Gulf Coast Maritime Museum
Vision
The Gulf Coast Maritime Museum Inc., a 501(c) 3 organization, is dedicated to the preservation of the important history of boat building in the State of Florida, and to the inspiration of the public through collections and displays of boats, boat building tools, half hull models, test tank models, original boat plans, wooden molds once used to cast bronze boat fittings, relevant marine art and prints, and historic photos of boat builders and the boats they built.
Once the museum is constructed, the exhibits will include boats built of wood, fiberglass, metal and other materials.
The museum will engage in public outreach programs that will educate children and adults in the techniques of boat building, half hull modeling and the restoration of boats.
Lectures and displays of photographs and documents will include the historical importance of boat building and boats in the early settlement of Florida before roads and railways allowed for expanded settlement. This history dates back 7,000 years to the original native settlers and their dugout canoes which they used to navigate Florida’s rivers and lakes, as if they were a network of highways.
An 8 ft. Handy Andy sailboat designed by William Atkins and used in WWII as tenders to PT Boats.
Portal to the World of Florida Gulf Coast Boatbuilding
There is no other comprehensive museum displaying the history of boat building in wood, fiberglass, steel, and ferrocement, for the entire Florida Gulf Coast. The Gulf Coast Maritime Museum will be unique for its size and its extensive coverage of boat building.
Bringing the Excitement of Gulf Coast Boating to Life
This is not a project that belongs to one town or one area on the Gulf Coast of Florida. It belongs to every section of the Florida Gulf Coast from Everglades City to Pensacola, and every area will have an exhibit of some sort in this museum. Donate now to help us build the Museum.