Independence Seaport Museum
Its hard to forget you're not on vacation when researching in the archives of the Independence Seaport Museum - the wall of the reading room is lined with large windows that overlook the river and have a beautiful view of an old ship docked at bay. This library has the most relaxed atmosphere of all the locations I visited; it has fewer ...overbearing rules and regulations than most places. I consider that a good thing. Because the library is small, the research area is less a separate room and more a table off to one side, so you're surrounded by more activity than usual, and the staff is all more than happy to help.
Why visit the Seaport Museum?
A surprisingly wide range of material can be found here. Obviously this is a prime location to conduct research on the China trade and other shipping activities with Asia, but one can also find information on everything from the Seamen's Church Institute and the diaries of sailors and captains to details on the Opium Trade.
However, if you're looking for records on immigration, don't go here; the US Govt. Regional Archives in Philadelphia are where you want to start.
Where to Start
- The Museum has digitized a number of excellent finding aids, available on their website (the aids can be found at the bottom of the library's homepage.) Please note that these aids are not yet searchable, and that some are available only in print form at the library and not online.
- The library's collection is also available on Worldcat (OCLC Database), accessible online with any computer connected to the campus internet or VPN. However, it appears the coverage is incomplete, and using Worldcat for this purpose can be a bit challenging.
- Because neither of the techniques mentioned above are all-encompassing, your best bet is to make an appointment with a librarian at the museum library and ask for some help locating resources. This was how I found most of the information listed here. (In fact, you MUST make an appointment before visiting the library, so you don't really have a choice.)
Other Tips
- There is no public computer available in the research area, so make sure you do your online research before showing up to the library. The librarians can set you up on an office computer if you REALLY need access, but there's no reason to create a hassle if you don't need to.