Exhibits & Boat Shop
Our exhibits and boat shop are closed during building renovation. We will reopen with a beautiful new glass front and many additional exhibits in late spring 2012.
The Museum is a place where stories are told with artifacts gathered on extended loan. Selection of many exhibits will be linked to schools' social studies, history, science and economics curricula and state Essential Learning Achievement Requirements (ELARs).
Balfour Dock Building Exhibit
Our building is the last remaining intact section of a continuous heavy timber frame warehouse that defined Tacoma’s waterfront for almost a century. The Balfour Dock Building Exhibit is a key exhibit in our permanent collection. The 3-section exhibit showcases the history of our building complete with sound effects of wharf and water sounds. To learn more about our building's history, visitors can watch three short videos covering the Northern Pacific Railway construction of the building, the journey of wheat from Central and Eastern Washington and the architecture of the building.
Wheels, Whistles & Wonder: The Extraordinary Collection of Bill Somers
Maritime Treasures: The Bill Somers Collection showcases the breadth and depth of what is believed to be the largest formerly private maritime artifacts collection in the Pacific Northwest! Acquired by the Foss Waterway Seaport in 2010 from the famed Museum of Puget Sound on the Key Peninsula, the exhibit displays about one quarter of the nearly 2,000 items in the collection.
Seaport Executive Director Tom Cashman explains, “The exhibit provides a glimpse of the many stories the collection represents, and gives the public a chance to weigh in on the legends to be explored in greater depth with future exhibits.
“Over a period of some 30 years, Mr. Somers amassed an extraordinary collection,” Cashman says, “including anchors, bells, ship models, ships wheels, binnacles, signal lights, horns, name boards, fenders, sea chests, pumps, lanterns, and telegraphs. The Seaport is honored to have been able to acquire the full collection and avoid breaking up the compilation -- never to be seen whole again.”
“Every artifact has a story to tell, and the stories in this collection are truly limitless,” said guest exhibit curator Chris Fiala Erlich. “Large photographs of the interior of the Museum of Puget Sound frame part of the exhibit and pay homage to the collector and his beloved museum.”
Boats for all Occasions
See our wonderful collection of classic recreational boats in an exhibit called "Boats for all Occasions," which includes original Andrew Foss rowboats; Willits canoes: Faith, our Columbia gillnetter outfitted for youth boater education; hand-built small craft for cruising local waterways, and impeccable models of Tall Ships from the 1700s. Also included are a number of antique outboard motors from the last century.
Discovery Wharf
The Seaport's Discovery Wharf is chock full of innovative activities offering children an opportunity to learn about Tacoma’s waterfront — both above and below the water!
Port Play features a collection of custom–built wooden port toys where children can don a hard hat and set to work loading containers onto a container ship or a flatbed rail car. What fun to then weigh anchor and set sail for a distant port or drive a fully loaded train out of the yard!
All aboard, Matey!... slip on a life vest and come aboard Faith, a Columbia River Gillnetter retrofitted just for children by the Seaport's boatshop boatbuilders. Learn the lingo (bow, stern, starboard, etc.), how life vests keep you afloat, what commercial gillnet fishing is all about and why a block and tackle system is important.
Toy boat building has been a signature art project and a favorite of all children visiting the Seaport. We continue this tradition, complemented by enhanced features making toy boat building a must for any visit.
Boat Shop
Our active Heritage Wooden Boat Shop will provide space for local artisans and novice boat builders alike to celebrate and preserve traditional maritime construction and craft.
Our boat shop provides:
- "Hot shop" activities for guests to observe
- A showcase for traditional maritime crafts and construction skills
- Workshops by master boat builders
- Copies of historic vessels for the Seaport’s boat livery to be offered as rentals in the future
- Opportunities to learn about restoring and maintaining boats and maritime artifacts
Volunteer opportunities are available for people at all skill levels.
