Replicas of Christopher Columbus’ ships Nina and Pinta docking in Louisville

“In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue.” That’s a refrain you probably said in grade school — and I bet you still remember the names of his ships: the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria.

Knowing that rhyme made it a breeze to ace that world history test on Christopher Columbus’ voyage to the “New World” — a complicated legacy that has come into sharper focus in recent years. But if you’ve ever wondered what it was actually like for Columbus and his crew to make that journey, you’ll now have your chance.

Replicas of the Nina and the Pinta will sail into Louisville, Kentucky this month before continuing their tour of U.S. ports through the end of November.

The replicas of Columbus’s two iconic ships were built by the Columbus Foundation, which was formed in 1986 in the British Virgin Islands in order to raise funds for the project. The Nina was the first replica to be completed, launching out of Brazil in late 1991. The Pinta followed more than a decade later, departing Brazil in 2005.

The Columbus Foundation’s two ships have been sailing the seas over the last couple of decades, visiting different ports throughout the world. If you happen to live near Louisville, you can take a tour of the replica ships when they dock at the Louisville Wharf on Aug. 15. They will be open to the public during normal business hours.

The ships will depart Louisville on Aug. 28 and head for the Cincinnati riverfront, where they will dock from Aug. 30 until Sept. 16. You can visit the Columbus Foundation website for a list of future docking locations.

Touring the ships costs $8.50 per person, although older residents and students get a discounted rate. Children under 4 years old receive free admission.

Learn more about these amazing ships in the video below from WSIU public broadcasting:

History buffs, get excited!