New Jersey Online Museum

Shipwreck Museum Exhibits
The purpose of this page is to educate and advise on the rescue and preservation of artifacts and to share these recoveries with fellow wreck divers, historians and collectors. These recoveries reflect years of research, preservation and hundreds of dives. Enjoy these exciting and beautiful preservations of history.

Currently, We have displays of recoveries at three museums in South Jersey which depict and promote wreck diving history.  
BAYSHORE MUSEUM, BIVALVE, N.J. (Opened July 2020)
CAPE MAY COUNTY MUSEUM, CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE, N.J. (Third season)
NEW JERSEY MARITIME MUSEUM, BEACH HAVEN, N.J. (Continuous)
Each is unique and offers reflection on the Atlantic coasts fantastic wreck diving culture. 


Currently on display in the Museum Of Cape May County, N.J.
 Currently on display at the Bayshore Center.  https://www.bayshorecenter.org/
Please support these museums during the Corona Virus pandemic.


     Click Here : Check out the SNJ news story on this display.







SHIPWRECKS OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC 









                                   Click Here for  Shipwrecks of the North Atlantic




Previously on display in Atlantic City Aquarium  1995
Bridge Telegraph from Varanger
Helm from Silas Papoose

Taking apart and restoring telegraph


25 feet of brass chain


helm being restored
















1979 Philadelphia Bulletin


Maritime Museum of New Jersey Maritime Museum Information
New Jersey Maritime Museum Exhibit of United Fruit Ships lost off Atlantic City.

Display of New Jersey Maritime Museum Exhibit  2012
The S.S.Almirante, S.S. San Jose and the S.S. Miraflores



Currently on display at New Jersey Maritime Museum Exhibit in L.B.I. New Jersey
Top row are deck prisms. Row two is locks, clay pipes and spikes. 
Bottom row are deadeyes, rigging and blocks recovered from New Jersey shipwrecks.










Past Museum displays include Trenton State Museum, Ocean City Museum, Atlantic City Aquarium, Tuckerton Museum and Philadelphia Franklin Institute, 

Atlantic Diver's first museum display Trenton State Museum 1979

Vizcaya











What Lies Beneath Story
Identification of Shipwreck Artifacts
  
This is a shipwreck identification pictorial and description of unique shipwreck discoveries.  Many times an unusual artifact is recovered with no determination of it's purpose or use.  This section may help.   Some typical finds have been left out such as portholes, dead eyes, bottles etc... and other sections will be devoted to their identification and type.
If you have something unusual to share please email Atlantic Divers with a picture.


Compasses, stands and binnacles

brass work light with wooden handle

compensation ball and bracket for compass

brass binnacle from Varanger

compass in box



small compass with dome glass




boxed compass

gyro compass repeater stand

compass in mahogany binnacle stand

with cover and lantern complete

deviation box with magnets

compass azimuth






Small oddities 
lead sealed pickle lid - cargo
condenser relief

cherub taft rail log indicator- navigation instrument

copper spikes and nails with copper sheathing- ship hardware

Homestead sewing machine threader- cargo

faucet- fuel tape measure- silver serving spoon in clump of coal
perfume lid- San Saba

carbon rods, jelly jars, coffee mug, shot gun shells,  22 bullets- San Saba

spoons San Saba


bone toothbrush


pipe with brass cover
doll heads

Black Bertha doll head - cargo

chronometer

grinding wheels

brass double pulley


brass hand made bilge or draft marks
thermometer for boiler relief

manual bilge pump


wooden binnacle base

fuel tape measure


fuel instruction plaque (vice versa) and directions explaining how to discharge oil overboard.
This helps with dating the wreck as this is no longer legal. 

wooden life ring holder (upside down)
brass lock with seal


Guns, projectiles and cannons...



gun sight


projectile timer
bronze signal cannon



shot for small arms


hedge hog ( do not recover )





Helms and Telegraphs
















Hasties factory




telegraph base

Lanterns and Lights



turtle light
cage lights

cage light lowell

goose neck cage light

cage light

goose neck cage light

cage lights oceanic

over head light

overhead light base

over head light interior


desk lamp

compass lantern






search light 36"


perko mast light

360 degree mast light

 mast light


copper running light



copper mast head 360 light

brass mast light

fishing mast head light

28" starboard running light

perko 24 " all round tow light
.For help to properly preserve artifacts, click here.

Note: All shipwreck artifacts are legally rescued and restored by Atlantic Divers.
 Please check with current laws prior to recovery of any shipwreck artifacts.