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From the Seaport Museum narrative: “From the moment of her launching in 1892, Olympia was a rare treasure in the U.S. naval fleet, as no sister ships were ever built. She is the world’s oldest floating steel warship and the sole surviving naval ship of the Spanish-American War. Olympia served as Admiral Dewey’s flagship at the Battle of Manila Bay, which marked the U.S.’s emergence as a world naval power. Olympia’s last official naval mission was to carry the body of the Unknown Soldier from France to the United States in 1921. In addition to being a National Historic Landmark, Olympia is also a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark, on the National Register of Historic Places, and part of the Save America’s Treasures program.” Extensive repair and restoration is needed to keep the Olympia afloat as a public display; if funding is not achieved, this could be one of the last opportunities to view this historic ship.

Anyone signing up for the tour must be able to climb up and down steep steel ladders. NO ONE UNDER THE AGE OF 14 WILL BE ALLOWED ON THIS TOUR.

Arrive by 10:15 at the main entrance of the Independence Seaport Museum on the waterfront in Philadelphia for a tour that begins promptly at 10:30. After the tour, stay to explore the rest of the seaport museum. Your Museum entrance fee is included in our tour cost.

Important: If you are not able to sign up because the tour is full, email Bob Radcliffe at bobrad1248@alum.mit.edu, and he will see about arranging for a second group on the same day.

Olympia photo courtesy of Independence Seaport Museum