Contribute to the 2025 Annual Fund
The CHMM has multiple galleries, each focused thematically on historical narratives unique to the Custom House and its collection.
250th ANNIVERSARY: Learn About Newburyport’s Role in the American Revolution
On the road to and during the Revolutionary War, Newburyport contributed greatly to the struggle for independence. The town contributed immediately to the war effort, sending men to Concord and Bunker Hill. It staged the ill-fated Quebec Expedition. An abundance of skilled shipwrights, seasoned sailors, savvy merchants, ardent spirit and protected harbor made Newburyport into a hub for privateers thus helping to disrupt enemy shipping and supply lines. It built one of the 1st thirteen frigates for the nascent Continental Navy. Many paid the supreme sacrifice and more were imprisoned.
The Kevin J. MacDonald Endowment Fund
The Kevin J. MacDonald Endowment Fund will support a new, paid internship program at the CHMM. The first scholarships will be awarded in late Spring 2026. Ten students participated in the pilot program in 2025, proving its importance.
The internship is focused on 1) Grades 8 through College, 2) students interested in maritime history, collections research and related exhibition preparation; 3) on-site; students residing in the greater Newburyport area. The internships can take place at any time period throughout the course of a fiscal year and at times that best align with the CHMM’s needs.
The Board is thrilled to announce that in just 6 months we have reached our goal of raising $100,000 to start the Kevin J. MacDonald Endowment Fund. This achievement encourages us to set a new goal of $250,000, all of which will provide stipends for local students annually.
Contributed funds will be invested in a segregated, managed fund. Annually the CHMM Finance Committee determines the appropriate draw on these funds. The CHMM drew down 4% from its Board endowment in 2025. The first drawdown of funds will not be until summer ’26, thus allowing the principal to grow.
The Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act (UPMIFA) protects donor-restricted endowments and provides direction to endowment committees regarding investment and spending from these funds.
Want to Plan Your Event?
Upcoming Events
All events are at the CHMM unless otherwise noted. Please check below for details.
Year-round | Thursday-Saturday: 10-5; Sunday: 12-5
Children's Discovery Center
Did you know kids get into the museum AND the Discovery Center for free?
If you're looking for something to do this winter, stop by the museum for scavenger hunts, crafts, games, puzzles and more!
No need to call ahead - if the museum is open, the Discovery Center is open!
January - April | Programs in Partnership with MOON
CHMM & MOON Revolutionary War Programming
Stay tuned for information on several events and lectures on the Revolutionary War, put on by the Custom House Maritime Museum and the Museum of Old Newbury.
Sponsored by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism.
Friday, January 9th | 5:30 pm - reception, 6:30 pm- lecture
Newburyport Whale Watching and the Plight of Whales
Take a deep dive with naturalist Kristin Daley into the biology, behavior, migration, and communication of whales in our Gulf of Maine backyard. What helps these giants thrive, and what threatens them? Learn about conservation, protection efforts, and stories from the water that bring this ecosystem to life closer to you.
Kristin Daley is a marine naturalist with Newburyport Whale Watch and a traveling ocean educator with The Whalemobile. She has spent nine seasons studying whales primarily in the Gulf of Maine, but also in Hawai‘i and South Africa. Kristin has experience tagging sharks, rehabilitating sea turtles, and is completing her Master’s in Marine Conservation Biology.
January | Community Gallery
New Community Gallery Exhibition: Costal Watercolors by Rob Brun
Friday, February 6th | Time: TBD | St. Paul's Church
Newburyport and the Quebec Expedition
Presented by Luc Nicole-Labrie - Historical Interpretation Coordinator, The National Battlefields Commission of Quebec, Canada.
Lecture will take place at St. Paul's Church in Newburyport.
In partnership with the Museum of Old Newbury. Sponsored by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism.
February | Community Gallery
New Community Gallery Exhibition
In honor of Black History Month, join us for a special unveiling of African tapa cloths and a flag that flew on the Castillian, a known Underground Railroad ship.
Mid March - Evening
Annual Members Meeting
Details forthcoming.
Week of St. Patrick's Day | Special Lecture
John Boyle O'Reilly and the Fenians
Special lecture presented by Custom House director James Russell with a performance by Tom O'Connell.
Details forthcoming.
Saturday, April 11th | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Admiral Richard I. Rybacki Award Ceremony
The Rear Admiral Richard I. Rybacki Award was established by the Rybacki family to honor his public and community service dedication. It is presented annually to a Station Merrimack River crew member who best exemplifies the spirit of respect, honor, and devotion to duty in service to the U.S. Coast Guard and the community they serve.
Mid April | Evening
2nd Annual Boats in Bloom Fundraiser
Stay tuned for more details.
Early June
Introduction of the 2026 Custom House Intern Class
Are you a high school, college, or graduate student and want to intern at the Custom House? Submit an application below.
July - August
Summer Family Saturdays
Free, outdoor and indoor programming for kids returns this summer for the 3rd year in a row! Games, crafts, fun, and more!
Stay tuned for more information on Community Partners.
July - August | Weekly, evenings
Summer Concert Series
Join the Custom House on the back lawn for a series of concerts through July and August. Bring your own lawn chairs or blankets.
In partnership with the Firehouse Center for the Arts.
More details coming soon!
Thursday, September 17th | Time TBD
Seafaring Soiree Gala
The Custom House Maritime Museum's 3rd annual fundraising gala returns in 2026, this time to the Ipswich Country Club.
More information on auction items coming soon.
November | Date and time TBD
Volunteer Recognition Party
Interested in volunteering at the Custom House? Give us a call, stop by the museum, or email us at info@thechmm.org
Early December | Evening
Annual Members Party
Interested in becoming a member? Join at the link below!
Upcoming Exhibitions - Spring 2026
The Era of Clipper Ships
A new exhibition exploring one of the most iconic parts of Newburyport's long history.
Newburyport's Renaissance: A Tribute to its Civic Leaders in the 1970s
Celebrate the individuals who saved historic Newburyport, including the Custom House. Once slated for demolition, the museum celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2025.
Year-long programs brought to you, in part, by
Plan Your Visit
Plan Your Visit
- Museum Hours
Thursday – Saturday: 10AM-5PM
Sunday: 12PM-5PM
Closed Monday – Wednesday
- Tickets
Admission is $8 for adults, free for NBPT residents, active duty military, students, ENHA volunteers, and kids under 12.
Museum memberships include free admission.
- Parking
City parking is available adjacent to the museum. View parking lot directions.
Docent-led Tours
Join our volunteer docents for a tour of the museum. Registration is not required and tours are on a first come, first served basis. Tours are included with admission.
Contact 978-462-8681 or info@thechmm.org for special arrangements and private tours.