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Read the press release here.

Seaport Museum Promises to Protect Its Historic Ships

SOUTH STREET SEAPORT — The Seaport Museum New York will not dump its historic ships in an effort to stay afloat, the museum's leaders promised in a letter this week.

"We are committed to protecting, preserving and maintaining our collections, including our fleet of historic vessels," Seaport Museum Chairman Frank Sciame and President Mary Ellen Pelzer wrote to Community Board 1 Chairwoman Julie Menin in the letter, dated July 25.

Former museum employees and volunteers have voiced concerns that the historic ships would be sold or scrapped as part of the major reorganization of the Seaport Museum that is now underway. The museum laid off most of its staff and closed its galleries in February because of financial troubles.

The grassroots Save Our Seaport group has been pushing the museum to focus more energy on maintaining and promoting the historic ships, as a way of emerging from its difficulties.

This summer, the museum's historic boats — including the 1885 schooner Pioneer, which could bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars per season, according to former employees — have sat unused at Pier 16.

Sciame and Pelzer said in their letter that the museum simply did not have enough money to staff the boats this season. They promised to ensure that the vessels receive their Coast Guard recertification so they are able to sail as soon as the museum is ready to reopen.

Despite the reassurances in the letter, CB1 voted overwhelmingly Tuesday night to call on the City Council to hold an oversight hearing on the Seaport Museum, based on fears that the museum might get rid of some of the historic ships. Museum officials have skipped several CB1 meetings in the past few months, choosing to communicate only by letter.

Talks on the Seaport Museum's future are also continuing between Save Our Seaport and the Museum of the City of New York, which may take over the Seaport Museum and run it as an annex.