Enfilade

From the press release (2 February 2026) for the exhibition . . .

Seeking Profit and Power: Philadelphia, China Trade, and the Making of America

Independence Seaport Museum, Philadelphia, 20 March — 3 January 2028

Curated by Susan Gail Johnson and Brett Palfreyman

Eager to prove itself worthy of trading on the world stage as a newly formed nation 250 years ago, America—and especially Philadelphians—embarked on the risky venture of trading with China by entrusting private citizens with the work of establishing trade and diplomatic relationships with the Chinese. Merchants saw dramatic opportunities to make money, building some of the fortunes that helped expand Philadelphia’s role as a major port and city. To celebrate the country’s 250th anniversary, Independence Seaport Museum presents Seeking Profit and Power: Philadelphia, China Trade, and the Making of America, a new exhibition informed by the latest scholarship and featuring approximately 150 unique, rarely seen objects from its collection ranging from ship logs and cargo manifests to examples of rare Chinese export porcelain, Chinese silks and sample books, to portraits of American and Chinese merchants, some of which will be exhibited for the first time. Additionally, museums and private collections, including George Washington’s Mount Vernon, The Society of The Cincinnati, The Dietrich American Foundation, and Andalusia Historic House and Gardens have also loaned important objects for Seeking Profit and Power. While other institutions can tell different aspects of this story, ISM is uniquely positioned to share it through its mission and location on the Delaware River, where Philadelphia’s China trade vessels launched and their cargo was unloaded.

Bowl Depicting a Ship with American Flag, ca. 1790s, porcelain manufactured for the export market in Jingdezhen, decorated in Canton (Philadelphia: Independence Seaport Museum, acquired through exchange, courtesy of Friends of the Museum, 2023.038).

“This exhibition tells the story of a critical moment in the history of our nation,” said Peter Seibert, president and CEO of Independence Seaport Museum. “When the United States declared its independence from Great Britain, we also separated ourselves from the rules and regulations that governed overseas trade. As we came together as a nation 250 years ago, we also stepped out on the world’s stage for the first time. The ISM team, consisting not only of our curatorial, exhibition and education staff and an exceptional panel of outside scholars, have brought together an amazing assemblage of objects that tell the story of our look to the East as a new global trading power.”

Organized by guest curators Susan Gail Johnson and Brett Palfreyman, Seeking Profit and Power will explore five essential themes. “Making a Nation” focuses on why the United States opened direct trade with China. “Making it Work” illustrates the tremendous technical and logistical feat traveling the route from Philadelphia to China. “Making Money” shows the array of commodities the new nation could trade for sought-after Chinese tea, porcelain, and other goods. “Encountering Each Other” explains how the two cultures learned about one another through the goods that they traded. The final section, “The Old China Trade,” explores the end of the era and the place it still holds in American memory.

“Our goal for the exhibition is to show visitors that a teacup is more than just a teacup—it is an object that tells a story about sailing halfway around the world, America’s taste for luxury goods, and how the nation’s founders imagined that trade with China might help establish the newly independent nation as a player on the world stage,” said Susan Gail Johnson. “We hope visitors will never look at a teacup the same way again.”

The full press release with details about specific objects is available here»