Center for Wooden Boats, Maritime museum in South Lake Union, Seattle, US
The Center for Wooden Boats is a maritime museum at Lake Union Park in Seattle with a collection of around 170 vessels, including sailboats and rowboats of various sizes. The site features gallery spaces, workshops, and boat moorings directly on the water where the vessels are kept.
The museum was founded in the 1970s and grew into a major institution for preserving the region's boat-building culture. Over the decades, the collection and programs expanded through additional facilities and locations.
The center showcases Pacific Northwest boat-building traditions through live demonstrations where you can watch craftspeople at work. These hands-on activities show how knowledge about wooden boats has been passed down through local families and communities.
The museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, with mornings being the best time to visit when it is less crowded. Wear comfortable shoes since there is much to explore and you will be moving between waterfront areas and gallery spaces.
The museum allows visitors to actually sail and row in some of the historic boats rather than just viewing them from shore. This makes it one of the few places where you can experience old sailing traditions firsthand through your own hands and senses.
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