The Hudson River Maritime Museum 2008 Exhibit

Hudson's Journey
and Small Steamboats of the Hudson

The exhibition “HUDSON’S JOURNEY” will form the cornerstone for HRMM’s newly revised adult and children’s educational programming. Dedicated staff and volunteer artisans have faithfully recreated Henry Hudson’s “aft cabin” in the famous Half Moon exploratory vessel. This permanent exhibition space is now supplemented with various accoutrements used during Hudson’s voyage, an historical timeline, and murals depicting the Native Americans with whom Hudson and his crew interacted in 1609. A dugout canoe, crafted in the Lenape tradition, is on view as well as a fabulous 1909 “Half Moon” model on temporary loan to HRMM. Thomas Locker artwork provides a stunning view of the “River Which Runs Both Ways” as Henry Hudson must have seen from his “aft cabin.”

“SMALL STEAMBOATS OF THE HUDSON” complements “Hudson’s Journey” by telling the history and role of small steamboats or “yachts” on the river. Archival photographs, maps, a working steam engine, along with key artifacts from HRMM’s permanent collection, demonstrate how these diminutive and beautiful short distance steamboats fulfilled a true public need -- travel and transport up and down the Hudson River and its tributaries.