Thu Jun 21 - Sun Jun 24

Independence Seaport Museum will mark the Bicentennial of the War of 1812 with a special visit from the 122-foot square top sail schooner Lynx, HMS Bounty and Philadelphia’s Tall Ship Gazela. Visitors to the Seaport Museum will not only be able to see the new exhibit, Home of the Brave, the War of 1812 in Art, Story & Song but also enjoy a deck tour of the Lynx, included with Museum admission. The Lynx. Gazela and HMS Bounty, will be open to the general public for deck tours for a small fee (varies by ship) throughout the weekend. Additionally, the public can sail aboard Lynx when she embarks on daily two hour river tours.

On Thursday, June 21 Lynx will sail up the Delaware River, firing a salute from her main battery of 6-pounder carronade deck guns upon her grand entrance. “We are thrilled to have the ship visit Independence Seaport Museum for the first time, said Seaport Museum CEO, John Brady. “Visitors can fire mock cannons and learn about the War of 1812 inside the Museum, then step outside and walk the decks of the Lynx, America’s Privateer.” Lynx is expected to arrive at Penn’s Landing at 3:00 pm.

The media is invited to ride out on a special sail to greet the Lynx as she arrives in Philadelphia for the first time. Space is very limited and must be reserved in advance. Please contact Hope Corse at 215-413-8631 for details.

Lynx Schedule

Thursday, June 21
Grand Arrival with Deck Guns Ablaze – 3:00 pm

Ship Tours 4:00pm – 6:00 pm - Adults $5, Children Ages 3 – 12 $2. FREE with regular admission to the Seaport Museum.

Friday - Sunday, June 22 - 24
Ship Tours: 10:00 am – 1:00 pm - Adults $5 Children Ages 3 – 12 $2. FREE with regular admission to the Seaport Museum.

River Tours: 2:00pm – 4:00 pm – Adults - $65.00 – Seniors & Active Military - $55.00 – Children 12 & Under - $35.00

River Tour tickets can be purchased at www.privateerlynx.com.

Lynx is an interpretation of an actual privateer named Lynx built by Thomas Kemp in 1812 in Fell's Point, Maryland. She was among the first ships to defend American freedom by evading the British naval fleet then blockading American ports and serving in the important privateering efforts. She is fitted with period ordnance and flies pennants and flags from the 1812 era. With a noble mission, Lynx acts as a dynamic educational platform and provides a unique opportunity for a hands-on experience like no other.

The 177-foot barkentine Gazela was built in 1901 at the shipyard of J. M. Mendes in Setubal, Portugal. Gazela was built to carry fisherman to the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. Every spring she would leave Lisbon with a crew of 40 men and a couple apprentices. In her hold would be 90 tons of salt, which would be used for the cod fish that were caught, preserving them for the long trip home. The Gazela is run by the Philadelphia Ship Preservation Guild and will be named Philadelphia’s Official Tall Ship in a ceremony to be held June 15.

The 180-foot HMS Bounty was built at Smith and Rhuland Shipyard in Lunenberg, Nova Scotia in 1960 specifically for MGM studios’ movie “Mutiny on the Bounty” with Marlon Brando. The studios commissioned the ship from the shipwrights of Smith and Ruhland to commission a new HMS Bounty to be built from scratch. Completely seaworthy and built just the way it would have 200 years before, the new HMS Bounty was constructed from the original ship’s drawings still on file in the British admiralty archives. The Bounty is spending 2012 visiting various US cities.

Independence Seaport Museum maintains one of the largest maritime collections in North America, combining more than 25,000 artifacts with hands-on exhibits and large-scale models. In addition to exhibits, the Museum has a traditional wooden boat shop, the J. Welles Henderson Archives and Library and a concert hall with sound stage quality acoustics. The Museum also includes two National Historic Landmark ships—the Spanish-American War cruiser, Olympia, and the World War II submarine Becuna. Located at Philadelphia’s Penn’s Landing Waterfront, the museum is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Visit www.phillyseaport.org for more information.