by GuestfromEU » September 26, 2018, 7:36 am
Guest wrote:You can try the "Last steam!" "Last True Laker" etc. etc..but at the end of the day, outside of the small boatnerd community, it is meaningless.
The majority of your visitors are tourists, coming to see "the big ship!". Its a sad reality, but it has been proven time and time over with railroad museums. 95% of your visitors, could care less if its steam or diesel or what at not at the end of the day. They are there to see the train, the boat, etc.
And maritime preservation is nothing at all like railroads or anything land based. The costs are night and day. Water is an enemy, and shipyards are expensive. Every museum is fighting for the same money that is just not there.
I would love nothing more then to see the Ryerson saved. But the reality is it is unlikely. We have museums struggling already. This is why the SS United States is never going to go anywhere..
Just my opinion as a marine of 10+ years.
Well said, and bluntly truthful. If the Irvin was not in Duluth next summer, or if the Mather in Cleveland was sold for scrap, 98% of tourists would never notice. Next summer on their annual family holidays, they would barely register that "the big ship" is no more. Those few who do notice would say "what happened?" and, as usual, would get a reply of "they ran out of money" or "the city did not want them anymore". Then most will shrug their shoulders and forget about it.
Same story, repeated across the world day in and day out. I am sympathetic to these museum causes because they are living history, something which we all care about (on this website). But the general public does not. Does the Irvin have a "selfie station" where people can get their hot Instagram pic? This is the nonsense the curators must deal with. But, it's whatever pays the bills, no?...
The Cap San Diego museum ship in Hamburg, Germany comes to mind when I think of successful maritime museums. The ship was built in Hamburg mid-1950s, and operated for Hamburg Sud (also based in Hamburg). There is a strong local connection, and the city supports the museum. This mentality and appreciation for preserving history is, I think, more popular in Europe than in the USA. The ship is fully accessible, meaning only a few areas in the accommodations are restricted access, and of course the cargo holds and any confined spaces. The machinery spaces are totally accessible, and visitors have the ability to walk freely around (without a tour guide). People respect the property and do not take anything or otherwise deface the ship. The ship also sails periodically on day cruises in the harbor and out at sea.
Naturally, of course, this would not be feasible with the Great Lakes museum ships, but it is food for thought. I think the closest option available is the SS Badger, but even then, consider their decor and to which clientele they need to cater (hint: it is not maritime historians nor general history enthusiasts).
[quote="Guest"]You can try the "Last steam!" "Last True Laker" etc. etc..but at the end of the day, outside of the small boatnerd community, it is meaningless.
The majority of your visitors are tourists, coming to see "the big ship!". Its a sad reality, but it has been proven time and time over with railroad museums. 95% of your visitors, could care less if its steam or diesel or what at not at the end of the day. They are there to see the train, the boat, etc.
And maritime preservation is nothing at all like railroads or anything land based. The costs are night and day. Water is an enemy, and shipyards are expensive. Every museum is fighting for the same money that is just not there.
I would love nothing more then to see the Ryerson saved. But the reality is it is unlikely. We have museums struggling already. This is why the SS United States is never going to go anywhere..
Just my opinion as a marine of 10+ years.[/quote]
Well said, and bluntly truthful. If the Irvin was not in Duluth next summer, or if the Mather in Cleveland was sold for scrap, 98% of tourists would never notice. Next summer on their annual family holidays, they would barely register that "the big ship" is no more. Those few who do notice would say "what happened?" and, as usual, would get a reply of "they ran out of money" or "the city did not want them anymore". Then most will shrug their shoulders and forget about it.
Same story, repeated across the world day in and day out. I am sympathetic to these museum causes because they are living history, something which we all care about (on this website). But the general public does not. Does the Irvin have a "selfie station" where people can get their hot Instagram pic? This is the nonsense the curators must deal with. But, it's whatever pays the bills, no?...
The Cap San Diego museum ship in Hamburg, Germany comes to mind when I think of successful maritime museums. The ship was built in Hamburg mid-1950s, and operated for Hamburg Sud (also based in Hamburg). There is a strong local connection, and the city supports the museum. This mentality and appreciation for preserving history is, I think, more popular in Europe than in the USA. The ship is fully accessible, meaning only a few areas in the accommodations are restricted access, and of course the cargo holds and any confined spaces. The machinery spaces are totally accessible, and visitors have the ability to walk freely around (without a tour guide). People respect the property and do not take anything or otherwise deface the ship. The ship also sails periodically on day cruises in the harbor and out at sea.
Naturally, of course, this would not be feasible with the Great Lakes museum ships, but it is food for thought. I think the closest option available is the SS Badger, but even then, consider their decor and to which clientele they need to cater (hint: it is not maritime historians nor general history enthusiasts).