Foss Waterway Seaport
705 Dock St.
Wednesday - Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday, noon to 4 p.m.
Info: http://www.fosswaterwayseaport.org/
The mission of the Foss Waterway Seaport is to celebrate Tacoma's rich maritime heritage – past, present and future. Located on the waterfront in a century-old wooden wheat warehouse, built for cargo arriving by rail and departing by sail ("where rails met sails") during the early years of Tacoma. The Foss Waterway Seaport is Puget Sound's premier maritime heritage, education and event center where families, students and entire communities come to discover, explore, work and play. The development partners of this project – the Foss Waterway Seaport and the Foss Waterway Development Authority – are dedicated to creating a venue that will continue to bring the downtown waterfront to life as a place for everyone.
This week’s events:25 YEARS OF TALL SHIPS IN WASHINGTON STATE
Nov. 8, 2 p.m.
The major maritime legacy project of the Washington Centennial commemoration in 1989 was the construction, launch and maiden voyage of the tall sailing ship Lady Washington. This state heritage and economic development effort, centered in Aberdeen, spawned several other significant maritime programs during the ensuing 25 years. The very active Centennial maritime program, chaired by Les Eldridge, included the Washington Ships Flotilla to EXPO 86, Wilkes Heritage Flotilla, and led to Tall Ships events in Seattle and Tacoma in 2002, 2005 and 2008. Maritime historian Chuck Fowler, a Centennial maritime project consultant, and Captain Les Bolton, executive director of the Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority, will showcase these and related programs. They will discuss how these public activities led to a resurgence of interest in Washington maritime history, including the native Salish canoe culture. Admission is $5 per person. Please note: the Seaport can get chilly in the off-season. We strongly encourage you to bundle up when you come! See you on the Foss!
Seaport ExhibitsPeek into Our Attic and Share Our Dream
The Seaport is a place where stories are told with artifacts gathered on extended loan. Our hands-on activities blend the history of our region's working waterfront with the science of Puget Sound's waterways. Many of our new exhibits will be linked to schools' social studies, history, science and economics curricula and state standards.
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 exhibit showcases the history of our building complete with a piece of the heavy timber truss that supported the original wharf. Learn more about our building's history while viewing this amazing structure.
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 impeccably restored Poulsbo boats. Also included are a number of models from the Mosquito Fleet era.
Boat Shop
Our active Heritage Wooden Boat Shop allows Seaport volunteer boatbuilders to celebrate and preserve traditional maritime construction and craft. Our boat shop provides: "Hot shop" activities for guests to observe when our Museum is open, A showcase for traditional maritime crafts and construction skills, Workshops by master boat builders who are part of the Seaport volunteer boat building team, 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.
Tacoma Museums:Washington State History Museum
1911 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, WA 98402
Wed.- Sun., 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Info: http://www.washingtonhistory.org/
Fort Nisqually Living History Museum
Point Defiance Park, 5400 N. Pearl St.
Wed.-Sun., 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Info: http://FortNisqually.org
Tacoma Art Museum
1701 Pacific Ave.
Wed.–Sun., 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed Mondays and Tuesdays)
http://www.tacomaartmuseum.org
Museum of Glass
1801 Dock St.
Wed.-Sat.,10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sun., noon to 5 p.m.
Info: http://museumofglass.org
Slater Museum of Natural History (currently under renovation)
University of Puget Sound
1500 N. Warner St. #1088
slatermuseum@pugetsound.edu
Collins Memorial Library
University of Puget Sound
1500 N. Warner St
http://www.pugetsound.edu/academics/academic-resources/collins-memorial-library/
Scandinavian Cultural Center
Pacific Lutheran University
Hours: Sun. 1-4 p.m., Tue. and Wed. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Info: http://www.plu.edu/scancenter/
Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum
407 S. G St.
Tues.-Sat., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Info: http://www.rain.org/~karpeles/taqfrm.html
Foss Waterway Seaport
705 Dock St.
Wed.-Sat., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday, noon to 4 p.m.
Info: http://www.fosswaterwayseaport.org/
Buffalo Soldier Museum
1940 S. Wilkeson St.
Wed. and Sat., 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Info: http://www.buffalosoldierstacoma.org
LeMay America’s Car Museum
2702 E. D St., Tacoma, WA 98421
Mon.-Sun., 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Info: http://www.lemaymuseum.org/