Three connected attractions greet guests to the Port of Los Angeles -
Gateway Plaza. Fanfare Fountain, Red Car Electric Train rides, and Los
Angeles Maritime Museum are all an easy stroll between each other, and make for
an entertaining, kid-friendly visit to San Pedro.
The Maritime Museum is located in a Public Works Administration (WPA) "Streamlined
Moderne" facility built in 1941 as the base for an auto ferry which
crossed the channel at regular intervals from San Pedro to a sister building
on Terminal Island. It served the Navy, fishing industry employees
and travelers or commuters opting to avoid a long route through Wilmington and Long Beach.
With the completion of the Vincent Thomas Bridge in 1963, ferry operations
ceased and the building became an office for the Harbor Department.
The Los Angeles Maritime Museum is the largest maritime museum in
California, containing 75,000 square feet of displays such as more than
700 ship and boat models, navigational equipment and an operating
amateur radio station. Exhibits include Native American artifacts
relating to the sea, ship figureheads, maritime arts and crafts and an
18-foot scale model of the Titanic. Historical exhibits of the whaling
industry, tall ships, commercial shipping, the Navy, the Merchant Marine
and recreational sailing.
Try your hand at tying any of the 64 types of seaman's
knots on display and grab the wheel of a 19th-century sailing ship. Classes
on include topics such as small boat handling and ship model building.
Harbor Blvd. and the Vincent Thomas Bridge, San Pedro
Show times: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. - One song plays every 30 minutes with periodic mini-shooter activity
Noon to 1 p.m. & 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. - One song plays every 10 minutes portoflosangeles.org
Los Angeles Maritime Museum
Berth 84 at the foot of 6th Street, San Pedro
Open Tuesday through Sunday.
(310) 548-7618 lamaritimemuseum.org
Port of Los Angeles Waterfront Red Car Line
operates Friday through Sunday, noon to 9 p.m.
Free one-hour parking is available at the Los Angeles Cruise Promenade parking lot located just past the Catalina Express Terminal gate.
A $1 all-day fare
(310) 732-3473
