Saturday., September 14
Take our excursion to Fishers Island to view the 2019 exhibitions 'Against the Tide: Prohibition on Land and at Sea, 1919-1933', and 'The English Springer Spaniel on Fishers Island', both curated by Pierce Rafferty, at the Henry L.Ferguson Museum. A light lunch will be provided.
We thank our Friends and Sponsors
John Steffian, Jr., the Maco Family Fund
New London Maritime Society (NLMS) CUSTOM HOUSE MARITIME MUSEUM l 150 Bank Street l New London, Connecticut 06320 l 860-447-2501 l email
EXHIBITIONS now on view
Matthew Male - My View from Great Gull Island -- Photos from the Edge of the Sound-- through March 2020
Kids Ahoy! Tracing the Nautical Influence on Children's Clothing, Toys, and Entertainment
AMISTAD: A True Story of Freedom
a permanent exhibition at the site of the original Amistad events of 1839.
from two private collections: Jay Kane and Ed Uditis
The
museum's most important artifact may well be the building, itself. Built
in 1833 as New London's U.S Custom House and designed by architect Robert Mills,
it has been the museum's home since 1983. New London's Custom House opened in 1835. It is the longest continuously-operating custom house in the country.
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NLMS in the NEWS
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The Custom House Maritime Museum - your local, independent, community museum - open year-round - telling the stories of New London's waterfront!
WHAT'S UP at the CUSTOM HOUSE ?
EVENTS
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Do you want to learn first about trips & special offers? -- Participate in promotions and competitions? --Take a look behind the scenes?
Volunteer at the Custom House - we need you!
Seafood WATCH - What seafood to buy now.
FISHWATCH The nation's database on sustainable seafood
For all events going on in the region, visit the
Our MUSEUM SHOP offers all kinds of unique gifts. See what's NEW.
Our gifts have an extra feel good factor: when you shop with us, your purchases support the museum exhibitions & educational programs.
What's new in the MUSEUM SHOP
Support NL Maritime Society
Saving our local maritime heritage sites through education, advocacy, & preservation.
New London Maritime Society is a New London-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. You may make a donation online (above), or by mail.
At the Maritime Museum, you will discover the enormous effect that the maritime world has on our daily lives.
None of what we do at the Custom House would be possible without your support.
WHAT'S UP
The work of the New London Maritime Society - Custom House Maritime Museum is made possible by generous grants from the City of New London, Community Development Bock Grants, the U.S. Lighthouse Society, Frank Loomis Palmer Fund, Community Foundation of Eastern CT, CT Humanities, PPP, & and by the work of dedicated volunteers, members & friends.
Please support New London Maritime Society Annual Appeal - an independent, community nonprofit - preserving three lighthouses & telling the stories of the local waterfront.
Our rooftop New London HarborCam is now live with over 930,000 views since July 10, 2019 -- that's almost 2 million eyes! Watch the full year here. Many thanks to our anonymous donor for this exciting transformative gift.
New London Maritime Society - open year-round
your local, independent, community museum,
telling the stories of New London's waterfront.
150 Bank Street, New London, CT 06320
Hours: Wednesday-- Sunday, 1 to 5 PM and
from 9 AM-1 PM for school groups and 'by request',
Contact: 860.447.2501 email
$7 Admission; Free for NLMS members, children age 14 and younger, USCG cadets, active-duty military & their families. If you require accommodations due to a disability please email us to discuss your needs. The request should be provided with enough time to reasonably set up the accommodation.
This year we celebrate 12 years of NLMS's partnership with the New London Public Schools. First with Lighthouse Kids and now with our third-grade Local History & Landmarks program, we bring New London's 300+ third graders to visit up-to six local historic sites throughout the school year. Jody Barthel directs the program, we provide the transportation and support, and our venue partners provide admission and the site educators. Here we are, above, in February at the Custom House Maritime Museum with author Mark Seth Lender.
Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.-James Baldwin
The Custom House Maritime Museum strives to be a place where the community can learn from our shared history in order to build a more just & compassionate future.
Above your national, tumultuous joy, I hear the mournful wails of millions! whose chains, heavy and grievous yesterday, are today, more intolerable by the jubilee shouts that reach them.
-Frederick Douglass, "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?"
Although many Americans identify July 4 as their Independence Day, many others look at this date with an entirely different context. In 1852, the Rochester Ladies' Anti-Slavery Society asked Frederick Douglass to deliver a Fourth of July address. Although he accepted the invitation to speak, he insisted that he deliver his address on July 5: both because this had become regular practice in New York’s Black community, and perhaps in part because slave auctions had often been held on July 4. When making this speech, Douglass even asked his audience, “Do you mean, citizens, to mock me by asking me to speak today?” Today one of Douglass’s most famous addresses, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” challenges audiences to think critically about the meaning of freedom and equality. --NPS Read the speech.
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The Custom House Maritime Museum is an NPS Underground Railroad Network to Freedom site.
NLMS director Susan Tamulevich was proud to take part in a Community Reading of this speech with the National Park Service on
July 4, 2020.
Although we're closed for now, we regularly check in at the Custom House.
For fastest contact, email Susan at nlmaritimedirector
@gmail.com, call 203-444-2884, or
leave a message at 860-4447-2501.
Robert Wadsworth -- Capt. Bob of Niantic's Sunbeam Fleet -- surprised us with the gift model of Latimer Reef Light. Capt. Bob believes the model was built by a former Latimer's keeper.
It's SUMMER & we've started up tours to
visit inside New London Harbor Lighthouse.
Tours for two people at a time may be arranged by emailing [email protected]
The visit takes around 45 minutes. We use hand sanitizer and we all wear masks.
Suggested donations are $35 for adults, $30 for NLMS members, & $25 for youth 7-to 18 years old.
The Custom House Maritime Museum will remain closed for the foreseeable future.
At present, visitors may tour by appointment, only, in groups of four or less.
We look forward to welcoming you back.
You may visit Harbor Lighthouse, Details lower left.