steamboat era museum

atraveler300_11

This is a top notch museum dedicated to the little known history of steamboats on the Chesapeake Bay. Back in the day they were the prime means of transportation up, down, and across the bay for passengers. livestock, and cargo. What the steam engine train was for the interior of the country, the steamboat was for communities around the bay, from Baltimore to Norfolk. I am pretty well read, but I had no idea the scope and importance of steamboats in our area until we happened across the Steamboat Era Museum in Irvington.

BillH895

I really enjoyed my visit to this ambitious and beautiful little museum. The handcrafted models of ships, wharves, and shipyards are exquisite. The short film at the beginning of the tour is educational and professionally produced. Overall, the museum does a superb job of presenting a slice of American history which has come & gone, and a form of transportation that was a vibrant part of shaping commerce and culture. I found it a thought-provoking experience. Imagine daily life without automobiles - how did goods reach the merchants, how did people travel to distant towns without railroads, and how did inhabitants of remote communities experience professional live theater? Come here to learn about the robust & romantic steamboat era.The museum has a modest charge for admission, and also has a small but very nice gift shop. The whole place is clean as a pin, from lobby to bathrooms to exhibit hall. It is not open every day, so check before you go,

157leeb

Wonderful insight into the bygone era of travel and commerce on the Chesapeake via steam ships. The culture, the rugged beauty and charm.

Daniel34373

From the outside you wouldn’t expect this museum to be as entertaining and informative as it is. It gives a big, sweeping overview of this important era to the region, and does a darn good job of it.The video is a nice start to your tour. The main room features the current exhibits, which were aptly referenced on their website. I suppose that the website will be updated when and if the exhibits change.The smaller room features the steamboat itself, with artifacts collected from steamboats and a light-up model of Lancaster, one of the steamboats that plied these waters at the height of the steamboat era.There are numerous books about the era available, though only one was available in the museum gift shop when I was there. David C. Holly is the most known author that I know about, but there are others. It’s a fascinating subject and one I’m enjoying researching. This museum answered many questions I had about life on board one of these boats.

CaptaincrumpinVA

We visited the Steamboat Era Museum in Irvington, VA, for the first time in two years, and found very complete displays presenting the amazing history of steamboat commerce on the Chesapeake Bay. In the century before highways and bridges connected the cities, communities, and farms around the Bay, hundreds of these steamboats carried passengers and cargo up and down the Bay and into the shallow tributaries. The Museum has a wonderful array of panoramas, models, photographs, and installations taking the visitor back into that time. The museum is located in the lovely town of Irvington, adjacent to the elegant Tides Inn and Hope and Glory Inn.

DnYC176

I'd been to the SEM several times two to five years ago and, while it was ok it did not really grab my interest. There was too little to see and what was there was not well presented. In fact, it didn't feel like a museum at all. It felt like a conglomeration of old stuff from someone's attic which was presented haphazardly and in no particular order.Well, it's not that way anymore. When I walked in there about a week ago I was delighted to see changes. It's become much more well organized and the displays were presented thoughtfully. It's become a museum with a lot to say about the area (the Northern Neck of Virginia) during the era in which steamboats plied the Chesapeake Bay and the Tidewater Rivers. All the displays were not yet finished. It's evident that this is a work in progress, but it is progressing in the right direction big time!It's a very nice small museum and certainly worth a visit.

Sean8tv

What a unique experience. Our guide was very informative and had first hand experience riding the steamboats. Video presentation was excellent. We had no idea what an important part the steamboats played in that part of Virginia and the Chesapeake Bay region.

LuvNorNeck

For its size and location, this is really quite a nice little museum. Well worth going to Irvington to see this.

500Bill

We never realized that steamboats plied the Chesapeake Bay during the late 1800's to around 1935. Baltimore was generally the originating port. Sleek boats (not like the Mississippi River boxes) with overnight accommodations and fine dining.

langail

This small, special museum is filled with the aura of steamboats--a period in our history usually overlooked. It is unique to the Northern Neck of Virginia and totally fascinating. Our tour guide is the granddaughter of the captain featured here, and she knows EVERYTHING about the era and captivates your attention. This one is a DON'T MISS FOR SURE!

MartaH893

The tour guide gave us a good idea of what life was like in that area when steamboats were the main method of transportation. The large map of the Chesapeake showed why water travel was the most efficient, and sometimes, the only was to get goods from Baltimore to the little creeks and inlets of the Chesapeake.

nanandernie

What do you know about the steamboat era on the Chesapeake Bay? Nothing? Well neither did I and was delighted to find this new little museum in Irvington. Great exhibits and a wealth of information about a forgotten time when steamboats united the lands around the Chesapeake Bay.

jjh217

On a recent stay at the Tides, we wandered into the Steamboat Era Museum in Irvington Va. It was quite a surprise and better than expected. The exhibits are very interesting and we came away with a new appreciation for this area. it even had a docent who was very entertaining and knowledgeable. We had an enjoyable few hours and learned something new. We will plan a return visit to include this museum and see more of this area. If you are staying at the Tides, don't miss this.

dthague

Loved visiting this museum. The docent was so nice and gave us a personal after hours tour. I did not know how important the steamboats were to the economy of Maryland and Virginia. The museum was packed with information, pictures and even oral histories of the steamboat era. It was too bad that the last remaining structure of the steamboat era was not available to be seen yet. We definitely need to preserve the by-gone years when steamboats were king. What better way to do that then to restore and bring that piece of history into the museum. The museum also had a cute gift shop attached. It would be neat to be able to see if past family members were on one of these ships.