Philadelphia’s Independence Seaport Museum Celebrates America’s Semiquincentennial

‘Seeking Profit and Power’ exhibition takes visitors on an extraordinary voyage through the history of America’s commercial and diplomatic exchange with China.

Teapot made for the Shipley family of Philadelphia, 1750–1770, by unidentified artist in Jingdezhen, China. China porcelain. Courtesy of Independence Seaport Museum

The fascinating exhibition “Seeking Profit and Power: Philadelphia, China Trade and the Making of America” has opened at the Independence Seaport Museum (ISM), situated atmospherically along the Delaware River in Philadelphia. On view through Jan. 3, 2028, the exhibit is one of many public programs taking place across the United States this year in honor of the nation’s 250th anniversary of Independence.

This show spotlights the history of America’s commercial and diplomatic exchange with China, especially the role Philadelphia played. Featuring approximately 150 objects that draw from the ISM’s holdings, museums, and private collections, visitors can navigate this important aspect of early trade while at the location where Philadelphia’s ships departed for China and returned to unload cargo.

The New Silk Road