Herreshoff Marine Museum

Visit this waterfront museum to learn about maritime history in the area.

The Herreshoff Marine Museum preserves the history and accomplishments of the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company and has been open since 1971. This pristine museum is open for tours Wednesday through Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm. It is located in Bristol, Rhode Island, near Narragansett Bay. The museum sits where the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company (1878 - 1945) once stood. The company produced sailing yachts, including 8 America's Cup defenders and steam-powered vessels. Incredibly, two brothers helped create and influence such a high-tech craft before the age of computers. The names of these brothers are Captain Nat Herreshoff and his blind brother John Herreshoff.

The museum shares Bristol's maritime history and shows off beautiful craftsmanship, priceless boats, and old-fashioned catboats yawls inside a simple warehouse.  It has a nice layout and allows guests to climb aboard some old classic boats and visit the active restoration workshop. The engineering and craftsmanship are amazing. Some of the ships are over 100 years old. Don't miss the collection of boat hull models and the movie. The Nathanael Greene Herreshoff Model Room has over 500 yacht and steam yacht models. The Rebecca Chase Herreshoff Library has books and manuscripts about the company and information on the Herreshoff family. Visitors will also see racing memorabilia and the America's Cup Hall of Fame.