The Independence Seaport Museum recently unveiled dozens of miniature ships for its newest exhibition titled, “Small But Mighty!: Models, Toys and Miniature Ships,” writes Peter Crimmins for WHYY.
The new exhibition is a representation of more than 400 years worth of maritime history.
A majority of the 50 miniature boats were built or docked in the Philadelphia region. One of the models include the Kalmar Nyckel, a 17th century Swedish tall ship that still sails out of Wilmington, Delaware, to this day. Another is the NS Savannah, which in 1957 became the first merchant ship powered by a nuclear reactor.
The largest ship that is part of the exhibition is the USS Indianapolis.
Independence Seaport Museum president and CEO Peter Seibert hopes this will be a permanent exhibition. He had previously experimented with a smaller and temporary display of mini ships to gauge public interest.
“We did a quick little test in this room that we’re standing right now, putting out maybe a half-dozen models,” he said in the exhibition space. “I was amazed. People were in here all the time.”
The appeal of miniatures is one that helps provide visitors with a clearer view on how ships work, he added.
Read more about what to expect from the new “Small But Mighty!: Models, Toys and Miniature Ships” exhibition at WHYY.
_____
