Steamboat Arabia Museum

If you are interested in American history or the lifestyle of our pioneers you simply cannot pass this museum.

The Steamboat Arabia is the largest collection of pioneer artifacts in the US and it keeps growing. A priceless collection of china, clothing, kitchen items, tools, harnesses, and even sewing needles and buttons.

Two business owners and their sons became interested in treasure hunting in the 1980's after hearing stories of steamboats that wrecked in the Missouri River and had never been found. Over the course of 132 years all traces of salaving attempts were covered by layers of mud.

Because of the magnitude and quality of this project, as a labor of love those working at this museum have become the worlds premiere experts at fresh water artifact preservation restoration in the world. With a lab in-house, visitors can watch experts in the process of continuing to restore and preserve the hundreds of thousands of small and large pieces.

Often on weekends the two founders frequently are present at the museum greeting visitors and answering questions. I met Jerry and his perspective was absolutely captivating.

They have since set up a foundation so the collection could never be separated or sold and now it will be preserved for future generations.

This is one of the most fascinating history museums I have ever been to.

Eventhough the rates are and appear expensive at first sight, this is justified by the fact that this museum received no public support and act entirely as a self-sufficient non-profitable organisation. This said, the story of this group of treasure hunters already makes the visits a wonder especially if any of them appear in person at the museum whom finally were so moved by the quantity of element found while digging that they decided it would be a curse to not share it with the population... moving from normal blue collar citizens into restauration of 100yo relicts without any public support. The quantity and quality of the freight digged out is simply amazing. It brings you a look of the day-to-day stuff used by the population in mid-19th Century... how often do you find 1850 cases of pickles pot or french perfume flask just as they would have looked in a 19th Century General Store... and none are reconstitutions!