Information
Landmark: Custom House Maritime MuseumCity: New London
Country: USA Connecticut
Continent: North America
Custom House Maritime Museum, New London, USA Connecticut, North America
Overview
In New London, Connecticut, the Custom House Maritime Museum keeps the city’s seafaring past alive, from weathered ship logs to the gleam of a brass compass.Set inside the old Custom House with its creaking wooden floors, it reveals New London’s long history as a bustling port and its deep ties to the sea over the last two hundred years.Built in 1833, the Custom House once bustled as New London’s federal customs office, where clerks tallied cargo from ships fresh off the harbor.It kept track of goods flowing in and out of the harbor-everything from crates of tea to barrels of fish-showing just how vital the city’s trade was in the 19th century.The architecture blends Greek Revival style with fine classical details, from tall fluted columns to crisp cornices, creating a striking example of federal design from the era.The museum brings New London’s maritime past to life, from the creak of old whaling ships to the craft of shipbuilding, bustling commercial docks, and the city’s proud naval history.The exhibits chart the rise of maritime trade, the daily grind of sailors hauling ropes on deck, and the innovations that steered ships and commerce into new eras.At the museum, you can wander past gleaming brass compasses, intricate ship models, weathered logbooks, and vivid maritime paintings, each piece telling its own story.Interactive displays bring the city’s story to life, from the salt-stained decks of its whaling days to the bustle of the fishing docks and the pride of its naval fleet.Visitors can wander through exhibits showing how ships were built, glimpse the daily grind of sailors, and see how the port once filled New London’s streets with the smell of salt and fresh cargo.You can join a guided tour, where the guide brings the exhibits to life with rich explanations, vivid tales of the city’s famous ships, and the salty legends of the sailors who knew them.The museum offers hands-on programs for students and local groups, diving into maritime history, naval architecture, and oceanography-sometimes even letting visitors handle a real ship’s compass.Special workshops and lectures let you dive in and learn by doing-shaping tiny wooden ships, working rope into sturdy knots, and plotting a course like a seasoned navigator.At the Custom House Maritime Museum, you might catch a temporary exhibition, watch a sailor’s knot-tying reenactment, listen to a lively lecture, or join in hands-on maritime fun for the whole family.Seasonal programs might take you on a guided stroll by the salty waterfront, draw you into lively storytelling, and pull you into hands-on demonstrations that bring New London’s seafaring past to life.You’ll find the Custom House Maritime Museum at 150 Bank Street in New London, CT, open most Tuesdays through Sundays, though times shift with the seasons.Admission’s modest for adults, discounted for kids, and free for select groups or events.Inside, beneath the creak of old wooden floors, you can explore the city’s maritime past through historic architecture, vivid collections, and hands-on exhibits that draw in visitors of every age.
