Cuttack, with the largest river of the State―Mahanadi, was the seat of maritime activities in the Colonial era. Three years back, Odisha Government opened the Odisha State Maritime Museum that showcases the rich maritime history of the state. Set up on the banks of river Mahanadi over four acres of land, the museum stands on the site of the ancient Maritime Engineering Workshop that was established by the British in 1869. Apparently, this workshop was set up for building, repair and maintenance of vessels from the provinces of Bihar, Bengal and Odisha under the Bengal Presidency of British India. It ensured smooth operation on the waterways―the major channel of communication then.

The workshop was set up by the then PWD department of British administration through the efforts of a Scottish Engineer GH Faulkner immediately after the 1866 famine in Odisha. The museum has 13 galleries showcasing maritime traditions, vessels, boats and other related artefacts from the ancient age to the colonial era. A library with more than 1000 books and journals has been included for researchers in the museum. Except Monday, the museum remains open for the visitors on all working days from 10 am to 4 pm. An entry fee of Rs 10 is being collected from the visitors. For group tickets for persons above 25 years (30 visitors in a group) Rs 200 is being charged. However, there is no entry fee for students and children below 10 years.