2200-pound anchor in main entranceway of the Navy Yard Museum. Photo: Corey Sipkin/New York Daily News

The two events are unrelated, but they are both highly welcome. The South Street Seaport Museum is on its way toward reopening, while a new museum celebrating over 200 years of shipbuilding and maritime history at the Brooklyn Navy Yard is openings its doors on Veteran’s Day, this Friday.

The South Street Seaport Museum, which has been shut down due to financial problems, has been taken over by the Museum of the City of New York. See our previous post –  Museum of the City of New York to Take Over Seaport Museum with $2M Grant.   Notwithstanding many details to be worked out and much work left to be done, it appears that the South Street Seaport Museum is firmly on its way back.

The Return Of The South Street Seaport Museum… A Meeting Recap

Across the East River, the Brooklyn Navy Yard Museum is opening this Friday, Veterans Day.

The first shipyard was built on the the site on Wallabout Bay in 1781.  It was established as a U.S. Navy shipyard in 1806 and continued as a naval shipyard until 1966. During World War II, 70,000 employees worked at the Navy yard.  Many famous ships were built or outfitted at the yard, including the USS Monitor, USS Maine, USS Arizona, USS Missouri, and the super carriers USS Saratoga, USS Constellation and USS Independence.  The yard was sold to the City of New York in 1966 and space is currently leased to over 200 companies employing around 5,000 people.  The tenants include dry-docking and ship terminal services.

The new museum is a $25 million, 33,300 square-foot museum and visitor’s center built around the old  Building 92 and the former 19th Century marine commandant’s house.

19th Century home turned into Brooklyn Navy Yard museum

Museum celebrates Brooklyn Navy Yard

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