Independence Seaport Museum Admission

Independence Seaport Museum
4.5
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Cancellation Policy
Up to 24 hours before your scheduled admission.
michaelkY5728TS
252 days ago
I had the honor of officiating a wedding at this venue. Terry the manager was thorough, attentive, knowledgeable and flexible. Flexibility was important due to the outdoors venue and the rain and wind forecasted. The venue with the water views were amazing. Terry had alternative plans if necessary but the weather cooperated. Highly recommend for a wedding or other party or corporate function.

Climb aboard the oldest floating steel warship in the world, Cruiser OLYMPIA, and explore award-winning exhibits in the Museum's building, as well as the Seaport Boat Shop where you can watch a traditional maritime craft take place!

Duration1 hour - 2 hours

Points of Interest

Stop At: Independence Seaport Museum211 S Christopher Columbus Blvd, , Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaVisit two National Historic Landmark ships, the 1892 Cruiser Olympia and the WWII and Cold War Submarine Becuna. Olympia is known for being Admiral Dewey's flagship during the Spanish American War and also receiving the honor of bringing the soldier for internment for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington Cemetery. Becuna is a more modern day example of the technology and bravery of submariners in WWII and the Cold War. These ships will have ladders, hatches & gangways to navigate. The historic ships are not ADA accessible. Explore two floors of the museum with exhibits that cover various maritime topics. Galleries include: Disasters on the Delaware: Historic Disasters and Modern Day Heroes, Tides of Freedom: African Presence on the Delaware River, Tattoo Lounge, Titanic Philadelphians, Boat Gallery, Underwater Gallery, and more. Observe working wooden boats builders in action, in the Workshop on the Water and as they build the schooner Diligence. This gunboat was built in 1797 in Philadelphia to defend this young country from pirates. This new exhibit and ship is inside the museum, making it all the more impressive.Duration: Not Available

Additional Information

  • Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
  • Wheelchair accessible within the museum
  • Not wheelchair accessible on two historic ships
  • Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately. Ships will close if extreme weather such as snow, ice or high temperatures.
Inclusions
  • Admission to the Museum's Building and Cruiser OLYMPIA
Exclusions
  • The listed price does not include parking fees. There are several public parking lots in the area as well as metered spots on the streets. Museum does not own a parking facility.
  • Guided tours of Submarine BECUNA are a ticket add-on and must be purchased on-site.
Redemption Instructions • Comfortable walking shoes are recommended • Upon arrival, please approach the front desk to exchange your confirmation voucher for an admission ticket from the attraction Voucher InfoMobile or paper ticket accepted

The tour identified in this promotion is made available through Viator. Groupon is not affiliated with or sponsored by the Independence Seaport Museum in connection with this deal. Please contact Groupon customer service for all inquiries related to this offer. Inquiries placed to Viator will be directed back to Groupon. This offer is not eligible for promo codes.

Need To Know Info

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

Merchant is solely responsible to purchasers for the care and quality of the advertised goods and services. Offer is not eligible for our promo codes or other discounts. Learn about Strike-Through Pricing and Savings

Customer Reviews

4.5
based on Groupon 33 reviews
100% Verified Reviews
All Groupon reviews are from people who have redeemed deals with this merchant. Review requests are sent by email to customers who purchased the deal.
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joyceb733
We did the self guided tour of the museum and USS Olympia. There were many displays in the museum. There was much to see on the USS Olympia. No handsets or details about the way to go thru the ship , just arrows occasionally pointing you in the right direction.
MarshallS109
The museum is pretty small and has a number of interesting exhibits. It provides a good historical overview of the origins of the U.S. Navy to combat pirate ships and its emergence as a global force in the late 19th century during the Spanish-American War. The real star of the Independence Seaport Museum is the U.S.S. Olympia---a Cruiser that was built in the 1890's and served as the flagship of the U.S. Navy under Admiral Dewey during the Spanish-American War and the War in the Philippines. A tour of the Cruiser provides incredible access to guns, officer and crew cabins, galleys, recreation areas, engine rooms and more. It was ships of this kind---steel-sided ships with heavy guns---that were the prototypes for Roosevelt's "Great White Fleet" of the early 20th century that cemented the U.S. as a naval power. A tour of the Olympia provides fascinating insight into how sailors lived, worked and fought over a century ago. If you are interested in naval history, this is a must-see attraction.
michaelkY5728TS
I had the honor of officiating a wedding at this venue. Terry the manager was thorough, attentive, knowledgeable and flexible. Flexibility was important due to the outdoors venue and the rain and wind forecasted. The venue with the water views were amazing. Terry had alternative plans if necessary but the weather cooperated. Highly recommend for a wedding or other party or corporate function.
fhuggins01
Indispensable if you have any interest in naval history or engineering. The Bacuna tour guide was knowledgeable, gave good delivery and interacted well with the kids. The submarine tour is extra, so if you've seen another World War II boat you can skip it unless you're really interested. Olympia is a well preserved, very unique, example of an 19th century warship. The tour is self guided and takes an hour or two unless you're a fanboy like me. I found enough stuff to look at to stay three hours. It's well laid out and easy to follow. There is some good quality interpretive labeling but there could have been more interpretation. The docents aboard were also friendly and knowledgeable. Perhaps not as elaborate as some other historical ships, but fascinating due to her history and does a good job of showing how the 19th century Navy lived aboard ship. If you can plan ahead, go in the summer when they have more extensive tours of the ship, including the engineering spaces. The museum is oriented more towards kids and talks about the history of maritime Philadelphia and the origins of the US Navy. Recommendations: Permit self guided tours of Bacuna, which it looks like you did at one point. That would give folks like me with a particular interest more time to immerse themselves in the experience. As mentioned above, more interpretive presentations aboard Olympia would be helpful.
Richard D
I visited with 4 adult family members. We toured the USS OLYMPIA and BUCUNA. Both vessels were great to tour. I must make a special mention of our guide on the BUCUNA who was superb and obviously truly cared about her job. Would recommend this visit to anyone visiting or living in Philadelphia who has even a passing interest in history or naval ships.

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