Independence Seaport Museum
Independence Seaport Museum
If you are a sailor or just a sailor at heart, you will get a kick out of a visit to the Independence Seaport Museum on your next visit to Philadelphia.
Founded in 1960 by J. Welles Henderson who was a prominent Philadelphia attorney. The museum opened as the Philadelphia Maritime Museum.
In 1961 the museum opened its doors at the Athenaeum and with only 2000-square feet of space. In 1962, it was proposed that the Museum be moved to the waterfront. In 1965, the Museum moves to rented quarters at 427 Chestnut Street, expanding to 10,000 square feet to help contain the growing artifact collection it was amassing. Fast forward to 2004 as the Independence Seaport Museum welcomes its one-millionth visitor since moving to Penn's Landing.
Some of the permanent collections include What Floats Your Boat? Which is funded by the National Science Foundation to explore the science, history and art of boats and boat building. Another fun exhibit is titled Olympia: Launching The American Century. This permanent exhibit looks deeply into the complexities of the Spanish American War era and presents a reflection of naval life at the turn of the century. Examine Olympia's history through newspaper headlines of the times, telegrams, period photographs, letters and journals written by crew members and artifacts that were discovered aboard Olympia, as well as objects on loan from other facilities to help give you a true overview of what life was like during this time period.
Home Port Philadelphia is an unusual exhibit that invites you the viewer to travel through time and history and focus on Delaware Valley maritime history of the late 19th-century and early 20th century.
See immigration papers and artifacts, oral histories of the men and women who have lived, worked and played along the regions waterways. Many of these activities are hands on and the kids will enjoy them too!
If you are a sailor or just a sailor at heart, you will get a kick out of a visit to the Independence Seaport Museum on your next visit to Philadelphia.
Founded in 1960 by J. Welles Henderson who was a prominent Philadelphia attorney. The museum opened as the Philadelphia Maritime Museum.
In 1961 the museum opened its doors at the Athenaeum and with only 2000-square feet of space. In 1962, it was proposed that the Museum be moved to the waterfront. In 1965, the Museum moves to rented quarters at 427 Chestnut Street, expanding to 10,000 square feet to help contain the growing artifact collection it was amassing. Fast forward to 2004 as the Independence Seaport Museum welcomes its one-millionth visitor since moving to Penn's Landing.
Some of the permanent collections include What Floats Your Boat? Which is funded by the National Science Foundation to explore the science, history and art of boats and boat building. Another fun exhibit is titled Olympia: Launching The American Century. This permanent exhibit looks deeply into the complexities of the Spanish American War era and presents a reflection of naval life at the turn of the century. Examine Olympia's history through newspaper headlines of the times, telegrams, period photographs, letters and journals written by crew members and artifacts that were discovered aboard Olympia, as well as objects on loan from other facilities to help give you a true overview of what life was like during this time period.
Home Port Philadelphia is an unusual exhibit that invites you the viewer to travel through time and history and focus on Delaware Valley maritime history of the late 19th-century and early 20th century.
See immigration papers and artifacts, oral histories of the men and women who have lived, worked and played along the regions waterways. Many of these activities are hands on and the kids will enjoy them too!
