About the exhibit

Come and explore the well-respected and long lived maritime custom that is practical and artistic — modelmaking!

While the Crabtree Miniature Ships exhibit is a celebration of the work of August Crabtree, the Ship Model Gallery is a love letter to modelmaking as an art form. Every one of the 35 models on display was created by the attentive hands of a skilled modelmaker. 

The craftsmanship alone is awe-inspiring. But we don’t collect them just for their looks. Models can be viewed as primary sources from a specific moment in time. Well-built models show us how ships were used during their lifetimes, whether for leisure and pleasure, defense and commerce, or maybe even a mixture of all! Indeed, each model tells the story of a vessel from our shared history – and in turn, each vessel carries stories of our shared maritime heritage.

What you’ll experience

• Spend some time talking with one of our model makers while they build new models.
• Learn about some of the most well-known ships in history, like RMS Titanic.
• Don’t miss other exciting artifacts in this gallery like a life vest from Titanic, the massive oil painting of the steamship Kaiser Wilhelm II, and many contemporary travel posters.
• If you’re participating in our scavenger hunt, this gallery is a must-see! (Hint: Is that a pirate ship I see?)