In celebration of its 150 years in service, Holland America Line is sharing its most treasured memorabilia, and it’s all now on display in New York’s historic Ellis Island. The partnership with The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation allowed the line to visualize its journey from immigrant carrier to the current ocean liner fleet, where your clients can browse through one of our nation’s most impactful times. Holland America Line was, in fact, responsible for bringing one in 10 immigrants over from Europe to the United States to the tune of nearly 2 million people.
Holland America Line Exhibit Open Through May 2023
Clients have the opportunity to view the exhibit through early May of this year. The museum exhibits include passenger manifests (including such famous names as Max Beckmann, Frank Oz and Albert Einstein), historical photos, past ship information, classic Holland America Line posters and Dutch-themed memorabilia. The photos include a selection taken by Augustus Sherman, the Ellis Island clerk who snapped some 200 pics of immigrants coming through the island.
Ship models of the historic vessels Rotterdam I, Rotterdam II and Rotterdam III—made by Rotterdam VII’s Captain Werner Timmers—are part of the exhibit. The story behind these is when he realized models of these ships didn’t exist, he took it upon himself to make them, using scrap wood, toothpicks, chopsticks and other materials he found on board. They were presented to Stephen Lean, director of The American Family Immigration History Center and The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation at Holland America Line’s 150th Anniversary Event in New York City aboard Rotterdam on Oct. 15, 2022.
For more information, visit hollandamerica.com.
