Foss Waterway Seaport

The Foss Waterway Seaport is a museum in Tacoma, Washington that features exhibits covering the maritime, cultural, commercial, and natural history of the Tacoma area. It is housed in the historic Balfour Dock Building, which was originally a wheat storage warehouse. The building is on the United States National Register of Historic Places.

The museum runs educational programs for all ages, operates a wooden boat shop that preserves traditional boat building techniques, and holds events on shore and on the water. It also has a dock and facilities that can be booked for events.

Foss Waterway Seaport building. 27 April 2023

View of part of an exhibit and the timber structures of the building. 27 April 2023.

Andrew Foss (husband of Thea Foss) skiff. 27 April 2023.

Andrew Foss skiff label.* 27 April 2023.

*Label text:
Andrew Foss Skiff, c. 1912
Andrew Foss built this 12-foot lapstrake skiff. It is one of two of Andrew’s rowboats that survive, and both are in this museum. It was probably built for the Foss rowboat rental fleet, but later became the personal boat for Andrew and Thea’s son, Henry. It was in his boathouse at Day Island when he died.
One of the defining features of this rowboat is the unique breasthooks—the joint which connects the keel to the bow.