Calendar

Join us to celebrate Cruiser Olympia's 125th birthday on Wednesday, February 5! The date commemorates Olympia's commissioning in 1895. To mark the special occasion, enjoy free admission to the Museum and ships, gun salutes, and more. 

Save the date for May 9, 2020 for a bigger birthday celebration! Stay tuned for more information. #Olympia125

Learn the traditional methods of how to build a wooden boat in Boatbuilding 101. The area's finest teaching craftspeople will show you the skills of lofting, mold making, steam bending, stem carving, planking techniques, and more, equipping each student with the knowledge and ability to build a wooden boat on their own.

One of the only adult boatbuilding education programs in the Philadelphia area, the class takes place in our renowned Workshop on the Water over the course of four separate sessions. Maximum capacity of up to 8 students. A one-year individual Independence Seaport Museum membership is included with all Boatbuilding 101 registrations.

Get tickets here.

Attendees must be present from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on ALL of the following dates:

Saturday, February 8, 2020 - Session 1
Sunday, February 9, 2020 - Session 2
Saturday, February 15, 2020 - Session 3
Sunday, February 16, 2020 - Session 4

Explore the challenges and opportunities facing youth today with guest speakers Juwan Z. Bennett of Temple University and Dr. Uade Da Silva, Lieutenant, USN, Retired. Bennett will discuss the challenges of equal opportunity for youth in today's workforce, while Da Silva will speak about contemporary race relations in the Navy. In addition, an ISM representative will also explore the different opportunities and roles open to seamen during Cruiser Olympia's service time in the 1890s; Olympia gives a unique perspective as her early service had a multicultural crew but Navy rules introduced at the turn of the century created new divisions based on race and class.

Event included with Museum admission.

This Pop-Up, is the first of its kind and will consist of over 1 million blocks, transported and assembled into the ultimate nostalgia trip. The bar will feature sculptures made completely from building blocks as well as an abundance of blocks for people to shape into their own creations. There will also be local DJs spinning tunes all day.

This unique bar will be sold on a first-come, first-serve basis with tickets limited and will only run for two nights so get them while you can.

Please note: 21+ years old after 6 p.m. 

Tickets available here.

See how great hand tools make your woodworking easier during this event, presented by Lie-Nielsen Toolworks at Independence Seaport Museum on Friday, February 28, 2020 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, February 29, 2020, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Woodworking enthusiasts will love learning more about these world-renowned hand tools while experiencing demonstrations in our Workshop on the Water, one of just a handful of venues across the country hosting this event.

The Lie-Nielsen Toolworks Hand Tool Event is free to attend with Museum admission included but pre-registration is required. Explore our National Historic Landmark ships, Cruiser Olympia and Submarine Becuna, for an $8 admission fee.

See how great hand tools make your woodworking easier during this event, presented by Lie-Nielsen Toolworks at Independence Seaport Museum on Friday, February 28, 2020 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, February 29, 2020, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Woodworking enthusiasts will love learning more about these world-renowned hand tools while experiencing demonstrations in our Workshop on the Water, one of just a handful of venues across the country hosting this event.

The Lie-Nielsen Toolworks Hand Tool Event is free to attend with Museum admission included but pre-registration is required. Explore our National Historic Landmark ships, Cruiser Olympia and Submarine Becuna, for an $8 admission fee.

Join the Cruiser Olympia Living History Crew to explore the roles of women on board ships and in the Navy during Olympia’s time period.

Unearth the basics of how to cast objects from various types of metals in an Intro to Metal Casting at Independence Seaport Museum. Students will create their own pattern from scratch, pour molten metal, and take home their very own piece of hardware. The course will focus mostly on the use of casting as hardware for boats but skills can be applied in many ways to other functions.  

Attendees must be present from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the following dates: 
Saturday, March 21, 2020 - Session 1 
Sunday, March 22, 2020 - Session 2 

Members: $150; Non-members: $190

Registration available soon.

Hard Hat Tours return this spring for Olympia’s 125th birthday! Explore more than 12 areas of the warship normally only reserved for staff. Learn about Olympia's technical details (did you know she was one of the first ships to have a radio communications system installed?), what life was like aboard for her crew, and more!

Ticket information available soon.

Save for the date for Independence Seaport Museum’s 2020 Waterfront Gala. Join us for a delightful evening as we celebrate the 125th anniversary of Cruiser Olympia’s commissioning. 

Burchenal Green, President and Executive Director of the National Maritime Historical Society, will receive the 2020 Independence Seaport Museum Award for Maritime Preservation in honor of her commitment to protecting America’s historic ships and promoting our maritime heritage.   

Tickets will be on sale in spring 2020.

If you have any questions about the event or would like to become involved, please contact Emily O’Rourke, Director of Development, at 215-413-8617 or eorourke@phillyseaport.org.