The Noble Maritime Collection

The Noble Maritime Collection Welcome friends and fans of John A. Noble and Sailors' Snug Harbor! Noble, and to preserve Robbins Reef Lighthouse and the history of Sailors’ Snug Harbor.

The mission of the Noble Maritime Collection, an art and history museum in Staten Island, New York, is to present exhibitions and programs that celebrate the working waterfront of New York Harbor in the tradition of distinguished artist John A.

John A. Noble called Sailors’ Snug Harbor "a home and a club, a ducal estate, for a distinguished breed of man.” Founded...
06/01/2026

John A. Noble called Sailors’ Snug Harbor "a home and a club, a ducal estate, for a distinguished breed of man.” Founded on this day in June 1801—225 years ago—by the will of Robert Richard Randall, Sailors’ Snug Harbor was a pioneer in the care of the elderly. The Age of Sail spanned centuries, with countless sailors opening up global trade and an exchange of culture. Life at sea was harsh, with boys potentially leaving home as early as seven, often losing family ties, and facing the risk of poverty in old age due to lack of pensions or healthcare. Randall sought to address this in his will, written by the family’s lawyer Alexander Hamilton, by creating Sailors’ Snug Harbor, a retirement home for “aged, decrepit, and worn out seamen.”

This bust is on display in the Treasures of Sailors’ Snug Harbor exhibition and is in the collection of the Trustees of the Sailors' Snug Harbor.

Two days away! Come at 1 PM this Sunday when Peter van Alfen returns to talk about the SS Savannah. National Maritime Da...
05/29/2026

Two days away! Come at 1 PM this Sunday when Peter van Alfen returns to talk about the SS Savannah. National Maritime Day, celebrated each year on May 22 to honor the maritime industry, was originally established by Congress in 1933 to recognize the SS Savannah, the first steamship to cross the Atlantic Ocean. Peter will talk about the early development of steam propulsion in New York Harbor, the significance of the Savannah's groundbreaking 1819 voyage, and why it would be decades before another American steamship made the same crossing. After the talk, participants can join Peter in the Gallery for a discussion of the Noble’s model of the Savannah.

Have you ever wondered how Donna Napoli-Steele creates her cardboard sculptures featured in the museum's exhibition OCEA...
05/27/2026

Have you ever wondered how Donna Napoli-Steele creates her cardboard sculptures featured in the museum's exhibition OCEANUS? In celebration of World Oceans Day, learn how to make upcycled Menhaden fish sculptures with Donna on Sunday, June 7 at 1 PM. In this two hour workshop, you will learn basic cardboard sculpting techniques, make at least one fish, and learn about the importance of Menhaden fish to the ocean ecosystem. If you have any thin cardboard, such as cereal boxes, pasta boxes, or tissue boxes, bring it along! Other cardboard and all other material will be provided.

Attendance is capped at 10 people. There is a $20 fee—$15 for members—for this workshop and registration is required. Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cardboard-sculpting-workshop-tickets-1989426633615

📷: Donna Napoli-Steele creating her upcycled cardboard sculpture of Marlin, featured in OCEANUS; installation shots of Marlin

OCEANUS is open now! The museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, 12 to 5 PM. Pay-what-you-wish.Captain Bill Schuppman d...
05/27/2026

OCEANUS is open now! The museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, 12 to 5 PM. Pay-what-you-wish.

Captain Bill Schuppman draws the ocean's tides in ceramic, with a mariner's hand that has felt them. Donna Napoli-Steele sculpts marine life out of recycled materials, a celebration and a reckoning at once. Michael McWeeney photographs shoreline livelihoods across the Caribbean and New York's own working waterways. These are lives tied to a symbiosis with the sea that climate change now threatens. Sarah Yuster paints the commercial harbors we navigate, from the vantage of a small sailboat inside the shipping lanes.

Father's Day is still a few weeks away — plenty of time to find him something truly special! Sailors' Snug Harbor was bu...
05/24/2026

Father's Day is still a few weeks away — plenty of time to find him something truly special! Sailors' Snug Harbor was built for the care and comfort of men of the sea, and the Noble Shop continues that tradition. Pop in for a great selection of gifts this Father's Day including model ship kits, history books, classic shaving accoutrement, and antique diecast models to add to his collection. Your father will think his ship has come in!

On this day in 1933, National Maritime Day was originally established by Congress to recognize the SS Savannah, the firs...
05/22/2026

On this day in 1933, National Maritime Day was originally established by Congress to recognize the SS Savannah, the first steamship to cross the Atlantic Ocean. On May 31 at 1 PM Peter van Alfen returns to talk about the early development of steam propulsion in New York Harbor, the significance of the Savannah's groundbreaking 1819 voyage, and why it would be decades before another American steamship made the same crossing. After the talk, participants can join Peter in the gallery for a discussion of the museum’s model of the Savannah.

This is a FREE event.

Join us on Sunday, June 14 at 1 PM for Portraits and Poetry, a new workshop hosted by Teresa Caliari. Step into the live...
05/21/2026

Join us on Sunday, June 14 at 1 PM for Portraits and Poetry, a new workshop hosted by Teresa Caliari. Step into the lives of the sailors who once called Sailors' Snug Harbor home. In this hands-on workshop, we'll move through the museum with intention, examining the portraits in the museum and asking what their expressions reveal about them. From there, we'll explore We Who are Weary, an exhibit featuring photographs taken of every sailor who came to reside here. You'll learn the story behind these portraits—who took them, and why—before having your own photo taken in the style of a "Snug." Decorate a frame to make it your own. The afternoon closes the way many a sailor spent a quiet Sunday: with writing. Using provided prompts, you'll craft a short memoir or poem inspired by the faces and stories you've encountered.

There is a $10 fee for this workshop and registration is required. Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/portraits-and-poetry-tickets-1989319249426?aff=oddtdtcreator

This workshop is made possible by a DCLA Art Fund Grant from Staten Island Arts, with public funding from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.

In celebration of World Oceans Day, learn how to make upcycled Menhaden fish sculptures with Donna Napoli-Steele, one of...
05/20/2026

In celebration of World Oceans Day, learn how to make upcycled Menhaden fish sculptures with Donna Napoli-Steele, one of the featured artists in OCEANUS, on Sunday, June 7 at 1 PM. In this two hour workshop, you will learn basic cardboard sculpting techniques, make at least one fish, and learn about the importance of Menhaden fish to the ocean ecosystem. If you have any thin cardboard, such as cereal boxes, pasta boxes, or tissue boxes, bring it along! Other cardboard and all other material will be provided.

Attendance is capped at 10 people. There is a $20 fee for this workshop and registration is required. Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cardboard-sculpting-workshop-tickets-1989426633615?aff=oddtdtcreator

Make a splash for the whole family! The Outer Jib family membership is just $125/year — and right now, through June 30th...
05/19/2026

Make a splash for the whole family! The Outer Jib family membership is just $125/year — and right now, through June 30th, your contribution is matched 2-to-1 through the Diamond Matching Program, meaning your $125 becomes $375 in support of maritime history! Outer Jib members enjoy free admission for 2 adults and 3 kids, guest passes, a 10% museum shop discount, NARM reciprocal museum benefits, a copy of Hulls and Hulks, The Terrible Captain Jack book, member previews, and more. Set sail with us. Join or upgrade today at noblemaritime.org/membership.

This International Day for Women in Maritime we celebrate Eleanor Creesy, the 19th century navigator known for her trave...
05/18/2026

This International Day for Women in Maritime we celebrate Eleanor Creesy, the 19th century navigator known for her travels aboard the clipper ship Flying Cloud. Born in 1814 in Marblehead, Massachusetts, Eleanor Creesy displayed an affinity for seafaring from an early age, and in a time where women were seldom educated, was taught maritime navigation by her step father. Eleanor married Capt. Josiah Creesy in 1841 and defied social norms again, serving alongside him aboard his ship as navigator. Together, they made two record-setting voyages between New York and San Francisco aboard the clipper ship Flying Cloud. The first in 1851 beat the "three month barrier" of the treacherous route around Cape Horn in 91 days, 21 hours. The second in 1854 beat their own record by 13 hours. It was a record that would hold for 135 years.

You can visit a model of the Flying Cloud in our Ship Model Gallery, sailing alongside over sixty models spanning the Age of Sail and beyond.

Address

1000 Richmond Ter, Bldg D
Staten Island, NY
10301

Opening Hours

Wednesday 12pm - 5pm
Thursday 12pm - 5pm
Friday 12pm - 5pm
Saturday 12pm - 5pm
Sunday 12pm - 5pm

Telephone

(718) 447-6490

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