Wavertree, Museum ship at South Street Seaport, Manhattan, US
The Wavertree is an iron-hulled sailing ship with three masts moored at Pier 16 in Lower Manhattan. This floating museum spans about 99 meters and allows visitors to walk through its decks and explore the vessel from bow to stern.
Built in Southampton in 1885, the ship first carried jute between India and Scotland on regular trade routes. It later served global commerce until the early 1900s, when sailing vessels gradually gave way to steam-powered ships.
The ship brings to life the working world of sailors in the 1800s and shows how crews lived aboard. Walking through the tight quarters, you see where sailors slept and worked during long voyages.
The ship is easily spotted at the South Street Seaport waterfront and visible from the street level. Wear comfortable shoes since boarding involves climbing stairs and navigating uneven surfaces on the decks.
The ship is the largest surviving wrought iron sailing vessel in the world and an uncommon example of this construction method. Many visitors overlook that original woodwork and crew details were preserved through decades of careful restoration work.
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