The historic ships and maritime artifacts on display at the Hyde Street Pier evoke the era when San Francisco was an active and bustling port, with the sea its most important avenue of trade and transportation. Built as a ferry terminal in the years before construction of the Golden Gate and Bay Bridges, the long wooden pier is now part of the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, which maintains what may be the largest historic fleet afloat. In addition to its six ships-three of which may be boarded and explored-the pier houses a turn-of-the-20C "ark" (a flat-bottomed houseboat that served as a summer retreat on the bay), the 1850s-era office of Tubbs Cordage, several old tug boats and a small boat shop that offers lessons in boat building and restoration. Demonstrations of seafaring skills are occasionally presented. At the corner of Jefferson and Hyde Streets, the visitor center has maps, exhibits and a schedule of the day's events.