the seaport boat shop

The Seaport Boat Shop

Welcome to The Seaport Boat Shop, a workshop located in the Museum, where maritime tradition meets creativity, hands-on experiences, and community. 

What is The Seaport Boat Shop?

The Seaport Boat Shop is dedicated to the skills and traditions of wooden boat building and sailing in the Delaware Valley and the New Jersey shore. Open to the public, visitors can interact with boat builders as they work on various projects at any point during their time at the Independence Seaport Museum.

Not only is it a place for visitors to watch the trade in action, but it also serves as an education center.  Our staff leads programs for high school students and adults alike, all to encourage the exploration of this maritime tradition and to chart their own course for the future.

What Happens in The Seaport Boat Shop?

The Seaport Boat Shop builds and restores privately-owned vessels as well as maintaining the Museum’s own boat collection (like Schooner Diligence in our exhibit Patriots & Pirates).  While the main focus is on restoring and maintaining boats, staffers have also accepted projects like restoring carriage doors and refurbishing the skylights on Cruiser Olympia. Keep up with their latest projects by following them on Instagram!  Click here or follow @workshop_onthe_water.

Volunteer with Us!

Volunteers at the workshop work alongside our professional crew maintaining, restoring and building traditional boats. We have work for all skill levels and are open seven days a week. 

If you are interested, please contact us today!  

visit the seaport museum

Immerse yourself in award-winning and interactive exhibits and climb aboard the oldest floating steel warship in the world on Cruiser Olympia and submerge yourself aboard the World War II-era Submarine Becuna.