The objects in the special collections at the Seaport Museum illustrate the history of many topics related to American history, science, and the arts. The Seaport Museum’s special collections contain more than 15,000 ship plans as well as rare and unique historic artifacts and works of art. Access to these collections is restricted, and requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Highlights include: the W. & A. Fletcher Co. Ship Plans Collection; approximately 1,000 historic toys and games, primarily from the 19th century and early 20th century, including the Arthur Liman Toy Collection, that document the leisure pursuits of American families; mid-late 19th century furniture and silver; and a small collection of archaeological artifacts.
Acquisition Policies
To learn more about how we acquire and accession objects into our collection click the button below
Collections Chronicles
Check out our bi-monthly blog where our collections team takes you behind the scenes and shares some of their work, inspiration, and more while highlighting hidden gems of history, the seaport, and our collection