Herreshoff Marine Museum

What Herreshoff Marine Museum does

The Herreshoff Marine Museum is a nonprofit maritime institution in Bristol, Rhode Island, serving general visitors, maritime-history enthusiasts, sailing participants, students, researchers, historians, and private event hosts. It preserves and presents the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company and America's Cup legacy through the Hall of Boats, with more than 60 historic vessels; the N.G.H. Model Room, with nearly 500 models, hundreds of tools, and thousands of archival documents; the Rebecca Chase Herreshoff Library; Building 28; and the America's Cup Hall of Fame. Its educational and programming surface includes youth and adult sailing, STEM programs, adult learning, lectures, regattas, concerts, rotating exhibits, and private events.

The operating model combines physical attendance at one Bristol site with admissions, venue rentals, memberships, donations, sailing and educational programs, and merchandise sales through ShopHerreshoff. Admission and program pricing is not publicly disclosed, and venue and program pricing is described as quote-based; the museum's pay-as-you-go model therefore depends on visitors, supporters, program participants, and event clients. Distribution is primarily direct through the waterfront museum, seasonal programming, newsletters, social media, and events, while a web-based virtual Model Room tour and Shopify store extend reach beyond in-person visitors. The disclosed systems are Shopify for e-commerce, Bloomerang for donor and member management, and Constant Contact for email communications; no proprietary AI, API, or core technology platform is disclosed.

Name

Herreshoff Marine Museum

Legal name

Herreshoff Marine Museum

Website

https://herreshoff.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Herreshoff Marine Museum is a nonprofit maritime museum in Bristol, Rhode Island, serving visitors through historic boat exhibits, archives, education, sailing programs, events, and venue rentals supported by admissions, memberships, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Heritage Museum

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Museums (712110)

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Museums (e.g., Maritime, Aviation, Sports, Music, Film) (THAJADAF)

Keywords

• Maritime museum exhibits
• America's Cup heritage
• Sailing education programs
• Museum venue rentals
• Historic boat preservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Bristol

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Museum Admissions: Revenue generated from visitor admissions to the museum, which is open Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm and Sundays noon-5pm, closed Mondays.
2. Event Rentals and Venue Use: The museum generates revenue through hosting weddings, private events, and venue rentals including the Hall of Boats venue.
3. Museum Store (ShopHerreshoff): E-commerce revenue from the museum's online store selling merchandise.
4. Donations and Memberships: Charitable contributions from supporters including membership programs and annual giving campaigns such as the Year End Appeal and Summer Appeal.
5. Sailing Programs: Revenue from youth and adult sailing instruction programs conducted on the water.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Herreshoff Marine Museum is a non-profit maritime museum that preserves and exhibits the history of the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company (1878-1945) and America's Cup heritage through curated exhibits, educational programs, and community events. It sells admissions to view historic boat collections and archives, offers on-water sailing and STEM educational programs, and generates revenue through venue rentals for weddings and private events, an online merchandise store, and a donor/membership program.

Product overview

The Herreshoff Marine Museum operates as a maritime heritage institution offering a unified portfolio of exhibits, educational programs, and events centered on the history of the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company (1878-1945) and America's Cup racing. Core offerings include the Hall of Boats (60+ restored vessels), the N.G.H. Model Room (500+ models with virtual tour), the Rebecca Chase Herreshoff Library (research archive), and the America's Cup Hall of Fame (honoring competition legends). The museum provides educational programs including Sailing Programs, STEM Programs, and Adult Programs, while hosting events such as the annual Herreshoff Classic Regatta and Summer Sunset Music Series. Building 28 serves as a restoration workshop and exhibit space, with the ARIA Gallery hosting rotating special exhibits.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• America's Cup Hall of Fame: A Hall of Fame established under the Herreshoff Marine Museum to preserve the legacy and history of the America's Cup competition, celebrating its heroes and inspiring future generations.

Products and services

• America's Cup Hall of Fame A hall of fame established in 1992 that honors individuals who have made outstanding contributions to yachting's America's Cup competition, including crew members, designers, builders, syndicate leaders, supporters, and chroniclers.
• Hall of Boats A collection of over sixty significant boats that have been documented, acquired, and restored over decades, displayed throughout the museum's facilities and available as a venue for private events.
• N.G.H. Model Room A virtual web-based tour and in-person exhibit featuring nearly 500 models, hundreds of tools, and thousands of archival documents from the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company.
• Rebecca Chase Herreshoff Library Primary research resource and repository of manuscripts documenting the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company (1863-1945) and the Herreshoff family history.
• Sailing Programs On-water sailing educational programs for youth and adults as part of the museum's learning offerings.
• STEM Programs Educational STEM programs for youth combining science, technology, engineering, and mathematics with maritime heritage.
• Adult Programs Educational programming for adults covering maritime history, boatbuilding, and related topics.
• Lecture Series Regular lecture series featuring presentations on maritime history, boat design, and America's Cup history with video recordings available.
• Herreshoff Classic Regatta Annual sailing regatta held at the museum featuring classic yachts and celebrating Herreshoff heritage.
• Summer Sunset Music Series Summer concert series held at the museum combining music entertainment with maritime heritage.
• Weddings and Venue Rentals Venue rental services for weddings, private events, and corporate functions held at the museum's waterfront facilities.
• Building 28 Historic building originally housing construction of a 37-foot model of 1903 America's Cup defender RELIANCE, now serving as a place of creation and restoration work open to visitors.
• ShopHerreshoff Online Store E-commerce merchandise store selling Herreshoff-branded products online at shopherreshoff.org.
• ARIA Gallery Gallery space housing rotating exhibits including 'A Matter of Scale' and 'Love Rocks Picture Gallery', showcasing the museum's innovative designs and artistic collections.
• Museum Admissions General admission access to museum exhibits, waterfront, and programs at the Bristol, RI location, open Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm and Sundays noon-5pm.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 60 significant boats preserved and displayed in the Hall of Boats
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• America's Cup Hall of FamecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1992Founded in 1992 under the auspices of the Herreshoff Marine Museum, the America's Cup Hall of Fame honors individuals who have made outstanding contributions to yachting's most distinguished competition. The museum operates and maintains this prestigious Hall of Fame, inducting nearly 80 legends of the Cup. Candidates include crew members, designers, builders, syndicate leaders, supporters, and chroniclers judged on outstanding ability, international recognition, character, performance, and contributions to the sport.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Maine Maritime Museum: Maine-based maritime heritage museum preserving shipbuilding history along the Kennebec River. Comparable as a regional maritime museum with active restoration workshops, educational programs, and vessel collections.
• Mystic Seaport Museum: Largest maritime museum in the United States, located in Mystic, Connecticut. Directly comparable as a New England-based maritime heritage institution preserving historic vessels and offering sailing/educational programs.
• South Street Seaport Museum: New York City maritime museum preserving the historic seaport district. Comparable as a waterfront maritime museum with sailing programs and vessel restoration activities.
• Penobscot Marine Museum: Maine maritime museum preserving the state's shipbuilding and seafaring heritage. Comparable as a smaller maritime museum with boat collections, archives, and seasonal programming.
• USS Constitution Museum: Naval heritage museum adjacent to the USS Constitution in Boston. Comparable as a specialty maritime museum focused on a single historic vessel/program with strong educational programming.
• Independence Seaport Museum: Philadelphia-based maritime museum on the Delaware River waterfront. Comparable as an urban maritime museum with historic vessels, exhibits, and educational programs.
• Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum: Maryland-based maritime museum focused on Chesapeake Bay boatbuilding traditions. Comparable as a regional maritime heritage institution with working boat shop, exhibits, and educational programming.
• Maritime Museum of San Diego: West Coast maritime museum with historic vessel collection and sailing programs. Comparable as a maritime heritage institution combining static exhibits with active sailing experiences and educational programs.

Regional players

• New England Aquarium: Boston-based waterfront aquarium and education center. Comparable as a New England waterfront visitor attraction with educational programming and event venue rentals, though focused on marine life rather than maritime history.

Broad incumbents

• National Maritime Museum (Royal Museums Greenwich): UK's leading maritime museum under the Royal Museums Greenwich umbrella. Comparable as a much larger maritime heritage institution with broader international scope, demonstrating the scale-up path for maritime museums.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/HerreshoffMuseum
• Facebookfacebook.com/herreshoff
• Instagraminstagram.com/herreshoff
• Xx.com/herreshoffmm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/herreshoff-marine-museum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Herreshoff Marine Museum