Celebrate the maritime history of Philadelphia and major urban ports along the Delaware River at the Independence Seaport Museum. Located at the Penn's Landing complex in Philadelphia, the museum houses Cruiser Olympia, Admiral Dewey's flagship at the Battle of Manila Bay, plus Submarine Becuna, and much more.
Visit the Independence Seaport Museum in Philadelphia
Celebrate Philadelphia’s maritime history
See two National Historic Landmark ships
Fun for the entire family
What's Included
Admission to the Museum's Building and Cruiser OLYMPIA
The listed price does not include parking fees. There are several public parking lots in the area as well as metered spots on the streets. Museum does not own a parking facility.
Guided tours of Submarine BECUNA are a ticket add-on and must be purchased on-site.
Meeting And Pickup
Start time
Opening hours
4/12/2021 - 3/26/2024
Monday - Sunday : 10:00 am - 05:00 pm
What To Expect
The Independence Seaport Museum in Philadelphia features two National Historic Landmark ships — Cruiser Olympia and Submarine Becuna.
From the time it launched in 1892, Cruiser Olympia was a rare treasure in the US naval fleet. It is the world's oldest floating steel warship and the only surviving naval ship from the Spanish-American War. Cruiser Olympia served as Admiral Dewey's flagship at the Battle of Manila Bay, which marked the US emergence as a world naval power.
Submarine Becuna launched in 1944 and completed five wartime patrols in the Pacific Ocean. It also served in the Mediterranean and Atlantic during the Korean, Vietnam, and Cold Wars before completing a long and distinguished career as a training submarine.
Both ships provide ladders, hatches, and gangways for easy navigation.
Elsewhere in the 2-floor museum, there are a variety of exhibits and galleries, a vast collection of historical artifacts and records, plus educational programs, resources, and much more, including a workshop where builders construct wooden boats.
Independence Seaport Museum
Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Travellers should have a moderate physical fitness level
Not wheelchair accessible
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Wheelchair accessible within the museum
Not wheelchair accessible on two historic ships
Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately. Ships will close if extreme weather such as snow, ice or high temperatures.
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
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Reviews
4.5
23 reviews
Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
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Reviews by Viator travellers.
Showing 1-3 of 23 reviews
Once in a Lifetime
NancyL_P, Sept 2020
It was so so awesome!!!
My son and I came to visit the ‘boat’.... Submarines are never called ships. They are boats......
USS Bacuna. My Dad was ‘Cookie’ on the boat during WWII. The Host and his volunteer partner were very very kind to us. They made the boat come alive. What a wonderful experience. Thank you Independence seaport Museum.
Response from Host, Oct 2020
Thank you so much for the review! The Museum is always trying to collect stories from those who have served aboard Becuna. If you are interested in sharing your father's story, please feel free to e-mail us at seaport@phillyseaport.org and we can put you in contact with the correct person.
We really enjoyed touring the 2 ships...
mom2dcb, Aug 2017
We really enjoyed touring the 2 ships. The museum was very informative.
Where do I start? Of all the places...
Pamela H, Apr 2017
Where do I start? Of all the places we went during our stay this was by far our favorite. From the exhibits and hands on exhibits for our grandsons 7 and 9 in the museum, along with watching the boat builders work on boats, having one talk with us about the history of the boats, building of them and answering all our questions to getting to tour the submarine BECUNA and the USS Olympia - Just WOW! Well worth the money. The staff were super nice. We all learned something that day! This was right up my son-in-law's alley! Don't miss it!