South Street Seaport Museum to Present Program Exploring Journey of the Statue of Liberty

On Sunday, May 12, 2024, at 3pm, join the South Street Seaport Museum and research engineer, maritime historian from the University of Southern Brittany, and President of the Musée sous-marin du Pays de Lorient, Dr. Christophe Cérino, as we delve into the captivating journey of the Statue of Liberty from Lorient, France, to her iconic home in New York.

In this free program, Cérino will guide us through the Statue of Liberty's fascinating history. After the Statue of Liberty was presented to the US in Paris in 1885, it was disassembled for the historic voyage to New York aboard the French Navy ship, Isere. During this special presentation, Cérino will explore why this vessel was selected to transport such a precious cargo.

The French frigate Isère was launched in the vibrant maritime hub of Lorient in the summer of 1863. The vessel featured a metal hull measuring 62 meters long and 9.5 meters wide, and a steam engine with propeller shaft. Isère played a crucial role in transport and supply missions to naval bases across France, its colonies, and beyond. Over 200 crates containing the disassembled Statue of Liberty were loaded onto the Isère, which set sail on May 21, 1885. Our esteemed speaker will also share what happened to the vessel after this important delivery.

Get your ticket today to learn about the challenges and triumphs of the Atlantic crossing, culminating in the statue's arrival twenty-seven days later. Advanced registration is encouraged for this free event but walkups will be accommodated as possible. seaportmuseum.org/isere

A Q&A and reception with complimentary beverages will follow. The Seaport Museum presents this program in partnership with Wind Support and BZH New York (The Association of Bretons in New York).

About the Author

Dr. Christophe Cérino is a research engineer and professor of maritime history at the University of Southern Brittany (Lorient). He is a researcher at the "Temps, Mondes, Sociétés" laboratory (UMR CNRS TEMOS), and he is General Secretary of the Histoire & Sciences de la mer. Dr Cerino is also deputy director of the scientific interest group "Military heritages" and a member of the scientific council of the research group "Oceans and seas" (CNRS). His work focuses on the relationship between the State and coastal societies, and on the traces left in ports, along coastlines and on continental shelves, maritime policies since the 17th century. He is President and founder of the Musée Sous-Marin du Pays de Lorient, the first museum to be set up at the former Keroman naval base, which presents the submerged remains of the Battle of the Atlantic in Southern Brittany.