South Street Seaport Museum: A Complete Guide
Within New York City’s historic seaport district is the South Street Seaport Museum, a gem of a museum highlighting the historic significance of this newly revitalized neighborhood. Once an important shipping and transportation hub, Seaport is now a trendy enclave on the southeastern shore of Manhattan and a great spot to grab some upscale eats while admiring views of downtown Brooklyn.
No trip to Seaport is complete without a visit to the South Street Seaport Museum. The museum focuses on New York City’s rise as a port city and the role it played in shaping the development of the country as a whole. If you are a fan of maritime history, then I highly recommend a visit the South Street Seaport Museum.
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Overview Of The South Street Seaport Museum
The museum is small but has a lot to offer. Admission includes entrance to their ongoing exhibit, small batch printing demonstrations at Bowne & Co., and tours of two ships: the 133 year-old Wavertree cargo ship, and the lightship Ambrose. When you purchase your tickets, inquire about the tour schedules for the Ambrose and Wavertree, and base your visit on those. You don’t want to miss the boat tours, as they are the highlight of this museum.
For a unique experience, you can purchase tickets to tour the harbor on-board either the schooner Pioneer or the W.O. Decker tugboat (or both!). Harbor tours are seasonal and do not run in fall or winter.
Allow 1.5-2 hours to see the museum in its entirety: approximately a half-hour for each of the boat tours, 15-20 minutes for the printing press, and 30-45 minutes for the museum. You can purchase tickets to the Seaport Museum at one of three locations: (1) The pilot house on Pier 16, (2) The main gallery building at 12 Fulton Street, or (3) The Bowne & Co. Printing Office at 211 Water Street. Admission costs $20 for adults, $14 for students and seniors, and is free for children 7 and under.
Main Exhibit
At the time of this publication, the main exhibit at South Street Seaport Museum is Millions: Migrants and Millionaires Aboard the Great Liners, 1900-1914. The exhibit highlights the experience of transatlantic travelers in the early 20th century, emphasizing class disparities on-board.
Through artifacts, photos, and historical documents, the exhibit highlights how passengers in first and third class on the same ocean liner were practically living in different worlds. First class passengers were sipping champagne in lavish dining halls, while the third class passengers were eating soup and sleeping in cramped quarters.
This timely exhibit not only calls attention to the extreme wealth disparities present on these ocean liners, but also the plight of the nearly 13 million immigrants who endured grueling third class trans-Atlantic voyages to get to the United States.
Bowne & Co. Printing Office
Around the corner from the museum’s galleries is the Bowne & Co. Printing Office. Here you can watch live demonstrations of small batch printing. The printer will demonstrate multiple machines and may even give you the opportunity to operate one of the presses!
On our trip, the printer demonstrated how to operate three different presses, and educated us on the different types of presses and their varying functionalities. Some larger presses were more appropriate for making posters, while others were optimized for smaller tasks, such as business cards. We also got to see the first automated printing press in action!
The demonstrations were very educational and fun to watch, and the very knowledgeable guide was able to answer every question we threw at him!
Lightship Ambrose
As part of your museum admission, you can tour the lightship Ambrose, one of the floating lightships that once guided ships safely through New York Harbor. Built in 1907, the lightship operated in the Ambrose Channel, New York City’s main shipping channel, from 1908 until 1932. She was the last steam-powered vessel at her post, and the first to be installed with a radio beacon. The lightship was retired from the Coast Guard in 1964 and moved to Pier 16, where she is currently moored.
On the tour, you will learn the history of the lightship, as well as the features onboard that allowed her to safely guide ships into the harbor. You will also get a chance to go below deck and see the crew’s sleeping quarters, the kitchen, and the wheelhouse.
Wavertree Cargo Ship
The other boat tour included in the museum admission is of the Wavertree cargo ship.
Built in 1885, the ship operated for 35 years transporting cargo across the world’s shipping channels. She even circled the globe 4 times! Wavertree was dis-masted (meaning her masts were removed) in 1910 and used as a floating warehouse until the South Street Seaport Museum acquired her in 1968.
You can tour the majority of the ship, including the captain’s stateroom, crew’s quarters, and kitchen, on your own, but to see the cargo hold you must be on a tour. Going down into the hull was the highlight of our time on the Wavertree. In this vast empty space, which once held thousands of tons of cargo, you can marvel at the wrought iron bones of this grand ship. Standing in the hull truly gives you perspective on just how massive the ship is and how much cargo she could carry.
Schooner Pioneer
At the time this post was published, the Pioneer was undergoing maintenance for the remainder of the 2019 season. For the most up to date information, visit the South Street Seaport Museum website.
The Pioneer was built in 1885, and was the first of two American cargo sloops constructed with iron. She serviced the Delaware Bay and transported cargo up and down the Delaware River. Now, she transports museum-goers through New York Harbor.
If you are looking for a special add-on experience to extend your time at the Seaport Museum, then consider taking a harbor cruise on the schooner Pioneer. The museum offers two tours aboard the Pioneer. The first is a 2-hour ride in New York harbor, with views of the Statue of Liberty ($42 Adults; $38 Students/Seniors; $28 Kids 7 & Under). If you have more time to dedicate, there is also a 3-hour marine life sailboat ride, which is recommended for families ($55 Adults; $50 Students/Seniors; $50 Kids Ages 7 & Under). Prices for the sailboat rides are inclusive of museum admission.
Tugboat W.O. Decker
Another exciting maritime experience you can have at the South Street Seaport Museum is a 60-minute ride on the wooden tugboat, W.O. Decker. Tours go through New York Harbor and provide views of Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. W.O. Decker was built in New York in 1930 and is the last surviving NY built wooden tugboat. ($35 Adults; $29 Students/Seniors; Kids under 10 not allowed. Prices include museum admission).
Getting There
Subway: Take the A, C, 2, 3, J, Z, 4, or 5 train to Fulton Street, then walk east on Fulton Street until you reach the museum (approximately 10 minutes).
By Bus: Take the M-15 or M-15 SBS to Fulton Street, then walk one block east.
By Ferry: Take the New York Waterway or East River Ferry to Pier 11. From Pier 11, walk north-east on South Street, then make a left onto Fulton Street. The museum will be on your left after about half a block. Alternately, take the Hop-On Hop-Off Water Taxi to Pier 16 and purchase tickets to the museum at the pilot house on Pier 16.
Final Thoughts
The South Street Seaport Museum is a small but interesting museum in Manhattan’s Seaport District. Despite the small size, the museum is definitely worth a visit to learn about New York City’s history as the premier port city in the United States (at one time). A great museum for kids, maritime enthusiasts, or anyone just wandering the neighborhood, a couple hours at the South Street Seaport Museum will make a great addition to any NYC itinerary!
Until Next Time,
Tamar