Tour well-preserved ships on a visit to Northwest Seaport in Seattle’s South Lake Union neighborhood. Discover a huge floating lighthouse ship and a rugged fishing schooner, integral parts of Seattle’s long-time maritime industry. Spend a day near the water, checking out the vessels and participating in educational programs. Consider staying overnight aboard one of the ships.
Start with the Arthur Foss, the Pacific Northwest’s oldest floating vessel. Built in 1889, the tug was originally used to tow ships to Oregon and later to Alaska during the Klondike Gold Rush. The tug is a bit of a celebrity film fans might recognize it from the 1933 blockbuster movie Tugboat Annie. Attend Tugboat Story Time on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month.
Move on to the massive Lightship No. 83 Swiftsure, one of the country’s oldest lightships, from 1904. View the ship’s restoration project, which replaces its wooden main deck and restores its interior.
Walk to the fully operational F/V Tordenskjold, built in the nearby Ballard neighborhood in 1911 and used for fishing in the North Pacific and Bering Sea for a century. Seaport staff can regale you with exciting fishing tales from the ship’s 100 years of hauling in halibut, cod and other fish of the northern seas.
Ask about tours, opportunities to spend the night on one of the ships, annual festivals, family programs and more. The seaport has collected and preserved an impressive amount of historic research and artifacts since its founding in 1964. Nearby, visit The Center for Wooden Boats for additional living maritime history.
Call or email Northwest Seaport to arrange a visit, as hours vary by day. Guided tours are available and run about 1 hour. If you would like a stem-to-stern tour of the Arthur Foss, call for a reservation.
The seaport has no admission fee, although donations are gladly accepted. The seaport is located at Lake Union Park, which you can travel to by car, bus and streetcar. You can park for a fee in the lot nearby.
