the seaport boat shop
The Seaport Boat Shop
Welcome to the Seaport Boat Shop at the Independence Seaport Museum! Located just inside the main entrance, nowhere else in Philadelphia can visitors witness maritime trades and crafts that have withstood the test of time.
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 New Jersey. Open to the public, visitors can interact with staff and volunteers as they work on various projects.
Not only is it a place for visitors to watch the skilled boatbuilders 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 build their future.
WHAT IS THE SEAPORT BOAT SHOP CURRENTLY WORKING ON? THE DURHAM BOAT PROJECT: A HISTORIC COLLABORATION FOR AMERICA'S 250TH ANNIVERSARY.
The Independence Seaport Museum, in partnership with The Friends of Washington Crossing Park (FWCP), is embarking on an exciting project to construct a full-scale, 40-foot replica of a Durham boat-the very type of vessel that George Washington and his army used to cross the Delaware River on Christmas night in 1776 at Washington Crossing Historic Park. Arriving in 2026, this major project will be a centerpiece of the Park’s expanded interpretative offerings as we approach the nation’s 250th anniversary. This exciting project is being brought to life thanks to generous grant support from The McLean Contributionship, the Connelly Foundation, the Albert W. Bader Foundation, and the kind contributions of Chris and Mary Jane Beck, as well as Gordon and Barbara Heiser.
This journey kicks off in May 2025 and will continue through May 2026. Throughout the next year, we invite you to follow the progress of the boat’s construction with regular updates on this page (plus from our friends at Washington Crossing Historic Park!) and join us for regular programming in the Boat Shop and pop-up offerings that will provide an up-close-and-personal view of the work staff and volunteers are doing to build a Durham boat that will be accessible to all.
For more details, make sure you subscribe to both Washington Crossing Historic Park’s newsletter and Independence Seaport Museum’s newsletter, plus follow them on Facebook, Instagram, or X. And follow ISM @phillyseaport across all channels!
WHAT HAPPENS IN THE SEAPORT BOAT SHOP?
The Seaport Boat Shop builds and restores privately owned vessels as well as maintains the museum’s own boat collection (some of which are on display in the building and in the boat basin where Paddle Penn’s Landing operates), plus has conducted restoration work on Olympia with the skylights on the quarterdeck, as some of their most recent work. The staff and volunteers are also active in our local community, collaborating on many projects with local partners.
Visit the Boat shop
The boat shop has daily visitation hours, so make sure to stop by and see what the crew is working on the next time you come to the museum.
*Please note that access is included with any ticket package and is free for ISM members.
visit the seaport museum
Immerse yourself in award-winning exhibitions and climb aboard the Olympia, a nineteenth-century cruiser, and the Becuna, a World War II-era submarine.
