THANK YOU FOR MAKING OUR ANNUAL APPEAL A SUCCESS

The Conservancy would like to thank all of our generous supporters from across the country and around the world who donated to sustain our work celebrating the SS United States and creating a new museum and visitor experience.

Courtesy of Charles Anderson

Funds raised from our annual appeal and membership drive support a wide range of programming and activity, including planning our future museum, producing our forthcoming feature-length documentary film, and expanding our curatorial collections. 

We are so grateful for to have you onboard as we move full speed ahead into the new year!

FAMILY HEIRLOOM FEATURES THE BIG U

Conservancy supporter Gary recently reached out to share a piece of his family history inspired by our favorite ocean liner! Gary's grandfather was a World War I veteran and needlepoint artist who spent long hours handcrafting unique pieces of art, from illustrating his family tree to creating works with more patriotic themes.

Following the 1952 presidential race, Gary’s grandfather completed and mailed a celebratory needlepoint map to President Eisenhower depicting the states that won him the election. (Eisenhower was one of four U.S. presidents who traveled aboard the SS United States.)

He was also inspired by a painting of the SS United States and completed this beautiful needlepoint rendering of the ship at sea. Thank you, Gary, for sharing this wonderful depiction of the Big U!

SS UNITED STATES SURFS THE WEB

Last year, the Conservancy partnered with Seabank Digital Productions to include snapshots from our curatorial collections in their newly-released video game, Ship Explorer. This game, which has been downloaded by over 3,000 players, offers the exciting opportunity to explore the Big U in fair weather or on stormy seas. While wandering the ship’s deck or covered promenade, the digitized postcards, family photos, and ephemera from the ship’s service career shared by the Conservancy are easy to find.

Ship Explorer allows an online audience to connect with historic vessels through their computers. While the SS United States is the game's flagship vessel, players also can also explore the SS Morro Castle and Bismarck. The video game is available on Windows computers, click here to learn more. 

Newly available in this virtual SS United States experience is a recreation of the ship’s ballroom and some iconic artwork which decorated the ship. Charles Lin Tissot’s Snowflake Crystal Montage and the ballroom’s carved glass murals by Charles Gilbert have been brought to life in this game. To learn more about these newly-digitized iconic pieces of art, click here.

The Big U's finely-decorated interiors have drawn many admirers during and after her service career. Well before it was digitally recreated in Ship Explorer, Tissot's crystal wall panel featured prominently in a 1963 advertisement for United States Lines and illustrated the sophisticated experience offered aboard the SS United States.

Tissot’s other works are in the collections of museums like the Cooper Hewitt and the Corning Museum of Glass. Snowflake Crystal Montage, an important piece of the Big U's artistic legacy, is part of the Conservancy's permanent collections and will be a featured attraction in our future SS United States Museum and Visitor Experience.

AMERICANO ABOARD AMERICA'S FLAGSHIP

We are continuing to explore food and dining aboard the SS United States through our current digital exhibition and our curatorial outreach. This week's spotlight is coffee! Passengers aboard the Big U could start and end their days with a rotating variety of coffee options.

Coffee was carefully rationed during World War II. The beverage was considered a key part of soldiers' diets, vital to keeping them awake and happy. Americans on the home front were limited to one cup of coffee a day. This spurred the creation of instant coffee - convenient for soldiers to carry in small envelopes and easy to make for consumers at home.

Brands like Nescafe remained popular after the war and were offered onboard the SS United States. Instant coffee was used in recipes like the "Mocha Parfait," an ice cream treat developed by Head Chef Otto Bismarck.

Want to try your hand at this recipe? You can find the recipe and instructions on how to enter our "Mocha Parfait" giveaway to win a reproduction of “The Captain's Table,” a recipe booklet featuring some of the signature dishes served aboard the SS United States here.

THE BIG U IN RED, WHITE, AND BLUE

The SS United States’ iconic design graces new offerings in patriotic colorways in the Conservancy’s online store. Show off your love of America’s Flagship with one of our stylish new t-shirts and sweatshirts. Click here to browse our offerings. Note that a portion of the purchase price of each item supports the Conservancy's mission and programs.