• A section of the bowsprint and figurehead on the bow of BALCLUTHA.

    San Francisco Maritime

    National Historical Park California

Where Your Imagination Can Travel to the 19th Century

Stand on the stern of BALCLUTHA, face west to feel the fresh wind blowing in from the Pacific Ocean. Located in the Fisherman's Wharf neighborhood, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park offers the sights, sounds, smells and stories of Pacific Coast maritime history.

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Features

  • A volunteer docent leaning on a furled sail aboard BALCLUTHA and speaking to visitors.

    Training Course for Volunteer Docents at Park

    This training course will introduce participants to maritime history and the art of presenting educational programs. Free. Sunday, June 3, 10am-4pm.

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  • A historic photo of the bow section of a 19th century full-rigged sailing ship.

    The Historic Ships

    Discover the collection of historic vessels at San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park.

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  • The arched, brick, entryway to an exhibit in the park visitor center with the words A Walk Along The Waterfront in gold-colored lettering.

    "The Waterfront" exhibit

    We invite you to walk through time as you see, hear, and touch San Francisco's historic working waterfront in this exhibit in the visitor center.

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  • A section of the colorful front page of the four-page park newspaper called The Maritime News.

    Find out what's happening in the park

    Read the digital version of the park's quarterly newspaper, THE MARITIME NEWS. You can also pickup a paper copy at the park.

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  • A painting of a full-rigged ship in stormy seas called LEE SHORE by W. A. Coulter. SAFR5332

    Discover Our Collections

    Discover the largest museum collection in the NPS. Extensive library, archival, small craft and object collections are available for research.

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  • A detail of the front of a silver pitcher with a detailed relief image of a steamship.

    "Gems" & Interesting Stories From the Collections

    Check out our "Collections Corner" for fascinating images and articles about scrimshaw, Hicks engines, Gold Rush era log books, paintings, and murals.

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  • A brown-colored pig in the pantry aboard BALCLUTHA.

    Hey Kids, want to have some fun?

    Fun stuff like comics, pigs at sea, sailing cats, babies on board, a gull's eye view, park ranger hats and pinecones, signal flags, and much more.

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  • A black and white photo of two boys and a dog standing on the deck of a 19th century sailing ship.

    Mascots at Sea

    Animals have always been important members of a ship's crew. Dogs, cats, parrots...but would you believe monkeys, polar bears, pigs, and goats?!

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Did You Know?

A historic photo of a 19th century San Francisco street.

19th century San Francisco was a hard drinking town. The sailing ship Balclutha helped quench that thirst by delivering cargoes containing Scotch whiskey, Dutch bitters, French vermouth and ales and liquors of all kinds. More...