We’re OPEN for the 2025 Season.

General admission hours are

10a - 3p Thursday - Saturday

11a - 4p Sundays.

Parking on site - indoor & outdoor exhibits

Dear friends of the Essex Historical Society and Shipbuilding Museum,

Like you, we believe that history is not something to be viewed from a distance. It is something to live, build on, and carry forward each day.

This year, we welcomed over 4000 visitors and members to the Museum and Shipyard as active participants who came together through craft, tradition and community. We provided over 400 student learning experiences. These students were able to find confidence and learn new skills, some built their first boats, others swung their first hammers, and all of them became the next generation of guardians of the salt marsh.

Your investment in our Annual Fund makes all of this and more possible.

To be specific:

-Young people learn traditional skills and discover their creativity through our hands-on programs led by experienced and caring adults.

-Students and volunteers engaged with the River and Marsh to protect our environment and what sustains us.

-2200 people connected through interesting talks, workshops, and festivals where they come together to share knowledge and strengthen community.

Our work is about more than preserving the past. It is about practicing traditions that connect us to each other and the natural world. With your support in 2026, we will accomplish even more by connecting with even more people.

Please consider an investment in us by making a contribution today to our Annual Fund. Together, we continue to build skills, community, and a future rooted in tradition and stewardship.

With my deepest appreciation for your interest and belief in us,

KD Montgomery

Executive Director

Essex Historical Society & Shipbuilding Museum

Step into a world shaped by salt marshes, shipwrights, and stories. The Essex Historical Society and Shipbuilding Museum invites you to explore centuries of craftsmanship, community, and connection to the Essex River. Join us this season to experience history where it is still being made.

Preserve the Past - Engage the Present - Build the Future