Hudson River Maritime Museum facts for kids
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| Established | 1980 |
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| Location | Kingston, NY, United States |
| Type | non-profit: history, transportation |
| Visitors | 20,000 |
The Hudson River Maritime Museum is a special place that teaches you all about the Hudson River. It's a maritime museum, which means it focuses on boats, ships, and everything to do with the water! You can find it in Kingston, New York, right by the water. The museum is located on Rondout Creek, which flows into the Hudson River. People often call it HRMM for short.
Kingston was once a very busy port. It was the most active port between New York City and Albany. The museum's collections show how important shipping, boating, and different industries were on the Hudson River. They also cover its smaller rivers, called tributaries, like the Rondout Creek. Kingston became rich in the early 1800s because it was the northern end of the Delaware and Hudson Canal.
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About the Museum's History
The Hudson River Maritime Museum was started in 1980. A group of people who loved the Hudson River created it. In 1983, the museum moved to its current home. This building used to be an old boat shop.
What You Can See at the Museum
The museum has many interesting things to explore. You can see different kinds of small boats. There are also items from famous river steamships, like the Mary Powell. The museum has a special library for research. You can also learn about ice harvesting tools. Plus, there are old maps, paintings, and drawings that show what the river looked like long ago.
Outdoor Exhibits and Boats
Outside the museum, you can see the 1898 steam tugboat Mathilda. It's a big, old boat displayed right next to the museum building.
River Adventures and Historic Ships
During the warmer months, you can take boat trips from the museum. These trips go to the nearby Rondout Lighthouse. This is where Rondout Creek meets the Hudson River. Many different boats visit the museum's docks. These include private boats and even large cruise ships. The Hudson River Sloop Clearwater often stays here in winter. Other historic boats, like the Onrust and the Half Moon, also visit. The museum even offers free docking for canoes and kayaks.
Fun Activities and Learning
The Hudson River Maritime Museum is a lively place. It's home to the Kingston High School Crew Team. It also hosts the Rondout Rowing Club and the Kingston Sailing Club. The museum is supported by its members. It holds many fun events and festivals throughout the year.
Special Events and Programs
Some popular events include the Antique and Classic Boat Society Boat Show. There are also Hudson River Days, with music, crafts, and displays. The museum has a "Follow the River" Lecture Series. They also show movies on "Cinema Sundays" and have special "Family Days."
Learning New Skills
The museum helps people learn new skills too. In 2016, they opened the Wooden Boat School. Here, you can learn how to build and fix wooden boats. In 2017, they started the Sailing & Rowing School. This is a great place to learn how to sail or row a boat.
See also
- List of maritime museums in the United States
- List of museum ships
