wonderful new exhibition and gain an understanding of what makes this race so special.'

The Volvo Ocean Race Museum opened in Alicante in June 2012 and is based at the race's state-of-the-art headquarters, just a five-minute stroll from the Mediterranean city's central esplanade and Postiguet beach, in the thriving port area of one of Europe's most popular tourist destinations.

The high-tech museum gives a close-up view of the NASA-inspired Race Control room at the race's headquarters, while offering visitors the chance to get hands-on with the race via a series of interactive displays.

The '40 years, 40 faces' exhibition features pictures from all 11 previous editions, focusing on people rather than boats, on faces rather than waves, and paints an intimate view of a race that began life as the Whitbread back in 1973 and remains sport's ultimate test of teamwork and character.

The 12th edition of the Volvo Ocean Race starts in Alicante on October 4, 2014 and will run until June 2015 with a finish in Gothenburg, Sweden. Along the way, the teams will stop at Recife (Brazil), Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates), Sanya (China), Auckland (New Zealand), Itajaí (Brazil), Newport, Rhode Island (United States), Lisbon (Portugal) and Lorient (France).