National Park Service LogoU.S. Department of the InteriorNational Park ServiceNational Park Service
National Park Service: U.S. Department of the InteriorNational Park Service Arrowhead
 
 
Making America's Best Idea Even Better
San Francisco Maritime National Historical ParkAn image of the Voyages exhibit in the visitor center.
view map
text size:largestlargernormal
printer friendly
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
Park Fun
 
A photograph of a park ranger in uniform with a view of the hat and arrowhead patch on the left sleeve of the grey shirt.

NPS

A park ranger wearing her uniform.

Why is there a pine cone on a park ranger's hat?
 

San Francisco Maritime is a park of many uses.
Check out this cool scavenger hunt!


 
Nine signal flags arranged in two rows.
NPS
These signal flags spell out a message.
 
Click here to figure out what it is.
_______________________________________
 
A colorful mural showing a staircase and imaginative-looking sea creatures.
NPS
Colorful murals cover the walls inside the Aquatic Park Bathhouse building (the big, white, ship-shaped building in the park). This is a section of one of the murals. It was painted 70 years ago by an artist named Hilaire Hiler. Do you think he had a good imagination?
How many different sea creatures can you find in the picture?
Do they remind you of animals you have seen?
Where did you see them?
 
A young boy on the deck of a sailing ship feeding chickens that are running around.

NPS

What if your home was on a ship?
 
Plimsoll Mark
NPS
Float or Sink?
How do captains know how to safely load their ships?
 
Scow schooner Alma sailing on San Francisco Bay.

NPS

Scow schooner Alma sailing on San Francisco Bay.

Have you ever thought about learning how to sail?

Meet someone who has sailed around the world!

 
A sailmaker and his assistant repairing a sail laying on the deck of a ship.

NPS

A sailmaker and his assistant repairing a sail laying on the deck of a ship. Ripped sails were patched and used again and again.

Did Sailors Recycle?

If you were a sailor on a voyage across the sea and you needed to get rid of some stinky trash, what would you do????

 
Close-up head shot of a seagull.

Photo by Dan Ng

Hercules: A Gull's Eye View
Gertie and Mel,
two seagulls who
live on top of Hercules's 
pilothouse, know all about tugboats!

 
Drawing of a blue, jumping fish.

Illustration by Inge Wessels

Interview Your Elders

Learn about oral histories and then create your own.

 
Agnes Tapley and Baby Della on the deck of a sailing ship in 1898.

NPS Photo

Agnes Tapley and Baby Della on board the sailing ship St. James in 1898.

Baby on Board

What was it like to grow up on a sailing ship 100 years ago? How did kids get their sea legs, and did they have to take a bath every night?

 
A yellow-colored cat, named Stretch, asleep on Hyde Street Pier.

NPS

Of Flying Fish and Sailing Cats

The cook on board the sailing ship Balclutha has a very interesting tale to tell.

 
undefined

NPS Photo

Pigs at Sea!

Activity page for young sailors.

 

 
Four light brown and white beef cattle standing together.

NPS

A Moooo-ving Experience

Read all about a cattle stampede aboard the ferryboat Eureka.

 
A historic photo of the lighthouse on the Farallon Islands with two men and a mule next to it.

NPS Photo

Catherine of the Farallons

Activity page for young salts.
Line drawing of a full-rigged ship by Inge Wessels.
Fun activities for the pier and visitor center
Crossword puzzle, ship shapes, and more
more...
The stern of the THAYER showing two rectangular-shaped openings.  

Did You Know?
Loading ports are small, watertight doors in a ship's hull that lead directly into the hold. Lumber could be more easily loaded into the hold through these ports rather than through the smaller hatches on the deck. These ports had to be caulked shut before the ship put to sea.
more...

Disclaimer Accessibility Privacy Policy FOIA Notices USA.gov

Last Updated: September 11, 2009 at 12:48 EST