Time Line of
Hudson River History
About the Hudson River Maritime Museum
 The 1898 steam tug Mathilda,
donated by James McAllister, was placed in the Museum's yard in
autumn 1983. Her exterior was restored in 1988.
Digital photograph provided by |
The present property was purchased in 1982, and the Museum's 385 feet of bulkhead on Rondout Creek was partly rebuilt in 1992. The Museum's permanent collection related to Hudson River transportation, industry, and commerce, has grown through generous donations.
The collection is comprised of paintings, prints, photographs and ephemera, vessel blueprints, artifacts such as ice-harvesting tools, important pieces of Hudson River vessels that have long since disappeared, and a variety of ship models. Our collection of small craft includes a 100 year old shad boat, a life boat from the steamboat Mary Powell, a lighthouse tender, and several ice yachts. A library is available for use by researchers.
During the warmer months, visiting vessels such as the sloop Clearwater, historic vessels, and classic wooden boats may be seen at the Museum's bulkhead. In winter, U.S. Coast Guard vessels regularly tie up at our dock to provide a bit of shore-leave for their crews.
School programs, unique within New York State, host over 2,000 school children a year. Exhibitions, a lecture series, children's workshops, waterfront programs and festivals, and boat rides to the Rondout Lighthouse create a greater awareness of the heritage of the Hudson River and attracts over 20,000 visitors annually.
Rondout Waterfront
The Rondout waterfront was once a thriving port on the Hudson River. The Delaware & Hudson Canal brought coal from the mountains of Pennsylvania to Rondout. From here it was then shipped to New York City and points beyond. Rondout was also the base for the Cornell Steamboat Company, in its day, one of the largest towing companies in the United States.Today the bulkhead looks quite different. At the Hudson River Maritime Museum, the waterfront is home to historic vessels which dock with us for a few days or a few years, for restoration, repairs or rest. Museum members can find dockage available for an overnight stay.
Around the yard, visitors have the opportunity to look at the vessels tied up with us, to sit on the benches and watch the boat traffic on Rondout Creek, and to examine the numerous artifacts of Hudson River maritime history on display: a lifeboat and bell from the steamboat Marry Powell, and bitts, davits, deck fittings, and other equipment from scrapped tugs and steamboats. The Mathilda, the 1898 steam tug, is permanently dry docked on our site.
More about the Rondout Historic District
The Exhibit Hall
Combining photographs, artifacts, and text, the annual exhibit transports Museum visitors back into the history of the Hudson River. Each year the Museum chooses a different topic in the history of the Hudson River on which to focus. From sunken ships and abandoned boats, to brick yards, ice harvesting, steamboats or recreation, there is always an interesting and unique exhibit on display.The East Gallery
Formerly a working boat shop, the space is perfect for display of many larger artifacts, such as ice yachts, shad boats and other small boats, a steam hoisting engine, and various boat models and exhibits. With a rich and varied maritime heritage, the Hudson River was home to diverse vessels, and in the East Gallery we have the opportunity to display a few more of them.
Photographs from the Exhibit Hall | |
 Conners Marine tugboat exhibit |
 Model of the Staten Island Ferry |
An eagle from the pilot house of a Cornell Steamboat Company tugboat More about the Cornell Steamboat Company |
 Mary Powell artifact and model More about the steamboat Mary Powell |
| Exhibit photographs provided by Harvey Fishman of Brooklyn | |