Ships Of The Sea Maritime Museum, Inc.

What Ships Of The Sea Maritime Museum, Inc. does

Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit cultural institution founded in 1966 and headquartered in Savannah, Georgia. It operates exclusively from the William Scarbrough House, an 1819 Greek Revival mansion at 41 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd designated a National Historic Landmark in 1974, surrounded by a 1.5-acre campus that includes nine galleries and the largest private gardens in Savannah's Historic District (a 340+ seated event venue). The museum stewards a permanent collection of ship models, paintings, and maritime antiques from the 18th-19th century Atlantic trade era and supplements it with rotating exhibitions, online exhibits, and signature events.

The institution serves multiple distinct customer segments: walk-in tourists and individual visitors purchasing general admission; K-5 school groups paying $11 per student for curriculum-aligned field trips in maritime, American, and Georgia history; adult group and specialty tour participants at $21-$50 per person; wedding and corporate event renters booking the gardens and Assembly Room; members enrolled at tiered annual dues; exhibition sponsors at $1,000-$5,000 multi-year contract levels; and individual donors. Ticketing is processed through FareHarbor, with secondary distribution via GetYourGuide and TripExpert. Marketing spans the museum website, email list, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest, supplemented by earned media coverage in regional outlets.

The business model is diversified across at least nine revenue streams: admissions, memberships, venue rentals, gift shop sales, group tours and educational programs, special event tickets, art sales and commissions (including a 25% donation arrangement with exhibiting artist Rob Strati), corporate sponsorships, and tax-deductible donations. Technology is intentionally minimal — a Wix-hosted website, online exhibits, YouTube-hosted video content, and embedded third-party booking — with no AI, app, or proprietary platform capabilities. Operational leadership consists of a small team headed by Executive Director Molly Carrott Taylor, supported by a curator, Director of Education, Gift Shop Manager, and sponsorship contact.

Name

Ships Of The Sea Maritime Museum, Inc.

Legal name

Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum, Inc.

Website

https://shipsofthesea.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating from the 1819 William Scarbrough House National Historic Landmark in Savannah, Georgia, serving tourists, K-5 school groups, event renters, and members with maritime exhibits, educational programs, and venue rentals across a 1.5-acre campus.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Museum & Cultural Heritage Services

NAICS

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

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Maritime museum exhibits
• Historical preservation education
• Museum venue rental
• Curriculum field trips
• Maritime artifact collection

Headquarters

HQ city

Savannah

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Museum Admission: General admission fees for individual visitors and families accessing the museum, Scarbrough House, galleries, and gardens. Ticket sales handled through FareHarbor platform.
2. Membership Program: Annual memberships at various levels (Schooner level and above) providing free admission, event benefits, and gift shop discounts. Members receive complimentary admission to After Dark House Party events.
3. Venue Rental: The Scarbrough Garden and North Garden Assembly Room (capacity 340+ seated, 550+ concert) are available for private events including weddings, dinners, dances, and corporate functions.
4. Gift Shop Sales: Retail sales of maritime-themed books, art, nautical instruments, sailor's valentines, ship-in-bottle crafts, Southern architecture/gardening items, children's items, and museum signature pieces.
5. Group Tours and Educational Programs: School program tours ($11/student), guided group tours ($21/person), and Director-Led Tours ($50/person). Programs aligned to grade-level curriculum covering maritime history, architecture, and Georgia history.
6. Special Event Tickets: Admission fees for signature events including After Dark House Party ($22 general admission), Stars & Stripes Celebration, and other ticketed programming.
7. Art Sales and Commissions: Sale of artwork from exhibitions with percentage of proceeds supporting the museum. Rob Strati's Beyond the Plate exhibition donates 25% of sales to the museum.
8. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorship tiers for exhibitions ($5,000 Flagship, $2,500 Founding Sponsor, $1,000 Exhibition Sponsor) including donor recognition, event invitations, and promotional placement.
9. Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting museum operations, exhibitions, and community programming. The museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum operates a maritime museum housed in the historic 1819 William Scarbrough House in Savannah, Georgia, exhibiting ship models, paintings, and maritime antiques from the 18th and 19th centuries of Atlantic trade. It generates revenue through general admissions, memberships, a gift shop, venue rentals of its gardens and assembly room, school and group tour programs, signature ticketed events, and exhibition sponsorships. The museum also offers digital online exhibits and video content extending its programming beyond the physical site.

Product overview

Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum operates as a maritime museum offering multiple interconnected visitor experiences centered around Savannah's nautical heritage. The core offering includes permanent collection exhibits of ship models, paintings, and maritime antiques housed in the 1819 William Scarbrough House, complemented by rotating special exhibitions, a gift shop, educational programs for schools and groups, venue rentals for private events, and online digital exhibits. The museum's product portfolio includes ticketed exhibitions like Drawn to the Sea (comic art) and Beyond the Plate (mixed-media art), signature events including After Dark House Party and Celestial Seafarers, community programs such as Family Days and Comic Currents, and venue rental services across its Scarbrough and North Gardens spaces.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Maritime Museum Exhibits & Permanent Collection Permanent exhibition of ship models, paintings, and maritime antiques from the 18th and 19th centuries of Atlantic trade, housed in nine galleries within the William Scarbrough House. Open to general visitors Monday-Sunday 10am-5pm.
• Drawn to the Sea Exhibition Ticketed special exhibition featuring four sequential artists interpreting historic vessels (Anne, S.S. Savannah, Pulaski, Wanderer) through comic storytelling. On view May 1, 2026 – January 31, 2027 in partnership with Neighborhood Comics.
• Beyond the Plate: Sea and Sky Exhibition Mixed-media exhibition by New York contemporary artist Rob Strati featuring original works, limited-edition prints, and site-specific installation using broken porcelain and hand-drawn illustrations. 25% of artwork sales benefit the museum.
• Gift Shop On-site retail shop selling maritime-themed books, art, signature gifts and keepsakes including Sailor's Valentines, nautical instruments, ship-in-a-bottle crafts, Southern architecture and gardening items, children's items, and museum signature pieces. Managed by Amanda Fournier.

Quantifiable outcome

• Free admission for children 3 and under
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Rob StratiflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025New York-based contemporary artist creating Beyond the Plate: Sea and Sky exhibition featuring mixed-media works on broken porcelain. Exhibition runs September 2025 - April 2026 with 25% of artwork sales benefiting the museum.
• UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea GrantflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024University program supporting the Waves of Wonder exhibition featuring Artists, Writers, and Scholars (AWS) Program recipients. Multi-sensory experience bringing Georgia's coast to life through various artistic media.
• Neighborhood ComicsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerDowntown Savannah's comic book specialty store partnering on the Drawn to the Sea exhibition and Comic Currents convention. Lee Heidel serves as editor and publication designer for the exhibition's comic book publication. The partnership brings local comics community and independent publishers together at the museum.
• Safe Kids Savannah - Memorial Children's HospitalcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerChild injury prevention organization leading water and sun safety activities at Splash on the High Seas Family Day events. Provides educational programming on lifejacket use and boat safety.
• King of Pops (Midtown Savannah)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal popsicle vendor providing refreshments at family events. Savannah franchise led by Josie Ramirez serves treats made with wholesome ingredients at museum events.
• Loop it Up SavannahcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerArts-based educational enrichment organization reaching 10,000+ young people annually. Partners on family day events bringing creative learning activities to museum gardens.
• Tybee Island Marine Science CenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarine education organization providing interactive activities at family day events focused on coastal and ocean education.
• Deep CenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerYouth literacy and arts organization participating in family day programming at the museum.
• Girl Scouts of Historic GeorgiaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerScouting organization with online exhibit charting the history of Girl Scout maritime activities, including connection to Savannah founder Juliette Gordon Low.
• Savannah Children's MuseumminorGTM or Marketing PartnerChildren's museum partner providing activities and engagement at family day events.
• Coastal Heritage SocietyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHistorical organization partner for family day programming and community events.
• Savannah State UniversityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHBCU partner providing activities and engagement at family day events.
• Starbase SavannahminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSTEM education program partner for family day activities.
• City of SavannahcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCity government providing investment and support for museum education programs and operations.
• Historic Savannah FoundationflagshipOthersHistoric preservation organization that rescued the Scarbrough House in the 1970s and began restoration in 1972. Critical to the building's preservation and eventual museum conversion.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• USS Constitution Museum: Maritime museum adjacent to the USS Constitution in Boston, focused on naval history and early American seafaring. Comparable in subject matter (Atlantic trade era, naval history) and educational programming scale.
• Columbia River Maritime Museum: Maritime museum in Astoria, Oregon, featuring ship models, maritime artifacts, and boatbuilding exhibits. Comparable as a mid-sized maritime museum with school programs and admission-based revenue.
• The Mariners' Museum and Park: Maritime history museum in Newport News, Virginia, with extensive ship model collections and educational programs. Closely comparable in mission, collection focus on Atlantic-era maritime history, and curriculum-aligned school programming.
• Mystic Seaport Museum: One of the largest maritime museums in the United States, operating a 19-acre campus with ship models, historic vessels, and rotating exhibitions in Mystic, Connecticut. Directly comparable to Ships of the Sea as a specialty maritime museum with educational programming and event venues.
• Independence Seaport Museum: Maritime museum on the Delaware River waterfront in Philadelphia featuring historic vessels, ship models, and educational programming. Comparable as a mid-sized maritime museum with venue rental and school program offerings.
• San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park: A National Park Service site preserving a historic waterfront fleet of ships in San Francisco, with ship models, exhibits, and educational programs. Comparable as a maritime museum with historic vessels, school programs, and visitor admission revenue.
• Maritime Museum of San Diego: Maritime museum in San Diego operating historic ships, exhibits, and educational programs. Comparable in scale, programming, and revenue model (admissions, venue rentals, gift shop, memberships).

Regional players

• South Carolina Maritime Museum: Maritime museum in Georgetown, South Carolina, focused on Lowcountry and Southeastern maritime history. Comparable as a regional maritime museum with similar collection themes (Atlantic trade, Southern ports) located in an adjacent Southeastern state.
• Telfair Museums: Multi-site art and history museum in Savannah, Georgia, including the historic Telfair Academy and Owens-Thomas House. Comparable as a Savannah-based museum competing for the same tourist and event-rental dollars, with shared local donor and visitor audiences.
• Savannah History Museum: Local history museum in Savannah's Historic District operated in the former Central of Georgia Railway building. Comparable as a same-city, same-tourist-base cultural institution competing for visitor admissions and school group bookings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/shipsofthesea
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/shipsofthesea
• Facebookfacebook.com/shipsofthesea
• Instagraminstagram.com/shipsofthesea
• Pinterestpinterest.com/SOSMuseum
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ships-of-the-sea-maritime-museum-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

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 Ships Of The Sea Maritime Museum, Inc.