PHMCThe Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) is the state agency that stewards the U.S. Brig Niagara and Erie Maritime Museum. The PHMC is responsible for the collect... was caught illegally hiring Canadians to sail as Niagara crew on a recent trip to shipyard raising concerns over PHMC’s actions.

It’s well into February and PHMC has only managed to install 1/4 of Niagara’s winter cover after dragging their heels to prepare. The community has noticed…

Concerns grow over the future of PHMC’s stewardship of Niagara as they outsource her crew to a Canadian company.

PHMC’s delays over Niagara’s care now have very real consequences as PHMC announces that Niagara will not attend Tall Ships Erie 2025.

PHMC says that we should trust them. Let’s take a look at PHMC’s broken promises to see if they can be trusted.

Former Niagara deckhand Hank describes how sailing on Niagara transformed his life and was a catalyst for a career change.

PHMC has yet to publicly post the position for Niagara’s Captain, but they claim the search is ongoing. How could this be and how open is it?

PHMC’s meddling throws Erie’s volunteer ship crew into stormy waters, disrupting a vibrant community built on love for the Brig Niagara. Despite bureaucratic buffeting, they refuse to abandon ship. Smooth sailing? Not with PHMC at the helm.

US Brig Niagara is now considered inactive by the US Coast Guard. PHMC claims that is normal and good news, but is that true?

Seventeen-year-old deckhand Frankie Tracey discovered his passion for tall ships, leading him to the US Brig Niagara.

Despite the ship’s operational cessation, the resilient spirit of the Niagara lives on through its crew & community, and Frankie now thrives aboard the Schooner Lynx, expressing his gratitude for the community and skills the Niagara instilled in him.

PHMC’s big plans for the U.S. Brig Niagara sound swell, but there’s a tiny snag: they might not even be allowed to set sail! Turns out, navigating maritime regulationsThe US Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) is a compilation of rules and regulations issued by federal agencies, with several sections dedicated to maritime matters. These regulation... requires more than just good intentions. Without a legit 501(c)3, their promises are all at sea. Smooth sailing, eh?

Niagara continues to undergo shipyard repairs at Boothbay. Let’s look at how repairs are progressing given the initial scope of work.

One year ago, the PA Historical & Museum Commission (PHMC) announced that Niagara would not be attending Tall Ships Erie. To compound that disappointment, a May 16 Erie Times-News article reported that PHMC has shifted from promising Niagara’s return for the PA...

The second installment of this trilogy dives deeper into the missteps and ongoing inefficiencies of the PHMC, following their 2010 reprimand by the Auditor General. Spoiler alert: progress is hard to find.

In 2010, the Pennsylvania Auditor General expressed deep concerns over PHMC’s handling of artifacts. If PHMC is lax in their own professional sphere, why should we trust them in maritime affairs? With the operations and maintenance of the U.S. Brig Niagara?