Essex Historical Society & Shipbuilding Museum

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Essex Historical Society & Shipbuilding Museum We're OPEN for the 2026 Season. Wed - Sun 11a-5p.

Visit our website to pre-purchase your admission ticket or view our calendar of events, classes, speaker engagements and workshops.

🏴‍☠️ A pirate walks into a shipyard...And apparently starts a comedy career. 😂A little throwback to last year's Pirate P...
10/17/2026

🏴‍☠️ A pirate walks into a shipyard...

And apparently starts a comedy career. 😂

A little throwback to last year's Pirate Party, when our dear friend Posie treated us to some completely unexpected, absolutely hilarious pirate stand-up comedy.

Did we plan for pirate comedy? No.

Were we delighted? Absolutely.

That's the magic of a good Pirate Party. You never quite know what's going to happen when you get a bunch of scallywags together at a historic shipyard!
Join us for this year's Pirate Party!

☠️ Saturday, October 24 | 6–9 PM
⚓ Essex Shipbuilding Museum | 66 Main Street, Essex
🍹 Open bar, great food, fire pits, and plenty of pirate mischief!

Costumes encouraged. Shenanigans practically guaranteed.

🎟️ Tickets: https://f.mtr.cool/792083fdgt

We are absolutely THRILLED to announce that the Essex Historical Society & Shipbuilding Museum has been named the 2026 S...
10/16/2026

We are absolutely THRILLED to announce that the Essex Historical Society & Shipbuilding Museum has been named the 2026 STORYTELLER AWARD WINNER by the North of Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau!

For more than 350 years, Essex has been telling its story in wood.

More than 4,000 vessels were built along our little river. Generations of shipwrights, fishermen, families, and craftspeople shaped this community and sent their work out into the world.

And the best part? The story isn’t over.

Boats are still being built. Children are learning to use traditional tools. Our historic shipyard is alive with the sounds of work, laughter, and discovery. And every day, we’re finding new ways to share this extraordinary place with the world.

We’re a little museum with a BIG story, and we are working hard to make sure it keeps being told.

This award belongs to our incredible staff, volunteers, shipbuilders, supporters, and the entire Essex community. You are the people who keep this history alive, and we couldn’t be prouder to share this recognition with you.

A HUGE thank you to everyone who voted for us, to North of Boston for this wonderful honor, and to everyone who believes in what we’re building here.

We’ll officially celebrate at the Destination Excellence Tourism Awards on November 18, but we couldn’t wait to share the news!

ESSEX, WE DID IT! ❤️⚓

MaritimeHeritage PreservationThroughAction

10/13/2026

🏴‍☠️ Pirate Party preparations are going swimmingly...
Join us Saturday, October 24 from 6–9 PM for a night of pirate shenanigans in the Story Shipyard, with an open bar, bountiful bites, fire pits, costumes, and special guests from Privateer Rum.
Tickets are $100 and support the Essex Historical Society & Shipbuilding Museum.
Grab your crew and get your tickets: essexshipbuilding.org/tickets

PIRATE PARTY! 🏴‍☠️One fall night. A historic shipyard. Fire pits, an open bar, great food, costumes, games, and just the...
10/11/2026

PIRATE PARTY! 🏴‍☠️

One fall night. A historic shipyard. Fire pits, an open bar, great food, costumes, games, and just the right amount of trouble.

On October 24, we're throwing a Pirate Party in the Story Shipyard, with Privateer Rum joining the crew.

This is not your average museum fundraiser. Come dressed up, bring your favorite people, grab a drink, warm up by the fire, and spend a night playing in the shipyard with us.

It’s going to be a really, really fun night... and every ticket supports the Essex Shipbuilding Museum.

🏴‍☠️ Saturday, October 24 at 6 PM
⚓ Tickets $100 | Open bar + food
🔥 Costumes strongly encouraged

Get your crew together. We’ll see you in the shipyard.

10/09/2026

🎨🎶 DON’T MISS THE ESSEX ARTS & CULTURE FEST TOMORROW!

Saturday, October 10 | 11 AM–6 PM | FREE!

Bring the whole family down to the historic Story Shipyard for a day celebrating the arts, culture, and community of the Essex River Cultural District!

🍎 Build an apple boat and race it in the Apple Armada!

🎶 Jam out to live music!

🎨 Explore local art and meet the artists!

🍔 Eat, drink, wander, and enjoy a beautiful fall day in the shipyard!

There's something pretty special about getting the whole community together in a place like this. Come spend the day with us!

📍 66 Main Street, Essex, MA

FREE and open to everyone! Bring your friends, bring your family, and we'll see you TOMORROW! ❤️

🏴‍☠️ FOUND FRIDAY: Pirates in Essex?Apparently so.This week’s find comes from History of Essex, where an account on page...
10/09/2026

🏴‍☠️ FOUND FRIDAY: Pirates in Essex?
Apparently so.
This week’s find comes from History of Essex, where an account on pages 133–134 tells of a Chebacco fishing boat captured by pirates.
News of the capture reached Essex on a Sunday morning, where Rev. John Wise reportedly prayed for the neighbors and friends who had fallen into the pirates’ hands. His prayer took a rather dramatic turn:
“Great God, if there is no other way, may they rise and butcher their enemies.”

And, according to the account, that is pretty much what happened. The captured men rose against the pirates, killed them, and made it safely home.
We spend a lot of time in our archives looking for ships, shipbuilders, and Essex families. Every once in a while, you find pirates.
Source: History of Essex, pp. 133–134.
And yes... the timing is awfully convenient with the Pirate Party coming up October 24. 🏴‍☠️

🏴‍☠️ THIS is the Pirate Party.Fire pits. Costumes. Open bar. Bountiful bites. A historic shipyard after dark. And a whol...
10/08/2026

🏴‍☠️ THIS is the Pirate Party.
Fire pits. Costumes. Open bar. Bountiful bites. A historic shipyard after dark. And a whole lot of people who fully committed to the assignment.
This year, we’re doing it again... with special guests from Privateer Rum joining the crew.
Saturday, October 24 | 6–9 PM
Story Shipyard | 66 Main Street, Essex
🎟️ $100 | Open bar + food
🏴‍☠️ Costumes strongly encouraged
There are only so many nights a year you get to dress like a pirate, drink rum around a fire, and party in a historic shipyard. This is one of them.
Get your tickets at essexshipbuilding.org/tickets

10/07/2026

🏴‍☠️ 17 DAYS UNTIL THE PIRATES TAKE OVER THE SHIPYARD.
One night in the historic Story Shipyard. Fire pits, costumes, an open bar, bountiful bites, games, and special guests from Privateer Rum.
And apparently an Executive Director who takes event promotion very seriously.
PIRATE PARTY
Saturday, October 24 | 6–9 PM
$100 | Open Bar + Bountiful Bites
Costumes strongly encouraged.
Get your crew together and get your tickets at essexshipbuilding.org/tickets
This is going to be a really, really fun night. 🏴‍☠️

This is what the shipyard looks like after dark. 🏴‍☠️Now add fire pits, pirates, an open bar, bountiful bites, games, mu...
10/06/2026

This is what the shipyard looks like after dark. 🏴‍☠️
Now add fire pits, pirates, an open bar, bountiful bites, games, music, and special guests from Privateer Rum...
Our Pirate Party takes over the Story Shipyard Saturday, October 24 from 6–9 PM.
Tickets are $100 and include food and an open bar. Costumes are strongly encouraged. Shenanigans are almost guaranteed.
Grab your crew. This is going to be a really, really fun night.
🏴‍☠️ PIRATE PARTY
Saturday, October 24 | 6–9 PM
Story Shipyard | 66 Main Street, Essex
$100 | Open Bar + Bountiful Bites

🏴‍☠️ PIRATE PARTY! 🏴‍☠️And we bet you didn’t know our Executive Director also dances on stilts...Join us in the historic...
10/05/2026

🏴‍☠️ PIRATE PARTY! 🏴‍☠️
And we bet you didn’t know our Executive Director also dances on stilts...
Join us in the historic Story Shipyard for a night of pirates, fire pits, costumes, games, good food, and just the right amount of trouble, with special guests from Privateer Rum!
Saturday, October 24 | 6–9 PM
⚓ $100 per ticket
🍹 Open bar
🍴 Bountiful bites
🏴‍☠️ Costumes strongly encouraged
Grab your crew and come play in the shipyard with us. Every ticket supports the Essex Historical Society & Shipbuilding Museum and the work happening here all year long.
Get your tickets before they sail away!

Address

66 Main Street
Essex, MA
01929

Opening Hours

Wednesday 11am - 5pm
Thursday 11am - 5pm
Friday 11am - 5pm
Saturday 11am - 5pm
Sunday 11am - 5pm

Telephone

(978) 768-7541

Website

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