While most San Pedro locals may be familiar with the Los Angeles Maritime Museum through its displays and historic location — inside the town’s original Ferry Building at Harbor Boulevard at the foot of Sixth Street — the museum also maintains a library and archive collection.
It’s always open year-round, but by appointment.
But now, the public can get a preview of what the museum has “behind-the-scenes” during open house events.
A 1908 vintage panoramic photograph of San Pedro harbor by W.D. Lambert is on display as the Los Angeles Maritime Museum opens up its archives to the public for the first time with photos, documents, port history files for browsing on Saturday January 10, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
The Los Angeles Maritime Museum opens up its archives to the public for the first time with photos, documents, port history files for browsing on Saturday January 10, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
The Los Angeles Maritime Museum opens up its archives to the public for the first time with photos, documents, port history files for browsing on Saturday January 10, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
The Los Angeles Maritime Museum opens up its archives to the public for the first time with photos, documents, port history files for browsing on Saturday January 10, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
The Los Angeles Maritime Museum opens up its archives to the public for the first time with photos, documents, port history files for browsing on Saturday January 10, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
The Los Angeles Maritime Museum opens up its archives to the public for the first time with photos, documents, port history files for browsing on Saturday January 10, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Derek Spinei, an archivist with the Los Angeles Maritime Museum, guides visitors as the museum opens up its archives to the public for the first time with photos, documents, port history files for browsing on Saturday January 10, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
The Los Angeles Maritime Museum opens up its archives to the public for the first time with photos, documents, port history files for browsing on Saturday January 10, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
The Los Angeles Maritime Museum opens up its archives to the public for the first time with photos, documents, port history files for browsing on Saturday January 10, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
The Los Angeles Maritime Museum opens up its archives to the public for the first time with photos, documents, port history files for browsing on Saturday January 10, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Derek Spinei, an archivist with the Los Angeles Maritime Museum, guides visitors as the museum opens up its archives to the public for the first time with photos, documents, port history files for browsing on Saturday January 10, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Derek Spinei, middle, an archivist with the Los Angeles Maritime Museum, talks to visitors Dennis and Heather Hagen-Smith as the museum opens up its archives to the public for the first time with photos, documents, port history files for browsing on Saturday January 10, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Jamie Marie Bulaich is joined by her mom Bernadette Padovan as she looks for information about her great-grandfather Luigi “Nonno” Luce, a stone mason from Italy who worked on the Empire State Building before becoming a fisherman in San Pedro, as the Los Angeles Maritime Museum opens up its archives to the public for the first time with photos, documents, port history files for browsing on Saturday January 10, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Derek Spinei, an archivist with the Los Angeles Maritime Museum, guides visitors as the museum opens up its archives to the public for the first time with photos, documents, port history files for browsing on Saturday January 10, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
A 1908 vintage panoramic photograph of San Pedro harbor by W.D. Lambert is on display as the Los Angeles Maritime Museum opens up its archives to the public for the first time with photos, documents, port history files for browsing on Saturday January 10, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
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A 1908 vintage panoramic photograph of San Pedro harbor by W.D. Lambert is on display as the Los Angeles Maritime Museum opens up its archives to the public for the first time with photos, documents, port history files for browsing on Saturday January 10, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
The museum welcomed the public to come check out the collection on Saturday, Jan. 10, in what is planned as a first open house of the archives, which include photographs, books and other memorabilia documenting the history of the Port of Los Angeles.
The collection offers historic information about shipbuilding, fishing, canning, and all of the major changes that have been made to the Port of L.A.’s infrastructure though original documents, old news articles, books and other materials.
Saturday’s public open house was offered to provide more visibility to the museum’s collection.
Another open house is scheduled for Feb. 21 — and the museum is hoping to offer the events several times a year.
The open houses are sponsored by the Friends of the L.A. Maritime Museum, the Department of Recreation and Parks, and the Port of Los Angeles Community Investment Grant Program.
The museum is at Berth 84, but those using GPS should enter the address as 600 Sampson Way.
Current ongoing exhibits include those exploring the fishing industry, “Life at Sea,” commercial diving, Japanese American history at the port, the canneries, the old ferry service and commercial diving.
Beginning this spring, work to install a new exhibit — “Waves of Change” — will begin, telling the story of L.A.’s port. Included will be an interactive timeline tracing the history of the port – from the indigenous societies to current events. It will also include rare artifacts, photos and interactive touch screens bringing the story to the present day.
