Hudson River Maritime Museum

The Hudson River Maritime Museum is the only museum in New York State exclusively preserving the maritime history of the Hudson River, its tributaries, and the industries dependent on the river. Founded in 1980 by members of the "Steamship Alexander Hamilton Society," the National Maritime Historical Society, and local historians, the Museum is located in the Historic Rondout Waterfront at Kingston, NY, once the major port between New York City and Albany.

The present property was purchased in 1982, and the Museum's 385 feet of bulkhead on Rondout Creek was partly rebuilt in 1992. The Museum's permanent collection related to Hudson River transportation, industry, and commerce, has grown through generous donations.

The collection is comprised of paintings, prints, photographs and ephemera, vessel blueprints, artifacts such as ice-harvesting tools, important pieces of Hudson River vessels that have long since disappeared, and a variety of ship models. Our collection of small craft includes a 100 year old shad boat, a life boat from the steamboat Mary Powell, a lighthouse tender, and several ice yachts. A library is available for use by researchers.

During the warmer months, visiting vessels such as the sloop Clearwater, historic vessels, and classic wooden boats may be seen at the Museum's bulkhead. In winter, U.S. Coast Guard vessels regularly tie up at our dock to provide a bit of shore-leave for their crews.

School programs, unique within New York State, host over 2,000 school children a year. Exhibitions, a lecture series, children's workshops, waterfront programs and festivals, and boat rides to the Rondout Lighthouse create a greater awareness of the heritage of the Hudson River and attracts over 20,000 visitors annually.