Museum Gallery Programs

Visit the Seaport Museum’s Indoor Galleries

South Street Seaport Museum’s galleries—the artifacts, exhibits, and even the walls themselves—tell the story of the growth of New York from Lenape settlement to Dutch colonial outpost to thriving metropolis. Students visiting the Museum galleries in our 200-year-old building go back in time to learn about the past, the present, and the future.

Please contact us below to be the first to receive updates on our schedule. Be sure to review our latest COVID-19 updates before your visit.

---

Millions: NYC Immigration in the 20th Century – Available Now!

90 minutes | Grades 3–5              

For years, the lightship Ambrose stood watch in New York Harbor, marking the entrance for ships to America – including ocean liners like Titanic and Aquitania that once dominated transatlantic travel.  Thousands of people arrived on each voyage: the first-class passengers in the lap of luxury, with the third-class confined to the stuffy lower decks. 

• Tour the lightship Ambrose as well as the museum gallery.
• Study photos, maps, and artifacts to develop an understanding of immigration in early 20th century New York.
• Compare the different experiences of first-class and third-class passengers.

---

Discover New Amsterdam – Returning 2024

90 minutes | Grades 2–5           

What was life like here in Manhattan 350 years ago? And how do we know? Using primary sources such as images and documents, and hands-on work with artifacts, students peel back layers of history to learn about our city’s earliest days and the different cultures that met here, and to explore NYC’s Dutch origins.

---

New York Sails Through Time – Returning 2024

90 minutes | Grades 2–5           

Look around in our Seaport neighborhood and out on the water. What do you see? What would you have seen in the year 1921? 1721? 1521? Through handling artifacts, studying maps, and comparing the Seaport now with historical images and models from years gone by, students will further their understanding of the history of our community and how it developed.

---

The Erie Canal and NYC – Returning 2024

90 minutes | Grades 2–5           

Before 1825, New York City was no different from any other East Coast port. The opening of the Erie Canal changed everything. Students will work with hands-on demonstrations of wagons, barges, and canal locks, plus examine maps, artwork, artifacts, and primary sources. Discover how the Erie Canal turned New York City into the nation’s center of finance and changed the entire United States.

---

Archaeology Detectives – Returning 2024

90 minutes | Grades 2–5            

Dig down, layer by layer, in Manhattan. What do you find? Historical clues! Students excavate dig boxes to find artifacts, then analyze them to learn about the many different people who lived in this neighborhood over the past 500 years.

---

All programs are designed for groups of up to 34 students (40 people maximum including chaperones). We do not recommend combining small classes into a large group.

All programs are aligned with New York City and State Social Studies and Science Learning Standards. Programs can be customized to meet your curricular goals and the needs of your students.

---