Mystic Seaport Museum is widely regarded as the preeminent maritime museum in the world. The Museum’s watercraft collection began with the acquisition of our first vessel in 1931, and has grown to 650 vessels in the collection, including four National Historic Landmark vessels. Nearly 75 percent of our vessel collection is currently in storage in the historic Rossie Velvet Mill. Aside from private tours, this remarkable collection has largely been hidden from public view, but plans are now underway to reveal these important artifacts and tell their stories in the American Watercraft Collection housed in the new Wells Boat Hall.
Your support will allow public access to the American Watercraft Collection!
The watercraft collection at Mystic Seaport Museum began in 1931 with the acquisition of our first vessel, the sandbagger Annie. Over the past 90 years we have been building and curating the collection to create a three-dimensional encyclopedia of watercraft. The collection spans 182 years with crafts dating from 1824 (dugout canoe) to modern-day (Mini Transat racer). Among the largest in the world, and certainly the most diverse with 650 vessels, the watercraft collection is the signature collection within the vast holdings of the Museum; however, only a handful are currently on public display on Museum grounds or afloat on the river.
In addition to four National Historic Landmark vessels—the 1841 whaleship Charles W. Morgan, the 1866 Noank wet-well smack Emma C. Berry, the 1908 steamboat Sabino, and the 1921 Gloucester fishing schooner L. A. Dunton—the Museum’s other noteworthy vessels include:
A hallmark of the Museum is the in-water display of some of our most significant vessels, including four National Historic Landmark vessels. Like many museums and museum collections, nearly 75 percent of our vessel collection is in storage, currently in the historic Rossie Velvet Mill. Aside from private tours, this remarkable collection has largely been hidden from public view. Now after decades of planning, it is time for the collection to be revealed and for these important artifacts and their stories to be displayed to the public.
The Wells Boat Hall consists of 35,000 square feet of space in the Rossie Mill that has been converted from low-value warehouse space into high-value public exhibition space. When the American Watercraft Collection exhibition opens, visitors will be immersed in fascinating sea stories, both historic and modern, as they wander among the watercraft collection filled with vessels from near and far.
The project required a $15,000,000 capital investment to transform the former warehouse space into a dynamic public exhibition, create a welcoming new visitor entrance, complete essential roof repairs, and upgrade the building’s heating and cooling systems to meet industry standards. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, construction is now complete. As we move into the next phase of the project, we continue to raise funds to design, fabricate, and install the exhibition experience that will bring the story of the American Watercraft Collection to life for visitors.
Wells Boat Hall architect renderings and interior concepts by Cambridge Seven.
We invite you to join the growing number of individual donors, foundations, corporations, and government entities that have supported the campaign for the Wells Boat Hall and American Watercraft Collection exhibition. We need your help to ensure future generations can appreciate the maritime legacy that has shaped our nation. Set sail with Mystic Seaport Museum on this exciting journey.
The Wells Boat Hall is named after local resident and longtime Museum Trustee Stan Wells and his wife Nancy Wells.
“Mystic Seaport Museum has wanted, needed, and dreamed of having an indoor, all-weather display facility for more than forty years. We are pleased to help make that dream come true with the Wells Boat Hall, where the many stories tied to the vessels in the Museum’s collection will be revealed.” –Stan and Nancy Wells
Learn more in the brochure below.
