June 29, 2018
On June 14th, " Full Speed Ahead to the Fabulous SS United States !" opened at the National Lighthouse Museum in Staten Island, presented by the museum in partnership with the New York Chapter of the SS United States Conservancy.

The exhibition will be on display through August 3rd, and was inaugurated with a celebratory opening event and screening of acclaimed New York filmmaker Manny Kirchheimer's rare short film, " Colossus on the River."
An event attendee shares from her personal SS United States memorabilia at the exhibition opening. Courtesy of Kyle Ober. 
Event attendees enjoy Manny Kirchheimer's short film, "Colossus on the River." Courtesy of Kyle Ober.
Visitors study panels depicting the history and legacy of the SS United States . Courtesy of Kyle Ober.
Conservancy executive director Susan Gibbs speaks with exhibition attendees. Courtesy of Kyle Ober.
Former passenger Cara Buonincontri shares her SS United States memories. Courtesy of Kyle Ober.
The June 14th grand opening was an enormous success, attracting a crowd that brought together both steadfast supporters from the surrounding region and new faces encountering America's Flagship for the very first time. 

The Conservancy would like to extend a hearty congratulations to the New York Chapter for producing a truly "fabulous" exhibition, with special thanks to chapter co-chairs Glenn Lappin and Paul Stipkovich. We would like to also thank National Lighthouse Museum executive director Linda Dianto and museum curator Celestina Cuadrado for their indispensable support!

CLICK HERE to read more about this special event and plan your own visit.
Help Us Save America's Flagship!
Legacy Cruise participants enjoy a festive gathering in celebration of former Big U crew member, Conservancy founding board member and 2018 Blue Riband awardee, Joseph Rota .
This May, the inaugural SS United States Legacy Cruise headed to Bermuda in a week-long celebration of the SS United States.

With film screenings, talks by Big U experts, and exclusive special events, we were thrilled to mark the cruise an overwhelming success, raising awareness of the vessel's historic legacy, along with $100,000 in support of the ship's ongoing carrying costs.

Next year — we're thinking about doing it all again! Are you on board for 2019?
New York Chapter co-chairs Glenn Lappin & Paul Stipkovich explore.
Cruise participants dine together aboard the Celebrity Summit .
An onboard presentation by Keith Harper of Gibbs & Cox enthralls.
Please CLICK HERE to complete a brief survey regarding your interest in a future Legacy Cruise and to clarify your personal cruising preferences. Your responses to this survey are non-binding, and will help the Conservancy and the Pollin Group plan future cruise events.

Want to know what you missed in 2018? Browse the full 2018 cruise program, or check out more photographs from the inaugural Legacy Cruise on the Conservancy's Facebook page!
“I am honored to support the Conservancy as a steadfast guardian of such an important moment in our nation's history.” — Steve Williams, Revere, MA
The story of the SS United States is not only the story of American technical innovation and maritime prowess, but the story of immigrants from small towns and big cities setting out on journeys to distant shores — it is the story of passengers leaping into the unknown, crossing the sea and beginning new lives.

One such passenger was Mathilde Compton, who passed away earlier this month at age 88. Mathilde was a 22 year-old German newlywed when she crossed the Atlantic alone to rejoin her husband, a U.S. Army soldier.

Mathilde traveled aboard the SS United States in July 1952, during the westbound leg of the vessel's maiden voyage. Mathilde's daughter, Pam Treu, recalls: "She felt it was a special experience, and was proud that she was on the maiden voyage. Especially since she was going to the United States for the first time."
Mathilde Compton on deck. Courtesy of Pam Treu.
By saving this extraordinary vessel, we can ensure that the legacy of the Big U and her passengers will endure and inspire for generations to come. Pam reached out to share her mother's story with the Conservancy; preserve your own family's SS United States memories through our Legacy Project today, or make a donation to support the Conservancy's ongoing work.
The newly built V&A Dundee, designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma. Image from the  Evening Telegraph .
The extraordinary exhibition " Ocean Liners: Speed and Style," previously on display at London's V&A through June 17th, will be hitting the road again! Tickets have gone on sale for "Ocean Liners: Speed and Style," at V&A Dundee, a new branch of the Victoria and Albert Museum and Scotland's first design museum. 

The exhibition's opening will coincide with the museum's grand opening on September 15th, and the show will be on display until February 24th, 2019.
The Independent writes that the exhibition "will explore the vessels that revolutionized travel in the 19th and 20th centuries, as well as Scotland’s role in the design and development of ocean liners." CLICK HERE to learn more about the upcoming exhibition, and to check out images from the previous London exhibition — featuring various original objects from America's Flagship.
"[The SS United States ] was built at a time when 'made in America’ really meant something, and that is a legacy that cannot be lost.  — H.F. “Gerry” Lenfest, Blue Riband Council