About the Museum

Mission

To collect, document, preserve, and interpret the historical maritime skills, culture, heritage, and environment of the Lower Susquehanna River, Upper Chesapeake Bay region, and their watersheds.

History

The Havre de Grace Maritime Museum, Inc. is situated where the Susquehanna River meets the Chesapeake Bay. It tells the story of this region’s rich maritime heritage. Teeming with numerous species of flora and fauna and having highly navigable waters, this unique environmental setting has been the perfect backdrop for generations of inhabitants - from the earliest Native Americans over 10,000 years ago, to the first European colonists in the 1600’s, to today’s thriving community of the 21st century.  In 1782, the Marquis de Lafayette is said to have looked down over the town as he rode along the Post Road and commented that it was a charming “Havre de Grace” (pronounced "Haver-dee-Grayce"). 

Our museum is a 10,000 square foot, three-story modern building, which includes two galleries on the main floor that also function as public and private event spaces. Our ground floor supports a working boat shop as well as our Environmental Center, which houses a gallery, indoor and outdoor classroom and research/teaching laboratory.

We are within the Concord Point Heritage Corridor, which is Havre de Grace's historic district spanning five waterfront acres. We are also a designated attraction on the National Park Service's John Smith and Star Spangled Banner Trails. The Museum is located in downtown Historic Havre de Grace, but we are also within close proximity to Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington DC, New York and New Jersey.

We would like to invite you to explore all that we have to offer, from history lectures and classes on boating and fishing, to our many concerts and environmental programs! View our Upcoming Events here.

The Havre de Grace Maritime Museum does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability in our program or activities.

Founders

On December 28, 1988, the Havre de Grace Maritime Museum, Inc. was officially incorporated and sanctioned in Harford County, by the State of Maryland. A historically-minded group of local citizens founded the Maritime Museum as a private, nonprofit, educational institution. Those founding members included Charles E. Carter, John F. Carroll, Eldon duPont Homsey, Robert L. McVey, Andrew A. Thompson, and Josiah V. Thompson. The founders recognized that the rich cultural and natural heritage of the Lower Susquehanna River and the Upper Chesapeake Bay was fast disappearing. The Havre de Grace Maritime Museum, Inc. was primarily established to help protect these maritime traditions for future generations.