Erie Maritime Museum facts for kids
US Brig Niagara docked behind the Erie Maritime Museum.
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| Established | May 21, 1998 |
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| Location | 150 East Front Street Erie, Pennsylvania |
| Type | Maritime museum |
| Public transit access | Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority |
The Erie Maritime Museum is a cool place to visit in Erie, Pennsylvania. It's a maritime museum, which means it's all about ships and the sea! You can find it right on the waterfront in downtown Erie, next to Presque Isle Bay.
The museum is managed by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC). It first opened its doors on May 21, 1998. This was a big deal because it was the first new museum like it in Pennsylvania in 20 years!
A big highlight is the US Brig Niagara. This ship is a modern copy of a real warship from 1813. That original ship was important in the Battle of Lake Erie. The museum teaches you about the War of 1812 and Erie's amazing history with ships and the water.
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About the Museum's Home
The Erie Maritime Museum is in a very old building. It used to be called the Penelec Front Street Station. From 1917 all the way into the 1980s, this building made electricity and steam heat for Erie.
Inside, there were five big machines that burned coal to make steam. You can still see parts of this history today! Outside, there's an original smoke stack. Inside, you can see a huge General Electric steam-powered generator. The building's original crane, which still works, is also there.
When Penelec decided to close the station, they planned to tear the building down. But local leaders convinced them to save it. They knew it could be used for something special in the future.
The Niagara's Journey Home
The current version of the US Brig Niagara was finished in 1990. It needed a new place to dock. In 1993, the Niagara was docked nearby.
Finally, in 1997, the Erie Maritime Museum started building its exhibits. In May 1998, the Niagara moved to its current spot. That's when the museum officially opened its doors to everyone!
What You Can See: Museum Exhibits
The museum has lots of fun and interactive exhibits. They use videos and hands-on displays to show Erie's history with the water. When the Niagara is in Erie, it's the biggest "exhibit" of all!
You can see the Niagara from a large window inside the museum. The Niagara is a sail training vessel. This means it often travels to other ports on the Great Lakes. So, it's not always at the museum for tours.
Inside the Museum: Cool Displays
- Old Power Plant Equipment: You can see the huge General Electric steam-powered electricity generator. This machine was part of the Pennsylvania Electric Company's Front Street station.
- The Battle of Lake Erie Painting: On the main floor, there's a giant painting by Julian Oliver Davidson. It shows the most exciting part of the Battle of Lake Erie. This painting is really big, about 54 by 102 inches! It shows the Brig Niagara firing its cannons and leading to the British surrender. This was the first time in history that a whole British fleet gave up to their enemy.
- Battle of Lake Erie Exhibit: This area explains why the War of 1812 happened. You can learn about the different sizes of the American, British, and Canadian forces. It also shows what uniforms looked like and why Erie was chosen to build the American fleet.
- Brig Lawrence Reconstruction:
A main exhibit on the first floor is a part of the USS Lawrence. This was Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry's first flagship in the Battle of Lake Erie. This recreated section has a mast, spars, and ropes. You can learn how sailors handled the sails.
Next to it is a special display. This part of the Lawrence replica was actually shot with cannons from the current Niagara! This "live fire" exhibit shows how much damage ships and people took during battles in the Age of Fighting Sail.
- Fighting Sail: This exhibit has a life-size part of a working mast from the current Niagara. It teaches you how wooden sailing ships were built. You can also learn about life on a ship, 19th-century Navy medicine, and different kinds of knots.
- USS Wolverine: On the second floor, there's an exhibit about the USS Wolverine. This was the United States Navy's first warship made of iron! The front part of the ship is the main display. You can also see models of the ship, weapons, uniforms, and personal items.
Other exhibits at the museum include:
- Model Making
- Lighthouses and Lifesaving in Erie
- Lake Erie Fishing Industry
- Joe Divell's Lake Diving
- Maritime Archaeology (studying old things found underwater)
- US Brig Niagara Reconstruction
Where to Find the Museum
The museum is located at 150 East Front Street. It's right next to the Raymond Blasco Erie County Library.
Images for kids
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US Brig Niagara docked behind the Erie Maritime Museum.
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The Live Fire section of the brig Lawrence illustrates damage from various types of 19th-century naval artillery
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Located on the main floor, this exhibit depicts the gun deck of the brig Lawrence.
