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The MARY A. WHALEN

She is the last of her kind in the USA and on the National Register of Historic Places, to understand why, see the information in our virtual museum here.

PortSide uses of the MARY A. WHALEN:

  • as a historic ship where we give tours

  • as a location for diverse educational programs

  • as a stage for cultural activities with WaterStories themes

  • as a landing for our visiting vessels program - boats tie up alongside

  • home of our world-famous ship cat Chiclet

  • as the site of our offices

When & where to see the MARY:

Where:  ship MARY WHALEN, Pier 11, Atlantic Basin, Red Hook, Brooklyn.  The Red Hook Atlantic Basin NYC ferry stop is next to us. Directions.

During TankerTime enjoy the main deck of PortSide's historic ship, the tanker MARY A. WHALEN set with tables, chairs. Watch ship, ducks, and geese come and go. Chill. Beat the rat race. Wait for the NYC Ferry here. Have your meeting or meal here. 

Schedule: M-F 12-6pm, often later and sometimes earlier. Most weekends in warm weather. Check hours on page Visitor Info. We have less personnel since the pandemic, so if staff are out at a meeting, the deck is closed (indicated by a sign on the gangway). Volunteer so we can expand weekend hours.

Until PortSide gets building space and it’s been a 20-year struggle as of 2025, (see our history here), our offices are on the ship, limiting public-access to the ship interior. We offer public tours in May (for the ship’s birthday) and in October as part of Open House New York, and for school groups and others by appointment. If you show up from afar or with a small child, and if we’re not too busy or booked with another program, we will let you amble through for a self-guided tour. Groups must book in advance. If you want to visit for a school program, get ideas on our webpage EDUCATION & YOUTH.

Thanks to our maintenance sponsors and partners!

Much of the exterior of the MARY A. WHALEN has been restored since 2014 with labor from the painters' union District Council 9 which used the ship as a training site from 2014 to 2022 until they opened their new training center.  We gave them a site, they gave us labor, and we partner in training union labor. Local 806 painted the exterior. The Metal Polishing division strips and polishes bronze and Monel metals. The Commercial Division painted the galley. For years now, the exterior paint is thanks to a generous donation by International Paint.