Tour of the LILAC
Tour the LILAC
- July 18 & 25
- 11 AM to 12:30 PM ET
- In-Person
- FREE for Insiders
Led by Museum Director Mary Habstritt and Operations Chief Luke Gayford, tour America’s oldest and most intact lighthouse tender, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter LILAC and see the most recent art installation on board, 88 LILAC by Aaron Asis and Justin Rivers.
- Go aboard the only lighthouse tender in the country open to the public
- See the rare triple-expansion steam engines
- Be the first guests to visit the LILAC since October 2019
- See and learn about 88 LILAC, the wheat pasted art mural and audio installation by Aaron Asis and Justin Rivers
- After the tour, feel free to observe or engage with the volunteers working on restoring the LILAC


About this Event:
Led by Museum Director Mary Habstritt and Operations Chief Luke Gayford, tour America’s oldest and most intact lighthouse tender, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter LILAC. Hear how the ship was modified over her 40-year career to make her the last reciprocating steam powered ship in the Coast Guard fleet, how she has been re-purposed since, and how we are making sure that she steams into the future. Learn about the job of tending aids to navigation and how that system keeps maritime commerce flowing. See the ship’s rare in situ steam engines. Hear the stories we have collected from her crews about what it was like to live and work on board. BIO
How do I sign up for this event?
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How many tickets can I reserve?
If you are an Insider level member ($15/month), you can reserve 1 ticket to this event. Explorer level members ($25/month) can reserve 2 tickets. If you are a Virtual level member but would like to attend, it’s easy to upgrade your account here!
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- Tour is rain or shine
- There are stairs to go down between levels of the ship