Custom House Maritime Museum Newburyport

06/20/2026

Today on Super Cool Saturday: We're live!

New exhibits Ink, Iron, and Independence: A Port City at War and The Era of the Clipper Ships are now open to the public. The exhibits feature a few rare, never before seen items - some that will only be on display for a short time.

Also on now in the Community Gallery: You Belong to These Waters - a collection of photographs of the Merrimack River presented by photographer Steve Uzzell, Lon Hachmeister, and Shari and Morgan Melto.

Stop by the museum this weekend - we're open Saturday 10-5 and Sunday 12-5, free of charge for Newburyport residents.

06/17/2026

History comes alive on Newburyport’s waterfront this summer.

Join the members and friends of the Custom House Maritime Museum Newburyport on Thursday, June 18 at 6 PM for the Summer Grand Opening Reception, sponsored by Newburyport Bank.

Be among the first to experience Ink, Iron & Independence: A Port City at War, a major new exhibition featuring extraordinary Revolutionary-era artifacts, including a rare 1820s patriotic textile of the Declaration of Independence, an 1833 printed copy of the Declaration, a portrait of George Washington by Jane Stuart, and a 1776 map of Ipswich Bay. Guests will also have the opportunity to welcome the Museum’s Intern Class of 2026 and explore newly enhanced exhibitions throughout the museum.

This special evening is reserved for members and friends of the museum.

Register today and celebrate a summer of history, art, and community on the Newburyport waterfront: https://customhousemaritimemuseum.ticketspice.com/summer-grand-opening-members-only

06/13/2026

Today on Super Cool Saturday: Newburyport and the Spanish-American War

Company A of the Eight Massachusetts Regiment, led by Captain William Pew, Jr., departed from Newburyport on May 12, 1898. They were on their way to Camp Thomas in Chickamauga, Georgia for training.

Thousands of people lined the streets for their departure. Mayor George H. Plummer escorted the company up State Street to the train station as church bells rang and factory whistles blew.

None of the companies in the Eighth Massachusetts Regiment saw active combat in the Spanish-American War. The regiment did set sail for Cuba on January 7, 1899 after the war ended with the signing of the Treaty of Paris in December 1898.

The Eighth Massachusetts Regiment would spend three months stationed in Matanzas, Cuba serving in a peace-keeping capacity. Company A left Cuba on April 4, 1899 for Boston and were mustered out of federal service on April 28th.

06/06/2026

Today on Super Cool Saturday: We got it!! 🎉🎉

We are thrilled to announce the Custom House has received a three year, $150,000 grant from Cummings Foundation!

The annual grant program supports Massachusetts nonprofits that are based in and primarily serve Middlesex, Essex, and Suffolk counties, as well as Brookline, Dedham, Milton, Needham, Quincy, and Wellesley.

Through this place-based initiative, Cummings Foundation reinvests in the areas where it owns commercial real estate. Its buildings are all managed at no cost to the Foundation by its affiliate, Cummings Properties, a Woburn-based commercial developer that leases and manages 11 million square feet of debt-free space. All rental profits support the Foundation.

Since its founding, Cummings Foundation has awarded more than $650 million to Greater Boston nonprofits. The complete list of this year’s grant recipients, along with additional information about the Foundation and its grant programs, is available at CummingsFoundation.org.

A huge thank you to Cummings Foundation for this honor!

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