At NS Savannah in Baltimore, you can also see original furnishings, but with a twist. Here, dishes, chairs, and even light fixtures have a Midcentury Modern motif. NS Savannah, the first nuclear-powered merchant ship, was commissioned as part of President Eisenhower’s Atoms for Peace program. From 1962–65, the ship served as a symbol of the peaceful and safe use of nuclear power, traveling to ports around the world and welcoming both passengers and walk-on visitors. Until 1970, it continued to carry cargo.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) has worked to decommission Savannah to enable various potential uses. The ship’s nuclear reactor, inactive since 1970, was removed in 2022. The termination of its nuclear license is anticipated sometime in 2026.
Meanwhile, MARAD has worked to ready the ship for the future, upgrading the HVAC and other systems and restoring public spaces to their midcentury design. The agency is seeking a new home for Savannah, where it will be towed and permanently docked for its next decades of visitation and preservation. For now, the ship is open monthly for tours, as well as on select other dates.
In Cleveland, visitors can tour the 618-foot SS William G. Mather on Lake Erie between May and September. The Mather, which is celebrating its centennial in 2025, was once the state-of-the-art flagship freighter for the Cleveland-Cliffs steel company.
