Important Update from the SS United States Conservancy

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WORLD-CLASS MUSEUM DESIGN PARTNERSHIP

The SS United States Conservancy remains deeply committed to celebrating and commemorating the enduring legacy and indomitable spirit of the SS United States. Today we are thrilled to announce a new partnership with Thinc Design, one of the world’s premier museum and exhibit design firms, to initiate the design and development of our future SS United States Museum and Visitor Experience.

Thinc Design’s many acclaimed projects include respectful memorials illuminating some of America’s most important landmarks: the National September 11 Memorial Museum and the Empire State Building Observatory, as well as 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.

SS United States Museum and Visitor Experience rendering

Thinc | LMN Architects | Buro Happold.

Thinc is internationally recognized for creating powerful, story-driven environments. 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. In close collaboration with the Conservancy, we look forward to designing dynamic, interactive exhibits that create an unforgettable experience for all visitors.”

SS UNITED STATES FUNNEL PRESERVATION

Photo courtesy of Bill DiBenedetto and the SS United States Conservancy.

As part of the ship’s conversion into the world’s largest artificial reef, the signature funnels from the legendary SS United States will be removed this week to be saved as dramatic centerpieces of the future SS United States Museum and Visitor Experience. The Conservancy has been working closely with Florida’s Okaloosa County and other stakeholders to ensure the funnels' protection, transport, and safekeeping, which is a very complex and costly undertaking.

While this transformation of the ship’s physical structure is upsetting for many of us, we are more determined than ever to save as many components of the SS United States as possible for our future museum. Additional artifacts to be prioritized include one of her massive, five-bladed propellers, her towering radar mast, stem anchor, and many other fixtures and features.

To read the Conservancy’s complete news release, click here

As plans for our ambitious museum experience advance "full speed ahead," we will be seeking your input and advice. What stories should we tell? What features of the SS United States should we highlight? How does America's Flagship continue to resonate today? Just as the ship's original components and materials came from every state in the nation, our future museum will also inspire and unite.

If you haven’t yet visited our latest digital exhibition, “Food Tastes Better at Sea,” you can do so by clicking HERE. Thanks to you, our extensive collection of ship artifacts, fixtures, furnishings, vintage audio-visual material, and archival documentation focused on the “Big U” continues to grow.

We look forward to sharing updates on our progress, and we remain profoundly grateful for our supporters. Thank you for contributing to our museum planning, our educational programs, and digital exhibition series. If you haven't yet joined us and are in a position to do so, our donation page can be found HERE. Thank you for helping us celebrate and commemorate the SS United States.

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