To the Editor:
On Monday, Feb. 9, at approximately 11:30 a.m., the New Jersey Maritime Museum experienced a sudden rupture of a sprinkler pipe, causing substantial damage to all three floors of the building. Fortunately, we were able to quickly relocate rare photographs and historical documents from the impacted areas, but extensive repairs are required to dry out and replace flooring, ceiling and walls throughout the building.
Shipwreck artifacts (some underwater for hundreds of years) were no worse for the freshwater bath.
February 20, 2026
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