The Balclutha, an iron-hulled sailing ship, logged seventeen trips around Cape Horn during its working career.
The Eureka is the last remaining wooden-hulled sidewheel ferryboat in the United States.
The Maritime Museum building is designed to resemble an ocean liner, complete with rounded corners and porthole windows.
The park maintains a massive collection of small craft, some of which are displayed in the indoor museum exhibits.
The Eppleton Hall is one of the few surviving examples of a paddle-wheel tugboat built in the United Kingdom.
The park includes the Aquatic Park Bathhouse Building, a National Historic Landmark with extensive WPA-era murals.
It is one of the few places in the world where one can board a vessel that once carried cargo during the height of the transoceanic trade era.
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park preserves a fleet of historic vessels at the Hyde Street Pier and features a Maritime Museum housed in a 1939 Art Deco building. The collection includes the 1886 square-rigger Balclutha, the 1890 ferryboat Eureka, and the 1914 steam tug Eppleton Hall. Exhibits at the Maritime Museum focus on the maritime history of the Pacific Coast and the Gold Rush era. The park operates a visitor center that provides context on the evolution of San Francisco's waterfront. Visitors can board several of the ships to explore the original cargo holds and passenger areas. The park is a unit of the National Park Service located at the western end of the Fisherman’s Wharf district. It functions as a living archive of maritime labor, trade, and seafaring life. The site serves as a primary repository for maritime research and artifacts on the West Coast.
The bow of the Balclutha looking toward the Golden Gate Bridge.
Wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes to navigate steep stairways and uneven metal decks on the historic ships.
Check the tide and fog forecasts before visiting, as ship decks can become slippery and visibility may be limited.
Start at the Visitor Center to pick up a map, as the park area spans several blocks between the pier and the museum.
Do not mistake the nearby commercial tourist attractions of Pier 39 for the historic ships managed by the National Park Service.
Individual ships may be closed periodically for maintenance or due to severe weather conditions.
Maintain caution on historic gangways; avoid touching artifacts or ship equipment unless explicitly permitted.
