April 22, 2018
The Conservancy is hard at work recovering original items from the SS United States. As we build the world's largest collection of art, artifacts and documents from America's Flagship, we remain deeply committed to advancing our educational and curatorial mission, and will be announcing some extraordinary new acquisitions in the coming months.
Buyers tour the bridge of the SS  United States  prior to the 1984 auction. Courtesy of Robert G. Lenzer.
We are also excited to share that the April 2018 volume of Ocean Times, published by the Southern California Chapter of the Steamship Historical Society of America, includes an article co-authored by Conservancy executive director Susan Gibbs and founding board member Mark B. Perry. "Scattered Treasures: Curatorial Efforts to Preserve Historic Artifacts From the SS United States " highlights the challenges and rewards of the Conservancy's extensive curatorial efforts.
Over a decade after the SS United States' unexpected 1969 layup, the majority of her distinctive and signature design elements were sold at auction in 1984. Upon acquiring America's Flagship in 2011, the Conservancy conducted an international survey of institutional and individual collectors in order to identify key items from the ship. Today, we are excited to care for many of these irreplaceable objects as part of our permanent collection!
As we advance our plans for an innovative future museum housing this incredible collection, Gibbs and Perry write: "In success, the SS United States Center for Design and Discovery will be at the heart of America’s re-purposed national flagship, and will attract visitors who will experience and learn all about this iconic ocean liner and her significance to national and global maritime history."

CLICK HERE to read the full article.
The SS United States ' interiors await restoration. Photograph by Stephen Mallon, National Geographic .
The Conservancy continues to catalogue the location and ownership of the remaining fittings from the SS United States , including furniture, artwork, china and other items. If you own original items from the vessel, please fill out our object loan survey or drop us a line at [email protected] .
Help Us Save America's Flagship!
Attention former passengers, crew and family members! We have a special announcement: two Memorial Day weekend tours aboard the Big U, to assist the Conservancy in advancing its curatorial mission.

General public access to the SS United States is highly restricted. While a very limited number of vessel tours are available as a Conservancy membership benefit at the "Captain’s Quarters" level and above, we are excited to offer these special, limited opportunities to those with a personal connection to America’s Flagship, to assist in our ongoing Legacy and oral history projects.

Tour attendees will be invited to share their personal recollections with Conservancy staff and to contribute to our permanent archive, building a vibrant living history of America's Flagship.
Visitors with special connections to America's Flagship tour the Big U in December, 2017. Courtesy of Lara Hetzel.
These opportunities are open to Conservancy members only, and preregistration is required. An additional contribution of $150 is requested, with all funds supporting the Conservancy's efforts to save America's Flagship and honor the ship's legacy. Both tours are limited to 12 individuals, and will take place from 9:00am to 11:00am. To register for the Saturday, May 26th tour, please CLICK HERE. To register for the Monday, May 28th tour, please CLICK HERE.
“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
Conservancy executive director Susan Gibbs, granddaughter of SS United States designer William Francis Gibbs.
Recorded in Newport, Rhode Island, Around the Buoy is a monthly podcast that features the stories of people who live, work, and play on the water — from sailboats and superyachts, to wooden boats and classic cruisers. This month, the hosts were joined by Conservancy executive director Susan Gibbs, granddaughter of SS United States designer William Francis Gibbs, who discussed the singular history of the Big U and the urgent need to save our nation's flagship.

The episode's description notes: "The story of the SS United States is also the story of the brilliant marine engineer and naval architect who brought her into being. To say that William Francis Gibbs had a long-running love affair with a ship would be, quite frankly, an understatement.

CLICK HERE to listen to the episode, as Susan Gibbs shares intimate stories of her grandfather's passion for "the big ship."
The SS United States is truly a model of the best in American naval design , and today serves as a valuable educational resource for the next generation of naval architects and maritime professionals.

In support of their studies, members of the State University of New York (SUNY) Maritime College's Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers recently toured the vessel at her Philadelphia berth, examining her ground-breaking design up close.
SUNY Maritime Nautical Engineering students tour the SS United States in Philadelphia. Photograph courtesy of Michael Wolfe.
The students were encouraged to reflect upon how highlights of the vessel's original technology and design could be showcased during her potential conversion into a landmark waterfront development. CLICK HERE to read some of their responses , and to learn what the Big U means to students today.
"[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