Summer vacation is just around the corner. If your family is looking for adventure, look no more! The New York State Museum has a very special exhibit going on that you won’t want to miss.
Beginning May 14th you are invited to witness the one-of-a-kind reconstruction of the rare ship will serve as the centerpiece of the museum’s America 250 anniversary exhibition. Put the kids in the car or get yourself a train ticket and take the trip to Albany for this remarkable real-life exhibit.
It’s a mystery that goes back to the signing of the Declaration of Independence – but was only discovered 15 years ago. In July 2010, while excavating at the site of the World Trade Center, archaeologists discovered the remains of an 18th-century wooden ship. In all, 600 pieces of wood and about 2,000 artifacts were uncovered, including musket balls. But the question remained, what was the ship used for and how did it end up there?
Through forensic wood analysis and deep archival research, experts at the New York State Museum worked collaboratively with the Center for Maritime Archaeology and Conservation at Texas A&M University to identify the vessel as a rare American-built gunboat, likely constructed near Philadelphia in the 1770s. Used during the Revolutionary War, by the 1790s, the ship was out of commission and repurposed as landfill to expand New York City, ultimately ending up beneath what would become the World Trade Center. Today, it stands as one of the few American-built Revolutionary War ships to be identified, studied, and preserved in New York State.
Following a 14-year preservation process pieces of the 50-foot-long, 18-foot-wide ship have made their way to the New York State Museum. The public is invited to watch specialists reconstruct the vessel in real time. Once complete, it will become the show-stopping centerpiece of the Museum’s commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary—kicking off New York’s contribution to the nationwide celebration.
New York State Historian, Devin Lander said, “This is history in its rawest, most thrilling form. We’re not just unveiling a ship—we’re resurrecting a lost relic of the American Revolution, right before your eyes. New York stood at the epicenter of our fight for freedom, and this gunboat is a physical reminder of that courage and grit. To watch it rise again, plank by plank, is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to witness the intersection of archaeology, storytelling, and national identity. This isn’t just an exhibit—it’s a living chapter of America’s founding brought vividly back to life.”
“The discovery of this Revolutionary War–era gunship beneath the World Trade Center site is a powerful reminder of our nation's enduring roots,” said Commissioner and Co-Chair of the 250th American Revolution Commemoration Commission, Betty A. Rosa. “Bringing this exhibit to life on the Museum floor isn’t just about honoring our beginnings; it’s about sparking curiosity, encouraging lifelong learning, and reminding each of us of the role we play in shaping and strengthening our democracy.”
The New York State Museum located at 222 Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed on the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Admission is free.