Welcome to the Custom House Maritime Museum

Discover the abundant and interesting maritime heritage of Newburyport, MA (the eastern seacoast’s first major commercial port) and the Merrimack River Valley. See our unique collection of maritime art, model clipper ships, displays of famous shipwrecks, the history of the Coast Guard, and more.

We are kicking off 2019 by offering free admission to all Newburyport residents who subscribe to our email list!

Current and Upcoming Events & Exhibits

April First Friday Social: United States Coast Guard Surfmen
April 5 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Members of the Custom House Maritime Museum and their guests are cordially invited to our First Friday Social featuring the United States Coast Guard Surfmen. Surfmen are the elite small boat operators of the U.S. Coast Guard with roots spanning back to the hardy lifesavers of the mid-19th century. Hear firsthand from two Surfmen charged with protecting the mariners of the Merrimack River.
“Citizen Soldier” Exhibit
July 28, 2018 @ 10:00 am - June 30, 2019 @ 4:00 pm
“The exhibition focuses specifically on items in our collection,” says curator Kevin MacDonald. “It’s an eclectic mix of uniforms, equipment, and souvenirs that help tell the stories of local-area men and women who served their country during the Second Great War, and returned as victorious citizens to their home towns.”

Hours

January through April

Saturdays: 10am to 4pm
Sundays: 12pm to 4pm
Holiday Mondays: 12pm to 4pm

May through December

Tuesday – Saturday: 10am to 4pm
Sundays: 12pm to 4pm
Holiday Mondays: 12pm to 4pm

Location

25 Water Street, Newburyport, MA 01950

Admission

Adults:
$7.00

Seniors & Students:
$5.00

Active Military & Children under 6:
FREE

"A gem of a maritime museum… The exhibits are superbly done in a way that draws visitors into the display to seek more information."

James Shuttleworth
The Los Angeles Maritime Museum
Associated with the San Francisco Maritime Museum

Did You Know...

The Dreadnaught is the most famous and fastest clipper ship built in Newburyport. How fast?

With optimal conditions she'd reach 300-315 miles a day. On a bad day she traveled at least 133. When Captain Samuel Samuels skippered the Dreadnaught, she beat steamers across the Atlantic. In February of 1859, she crossed 3,018 miles of ocean in 13 days and 8 hours.
Early clipper ships literally helped build Newburyport, brick by brick.

Clipper ships from Scotland used bricks for ballast. When they arrived in Newburyport, the bricks were unloaded and used in construction. Local granite was loaded onto the ships for the return trip to Scotland.
Everyone knows the Boston Tea Party story. Newburyport lit up the skies with its own Tea Party.

When the British Parliament in 1773 imposed a tax on tea imported into the American colonies the act was widely resented. In indignation tea was brought by the people to market square and burned. To commemorate the incident this tablet was erected in Newburyport's Market Square in 1910.
How did "square-rigger" become a real estate term?

Some captains of three-masted, square-rigged ships returned to Newburyport and built square, three-storied homes. These federalist mansions are also known as "square-riggers."
In 1790, the Revenue Cutter Service was created to ensure collection of import tariffs and commissioned the building of 10 vessels. What was the largest ship?

In 1791, the 55-foot Massachusetts was built in Newburyport. It patrolled the coast for smugglers and escorted merchant ships to the Custom House. The Revenue Cutter Service was one of five federal services that now comprise the U.S. Coast Guard. That's why Newburyport is the official birthplace of the Coast Guard.