Yesterday the SS United States’ aft funnel was removed from the ship, following the removal of the forward funnel on Monday. While this development has been upsetting for many of us, we are encouraged that these iconic elements of the SS United States will be preserved. These towering icons of the ship’s singular design are prominent features in the incredible renderings of our future SS United States Museum and Visitor Experience developed by our partners at Thinc Design.

Thinc is internationally recognized for creating powerful, story-driven environments, including brilliant maritime experiences such as Robert Ballard’s Challenge of the Deep, focusing on RMS Titanic exploration; and aquariums in Seattle, Miami, and San Francisco, including the new Ocean Pavilion on Seattle’s waterfront. Thinc’s founder, Tom Hennes, said, “From the moment we first set foot aboard the SS United States, we felt a passion for helping tell her remarkable story.” h

SS United States Museum and Visitor Experience rendering

Thinc | LMN Architects | Buro Happold.

The funnels’ preservation was picked up by media outlets nationwide including CNN Travel. Reporter Danny Freeman wrote that the museum will "commemorate the American legend" and preserve the ship's indomitable spirit with showcases of “artwork, artifacts, vintage photographs, and film footage." 

Conservancy board member Warren Jones spoke with WKRG about our partnership with Florida’s Okaloosa County on ensuring the protection, transport, and safekeeping of these legendary features from the SS United States. To watch his interview, click HERE.

To learn more about the Conservancy’s SS United States Museum and Visitor Experience being developed with Thinc Design, LMN Architects, and Buro Happold, please click HERE.

Doug Most, author of the forthcoming book Launching Liberty: The Epic Race to Build the Ships That Took America to War will be joining the Conservancy for a special supporters lecture on Wednesday, September 17th at 7pm.

To learn more about Launching Liberty, please view the book’s trailer here:

This talk will center around the production of Liberty ships. This enormous fleet of vessels that played a critical war in World War II were designed by William Francis Gibbs, who also designed the SS United States. Gibbs’ relentless pursuit of efficiency was legendary: His firm mobilized subcontractors to fabricate ship components from all over the United States, allowing for quicker production for ship assembly. One Liberty ship was built in only four and a half days!

This exciting presentation for Conservancy supporters will take place via Zoom. To register, please click HERE. To become a member of the Conservancy, click HERE.

Seventy three years ago this week, United States Lines advertised the SS United States to promote the brand-new ocean liner during her first year of service. The August 4, 1952 ad in Time magazine promises an exceptional experience: "Absolutely nothing has been spared to make your ocean crossing on the greatest American ship ever put to sea." 

Passengers would arrive in Europe in “less than five days,” after traveling luxuriously in air conditioned staterooms, each equipped with “ship-to-shore telephones." The advertisement promoted some of the ship’s first voyages departing from New York on August 8th and 22nd to prospective passengers on America’s Flagship.

For more information on how the SS United States was advertising to potential travelers, check out the Conservancy’s digital exhibition, "Advertising the United States" HERE.

Ship Explorer, a new video game, offers incredible digital renderings of the three legendary ocean liners, including the SS United States! The game incorporates some of the Conservancy’s archival materials, including special items from the ship’s service career such as luggage tags, landing cards, menus and more. This is an exciting way to introduce the ship to a new audience!

Players can virtually tour the Big U in this video game, which is available to play on Windows computers. Ship Explorer’s dry dock renderings offer an up-close look at the propellers and exceptional hull design that powered the ship to record-breaking speeds. The ship’s upper deck and bridge can be explored as part of a virtual journey of the ship crossing the Atlantic. To learn more about Ship Explorer, please click HERE. 

Celebrate the gala dinners aboard the SS United States with this lightweight t-shirt featuring a vintage gala menu design. This offering is part of a collection inspired by our most recent digital exhibition, “Food Tastes Better at Sea: Dining Aboard the SS United States.” Click HERE to purchase your shirt!