Arabia Steamboat Museum, Missouri, United States

5307leven 5:00 PM Dec 16, 2022

Wow! Great museum
Visited the Friday before Thanksgiving and it was a thrill to see a museum that was created as a result of unearthing the Arabia Steamboat that sank in 1856. The best part for me was that one of the founders, David Henley, was actually there that day to answer questions and describe the various challenges that he, his father, brother and others had to excavate the site and remove thousands of artifacts and parts of the boat from under 40 plus feet of sediment. The museum had too many artifacts to mention from the frontier which included various tools, dishes, utensils, weapons, jewelry, clothing, supplies which were masterfully restored using modern cleaning and restoration methods. There was a film describing the digging process which started in late 1988 into 1989 as well as some other interesting topics. the stern of the boat was also on display as many of the items were well preserved due to being buried for over 130 years in fresh water and sediment while not being exposed to oxygen and the elements. There was also a lab on the site where they are still restoring clothing and items to this day. I spent almost 3 hours during my visit which included a brief stop in the gift shop upstairs. This museum is a chapter right out of American history and if you love history or antiques, it is a must see!

5spainyardrl 5:00 PM Jul 17, 2021

An amazing collection and seldom heard part of the Western expansion story.
Stumbled upon this place as another plan fell through and we had a free afternoon. It is a neat story. You learn not only part of the steamboat era but the challenges of finding and salvaging a wreck that has been locked in the mud for over a century. The collection of artifacts is world class as well as the efforts of preservation. The history and story telling is very interesting especially if you are from the Midwest or interested in the pioneer era. Parking was close and free on the weekend, not sure what it costs on weekdays. The tour is self guided with multiple stops to watch looped videos (approximately 5 minutes each) explaining different things you are seeing. You can see and ask questions of a preservationist at work. We were treated to a visit from one of the original members of the exploration, David Hawley, who personally interacted with guests and took time to answer questions and elaborate on the exhibits. Thanks David! It took us about 2 and a 1/2 hours to see the museum and I feel that was about the right amount of time to get a full experience.