Time is running out to visit the Steamboat Arabia Museum
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It's a sign of the times. Photo: Travis Meier/Axios
The Steamboat Arabia Museum that has anchored the City Market for 30 years faces an uncertain future when its lease expires in November.
Why it matters: If you're like me, who hadn't visited until this week, time is running out.
State of play: The museum's lease ends Nov. 13, and the museum posted on Facebook, "We do not know what will happen on Nov. 14."
- Museum owners have been discussing expansion since 2016, and the City Market began exploring other uses for the space in 2023.
- City Market leaders tell Axios they are working through transition details, and the museum's post says other municipalities have shown interest.
The vibe: Thursday morning's rain didn't dissuade crowds of older adults and busloads of students who came to see the unearthed remains of a sunken ship 170 years old.
- The "do it while you can" mentality was palpable, with several patrons remarking on its impending closure.
Zoom in: The museum starts with videos telling the story of the ill-fated steamboat and its intrepid team of excavators who got the idea for the dig from a Bigfoot conspiracy theorist.
- The real museum magic happens when you enter the display area, sized to the steamboat's dimensions with original metal and wood components in their correct places.
Context: Think of steamboats as the Amazon truck of the 1800s, the museum says. Most carried cargo for families and companies during the country's Western expansion.
- The Arabia's excavation unearthed 200 tons of cargo, including tools, guns, ironstone china, beads from Italy and coffee from South America.
- Patrons can view an active preservation lab, where workers restore textiles, boots and artifacts.
💭 Travis' thought bubble: I was amazed to see the skeletal remains of a mule, the steamboat's only casualty, preserved in a glass case with the bit still in its teeth.
- The massive cases of merchandise make clear how much stuff was pulled from the earth — and how hard it will be to relocate everything.
If you go: The museum is open 10am to 5pm Monday through Saturday, and 12pm to 5pm on Sunday.
- Adult tickets are $17.