What's Up at the Custom House?

May 18, 2025

#StandUpForScience #Museums4Science

SEAL WATCH TODAY -- SIGN UP HERE NOW!

NB: The museum will be closed this Friday,May 23, for a private reception.

The Custom House is Open Thurs.- Fri. 1-5 PM,

Sat. 10 AM-5 PM, Sun. 1-5 PM.

today Sunday, May 18, 4 PM

Today is our Annual Seal Watch -- and the SUN is out!

This afternoon, Sunday May 18, we'll board the Black Hawk and travel out to Little Gull Island & beyond to try and find some seals! Sign up online HERE!

You also may show up at the BLACK HAWK, Cini Park, Niantic, CT, office by 3:30 and register on site. If you must use a GPS, use the address 133 Main Street, which will take you to Boats, Inc. Proceed about 200 yards, then just before you go over the Niantic River Bridge, take a left into Cini Memorial Park and the Black Hawk parking lot.

Local seals are actually Maine natives who make Long Island Sound their winter/spring and sometimes permanent home. On this trip, we'll leave from Niantic and head out west to Little Gull, Great Gull, and Plum Islands -- and hopefully find some seals. 



Bring your camera and binoculars. We'll bring a drink and snack! The boat leaves at 4, so plan to arrive by 3:30 PM. It's about a 2 hour+ round-trip.

This week at the Custom House

The Season has landed at the Custom House, and we are ready for it!

This afternoon's Seal Watch -- our first boat tour of the season -- is a fundraiser for the Custom House. We thank Black Hawk Fishing for sponsoring us! Will we find seals? We'll give it a good try! We've got the sun and a beautiful afternoon to get out on the water.

Did you know that the islands right off our shore: Fishers, Great Gull, Little Gull, Flat Hammock, the Dumplings, etc. are what Woody Guthrie sang about in This Land is Your Land? ...from California to the New York Islands, from the redwood forests, to the Gulf Stream waters, this land was made for you and me! And it was!

There's more coming up. Just this week there's JIBBOOM Tuesday at 1:30 at the Custom House, National Maritime Day Thursday at noon at Fort Trumbull followed by luncheon at Capt. Scott's, a special reception for our Roof donors Friday 2 to 4, then we've got Harbor Lighthouse tours both Saturday & Sunday! Look at our calendar for May!

Things are 'hotting up' at the museum, too. Leonard Loew, our newest docent, gave tours to more than 30 visitors on Saturday! A former Coastie, he's got great rapport with our many military visitors.

Meanwhile, Steve Manuel at the Shaw Mansion hosted the New London County Historical Society's first annual MarinerFest. We thank Jim Flood, Dick Fraser, and Joe Gaeris for manning the NLMS table.

We'll be working more with the NLCHS in 2026 -- the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution!

--Susan

Custom House Community Case

What would you put in a museum?

Our Community Cases offer local groups/individuals an opportunity to showcase collections that are important to them.

Please email your idea for a display to: nlmaritimedirector@gmail.com.

Saturdays, Sundays, & by appointment year-round

a popular destination for more than a century.

Visit Inside NL Harbor Pequot Light

Visit Long Island Sound's oldest and tallest lighthouse.

We offer Harbor Light tours every Saturday & Sunday at noon. Climb 116 steps up into the lighthouse lantern. The views are spectacular!​ Tours for up-to five people take approximately 40 minutes. Sign up today.

To book a custom tour, send us an email. Photo: Christina Corcoran.

Tuesday May 20, 1:30 PM



JIBBOOM Club #1

See you on May 20 when Capt. Pat Kennedy is our Jibboom guest.

NB: the talk is at 1:30, Tuesday.

Pat has spent his life on the water. New London Harbor's go-to guy -- he lays boom, transports crews, guides ships, salvages boats, helps the currach rowers and local Sea Scouts, and occasionally runs NLMS workers out to Race Rock, (photo, above, from 2019: Pat is 2nd from left; Donna Owen)!

Jibboom is not a 'club', but a friendly gathering. Please come and bring a friend. It's free -- generously sponsored by the Maco Family Fund!

Thursday, May 22. 12 noon



National Maritime Day

You, your family, friends, and all area mariners are cordially invited to join us for a memorial service at the former Maritime Officers Training School at Fort Trumbull New London, Connecticut at noon on National Maritime Day, Thursday, May 22nd. Photo: NL Capt. Moses Rogers

The Memorial is located at New London's Merchant Marine Memorial Park at Bowditch Street. This monument marks the site of the largest United States Maritime Service Officers School during events leading up to and including World War II. The USMMAAF-CSC together with the American Merchant Marine Veterans and Naval Armed Guards Associations have been holding this service on National Maritime Day since the Navy departed the fort.

Our goal for this community event is to promote the maritime history of the State, the community, and the potential for the future of New London's magnificent deep-water harbor.

Please join us in honoring the United States Merchant Marine and those who gave their all supporting our freedom. -- from USMMAAF-CSC

Sunday, May 25, 6-9 pm



Open Mic at the Museum

Co-hosted by Kenny 'Doc' Frazier and Christina Corcoran, our monthly open mic welcomes music, poetry, prose, stand-up, or just state what is on your mind. Show up at 5:45 and get on the list! Open to all ages and abilities for fun & camaraderie. It's a friendly crowd!



Sponsored by Kozmik Music Services.  Admission is by donation. The Open Mic at the Museum Facebook page posts many of the individual performances from past sessions. Photo, above: April Open Mic at the Museum.

Visit the Museum Shop!

During National Safe Boating Week, May 18-24, the U.S. Coast Guard and the National Safe Boating Council, along with federal, state, and local safe boating partners encourage all boaters to explore and enjoy America’s beautiful waters responsibly.

Safe boating begins with preparation. The Coast Guard estimates that human error accounts for most boating accidents and that life jackets could prevent nearly 75 percent of boating fatalities. Through basic boating safety procedures – carrying lifesaving emergency distress and communications equipment, wearing life jackets, attending safe boating courses, participating in free boat safety checks, and staying sober when navigating – we can help ensure boaters on America’s coastal, inland, and offshore waters stay safe throughout the season.

The NL HarborCam is your 24/7 eye on the harbor, with 7.3M views since July 2019!

Please share Bluesky our new social media platform so that we can find our people! We post video, events, and articles of note. @customhouse.bsky.social

Photo, below: Visitors at the museum.