Harbor History Museum’s Maritime Gallery

Owner: Harbor History Museum

Size: 3,500  sq. ft.

Design Professionals: Boe Architects, AHBL

Location: Gig Harbor, WA

Building Type: Metal Building, Renovation

Mountain Construction is proud to announce the successful completion of the Maritime Gallery at the Harbor History Museum—a 3,500 sq ft commercial remodel designed to protect and showcase the museum’s most iconic artifact: Shenandoah, a 65-foot wooden purse seiner built in 1925.

In close partnership with Boe Architects, AHBL, and the Harbor History Museum, we transformed a previously open-air structure into a fully enclosed, climate-controlled exhibition space. Our scope included constructing insulated walls, installing energy-efficient windows, and integrating key accessibility features—all while carefully working around Shenandoah, which remained anchored in place throughout construction.

The project was guided by two primary goals:

• Improve accessibility – We replaced steep, aging stairs with a wheelchair lift, built a deck level with the vessel, and added a ramp, allowing visitors of all abilities to step aboard and experience both original and restored features up close.
• Protect and preserve – Enclosing the space with walls and windows helps shield Shenandoah and the museum’s growing maritime collection—including canoes, sailboats, and other artifacts—from the elements year-round.

Construction began in July 2023 and wrapped in February 2024, aligning with the final phase of Shenandoah’s restoration—a volunteer-led effort more than two decades in the making. The enclosure and restoration were completed just in time to honor a major milestone: the 100th anniversary of Shenandoah’s 1925 launch.

On April 26, 2025, the Harbor History Museum hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony and community celebration to mark the grand opening of the new Maritime Gallery. The event unveiled Shenandoah as a fully restored teaching vessel and the centerpiece of this thoughtfully designed space.

“This project had so many moving parts,” shared Mountain Construction Project Manager and Vice President Mike Mayer. “I’m most proud of the finished details and how all the work came together. Our team delivered a beautiful, museum-quality space and a high level of craftsmanship—and it shows.”

We’re proud to have helped preserve Shenandoah and support the Harbor History Museum in creating a space where maritime history can be experienced for generations to come.