Decades ago, this Museum’s then curator, the widely respected ship expert Frank Braynard, declared that “Ships made America.” We believe that Frank’s statement still holds true: one cannot understand the nation’s history without taking into consideration the influence of ships, especially commercial shipping, on its past.

   This gallery explores that history from the advent of the stream engine to the approach of the Second World War, using a variety of models, paintings, and other items to explain the role of the Merchant Marine in the growth of this nation.