Custom House Maritime Museum Newburyport

05/30/2026

Today on Super Cool Saturday: giving artifacts the presentation they deserve

We’re currently updating the display for the Coffin Stream Assemblage. Over many years, one family in West Newbury uncovered this remarkable collection of stone tools while plowing their fields. The oldest items in the collection date back roughly 12,000 years.

Our talented volunteers have been hard at work upgrading the exhibit. Item descriptions are now available on an interactive touchscreen, and another volunteer has been building a custom display case specifically designed for the stone artifacts.

This isn’t the first time we’ve redesigned the Coffin Stream display — in fact, we’ve lost count of how many times we’ve rearranged, edited, moved, added to, and refined the collection over the past couple of years. We’ve always known how significant this assemblage is, and that it deserves to be a focal point in the Gould Gallery.

History museums aren’t static. We’re constantly making changes at the Custom House — whether it’s upgrading a display, reworking a gallery, or creating an entirely new exhibit.

05/29/2026

We're down to the last few tickets for June's First Friday lecture presented by Ryan Cooper - snag yours today!

NEXT IN THE FIRST FRIDAY LECTURE SERIES: Guardians of the Sea:
The Art and Legacy of Ships’ Figureheads presented by figurehead historian Ryan M. Cooper.

5:30 pm - reception | 6:30 pm - lecture
RSVP HERE: https://customhousemaritimemuseum.ticketspice.com/june-2026-first-friday

Join us for an engaging illustrated lecture exploring the artistry, symbolism, and seafaring legacy of historic ships’ figureheads. Maritime historian and author Ryan M. Cooper will guide attendees through the evolution of these carved bow ornaments—from their mythic origins to their role aboard working vessels of the Age of Sail.

Ryan M. Cooper, originally a Monterey, California resident, worked as a graphic artist for McGraw-Hill Publishing. His interest in maritime history and the figureheads that symbolized the great Age of Sail is inspired by the remains of a long lost square rigger that rested on a nearby beach. He brought that interest to the east coast where he resides on Cape Cod. As a collector and dealer in maritime artifacts, he has acted as a consultant to both collectors and museums.

RSVP HERE: https://customhousemaritimemuseum.ticketspice.com/june-2026-first-friday

05/23/2026

Today on Super Cool Saturday: It’s (finally!) that time!

The Custom House will be switching to summer hours starting this Tuesday, May 26th.

Monday: Closed
Tuesday - Saturday: 10 am - 5 pm
Sunday: 12 - pm

Remember - if the museum is open, the Children's Discovery Center is open!

Admission is $8 for adults and free for kids under 12
Suggested donation of $5 for Newburyport residents.

05/20/2026

NEXT IN THE FIRST FRIDAY LECTURE SERIES: Guardians of the Sea:
The Art and Legacy of Ships’ Figureheads presented by figurehead historian Ryan M. Cooper.

5:30 pm - reception | 6:30 pm - lecture
RSVP HERE: https://customhousemaritimemuseum.ticketspice.com/june-2026-first-friday

Join us for an engaging illustrated lecture exploring the artistry, symbolism, and seafaring legacy of historic ships’ figureheads. Maritime historian and author Ryan M. Cooper will guide attendees through the evolution of these carved bow ornaments—from their mythic origins to their role aboard working vessels of the Age of Sail.

Ryan M. Cooper, originally a Monterey, California resident, worked as a graphic artist for McGraw-Hill Publishing. His interest in maritime history and the figureheads that symbolized the great Age of Sail is inspired by the remains of a long lost square rigger that rested on a nearby beach. He brought that interest to the east coast where he resides on Cape Cod. As a collector and dealer in maritime artifacts, he has acted as a consultant to both collectors and museums.

RSVP HERE: https://customhousemaritimemuseum.ticketspice.com/june-2026-first-friday

05/19/2026

05/16/2026

Today on Super Cool Saturday: Sovereign of the Seas

Sovereign of the Seas was one of Donald McKay’s clippers, built in 1852 in his East Boston shipyard. At the time, she was the fastest sailing ship in the word, reaching speeds of 22 knots or 25.5 miles per hour.

Sovereign was also the first sailing ship to travel more than 400 nautical miles in 24 hours. She traveled from Honolulu to New York City in 82 days and then from New York City to Liverpool in 13 days, 13.5 hours - both new records at the time.

Thomas Linsky crafted this exceptional model in the 1970s. A lifelong resident of Gloucester, Massachusetts, he graduated from the Marine Maritime Academy in 1965 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marine Engineering. He spent the majority of his career at sea. Tom began building models while in high school. This model came to the museum in 2024 through Tom’s wife Carol..

05/12/2026

It’s the second week of the Dock to Dish program with The Salvation Army, Newburyport Massachusetts! This week, the kids used paper to make their own fishing dories, complete with little sailors.

The New England fishing dory is an iconic and historically significant boat used in 19th century offshore fisheries. These boats were lightweight, inexpensive and stable enough to handle heavy loads of fish.

Lowell’s Boat Shop in Amesbury is recognized as the birthplace of the New England dory. Today, they’re used for recreational sailing rather than industrial-scale fishing.

05/09/2026

Today on Super Cool Saturday: well that’s cool!

This collection of 19th century whale bone canes is a recent acquisition to the museum’s permanent collection thanks to the incredible generosity of an anonymous donor.

While it’s virtually impossible to trace these canes to specific sailors or vessels, they represent an important and fascinating subset of maritime art. These canes, rafted primarily from whale bone, with accents of whale ivory, baleen, wood, sterling silver, tortoise shell, and pigments made from soot, ink, and to***co, were likely crafted by sailors to pass the time on long journeys around the world.

Canes and other scrimshaw art were very personal and often sentimental. They showcased the sailor’s skills and stories and were often given as gifts to loved ones back home. What started as a way to kill time has turned into a highly-sought after art form today.

The cool fan display (pun very much intended) is thanks to a couple of our amazing volunteers! Stop by this weekend and check it out! The Custom House is open Saturday 10 am - 5 pm and Sunday 12 - 5pm.

05/05/2026

The Custom House is excited to announce our partnership with The Salvation Army, Newburyport Massachusetts for the new Dock to Dish after-school program!

Over the 4 week program, kids will visit the museum to work on creating their own maritime dioramas, complete with a pirate ship, a fishing dory, and a working miniature lighthouse.

Then, the kids will visit different local restaurants around town where they will learn to cook and then sample different dishes.

If you are interested in participating in the program, please reach out to
The Salvation Army, Newburyport directly.