Waterfront Barge Showboat & Museum

Welcome Aboard
2024-01-01 - 2027-01-01 | Waterfront Museum, 290 Conover Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11231, United States
We will announce upcoming events shortly In the meantime, we remain open Saturdays and Thursdays.
Come visit us in person.

OPEN HOURS
2026-02-28 13:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
The Waterfront Museum is open on most SATURDAYS 1-5pm and THURSDAYS 4-8pm for free tours for families and individuals when the barge is docked in Red Hook.
We will be closed on Saturday, May 2nd.

Boat Banter on the Barge
2026-03-14 14:00 - 15:00
Join us March 14 for a low-key conversation about boats, maritime, and ideas connected to water and waterfronts featuring Michael Abegg. Barge captain David Sharps, host Stefan D-W, and Waterfront Museum guests sit down with Captain Abegg for a casual conversation about operating a small maritime business, waterfront access, the state of our harbor for industrial, recreational, transportation, and residential uses along with its ecology, and whatever other topics the tide washes in on DATE between 2 and 3pm at the Waterfront Museum barge moored at Brooklyn’s Pier 44 (290 Conover St.). This is during the museum’s regular open hours and admission is by suggested donation (people usually leave between $2 and $20).
Boat Banter on the Barge brings experts to the Waterfront Museum’s showboat barge during the winter months for low-key conversation about boats, maritime, and ideas connected to water and waterfronts. Experts draw up a chair in the heated side of the barge during the museum’s regular open hours on Saturday afternoons, and all visitors are invited to participate in the conversation as much or as little as they like. Our guest experts come from academia, industry, preservation, and beyond. They include tug and ship captains; marine and industrial historians and archaeologists; journalists, preservationists, and advocates; scholars in blue humanities, coastal studies, landscape history, and related fields; engineers, boatwrights and more.
Mike has been involved with boats, starting with, and revisiting traditional sailings vessels, tug boats, small fuel tankers, and various other types of boats in and near NY Harbor since 1993. After taking a decade off to do cabinetry, he bought his own work boat, and now does a variety of things with it. From fixing fenders for other commercial vessels, to salvage work, to deploying oysters, and many things in between.

CLOSED
2026-05-02 08:00 - 17:00
The barge will be closed on Saturday, May 2nd, for a private event.

The 2026 World Ferry Safety and Technology Conference
2026-05-06 - 2026-05-07
The Ferry Safety and Technology Conference will take place in New York City on May 5-7, 2026. On May 6, the main part of the conference will take place at the Waterfront Museum Barge. Speakers will update us on the latest news about electric ferries coming to NYC, operational and structural approaches to the dilemma of carriage of electric vehicles aboard ferries; to the impact and response to changing global weather, innovative design solutions, and global opportunities. Live music will be provided by the indie rock band New Yeller.
This conference is being convened by the Worldwide Ferry Safety Association (WFSA).
REGISTER HERE

Swamp in the City: A Cajun & Creole Music Festival
2026-05-07 19:00 - 21:30
Get ready for four days of great music, delicious food, and inclusive community at the 9th Annual Swamp in the City: A Cajun & Creole Music Festival. Held along the scenic Red Hook waterfront, this festival brings the best of Cajun and Creole culture to Brooklyn, featuring some of the most talented musicians from Louisiana and beyond, plus plenty of opportunities to dance, eat, and celebrate.
The official kickoff party will be held at the Waterfront Museum on Thursday, May 7th, from 7 – 9:30 pm. The festivities will begin with a dance lesson, followed by performances from accordionist and Cajun musician Jesse Lége, and Louisiana music group The Revelers.
For a complete schedule of events, visit swampinthecity.com/schedule.
TICKETS HERE

The Fish Who Saved New York
2026-06-28 11:00 - 14:00
Starring Phoebe Legere, The Fish Who Saved New York is a family-friendly musical featuring comedy, audience participation, and high-seas adventure that kids will talk about all summer. Join us on Sunday, June 28th, for giant puppets, fun songs, and a cast of unforgettable undersea heroes aboard the historic Waterfront Museum Barge.
Schedule
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM: World Championship of Drawing a Soccer Ball Finals (for children aged 9-12), and How to Draw a Seahorse, a Starfish, and a River (for children aged 6 – 8)
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM: Break/Waterfront Exploration
2:00 PM: The Fish That Saved New York Harbor, World Premiere Performance
Phoebe Legere is a Juilliard-educated, multi-disciplinary artist. Her experimental music and performance art have established her as an NYC legend; she has opened for David Bowie’s 1990 Sound + Vision national tour, received a Pulitzer nomination with the Cleveland Chamber Symphony, and exhibited her work in the Brooklyn Museum, Venice Biennale, and Pompidou Centre. Her interactive work always reinforces her belief in art as a social and spiritual necessity.
Click here for tickets and more details.
