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This Week at the Custom House
As I write this on Saturday afternoon, it happens to be my birthday. The Shoreline Trio is performing in the next room, and later we'll host an opening and book signing for artist Edie Twining. The museum is full of music, art, and conversation—what could be better.
The arrival of new window blinds gave us the perfect excuse to rethink several of the museum galleries. Once the final blinds were installed on Thursday morning, things moved quickly. The Crawford Gallery—the large room on the main floor—is morphing into shape. Capt. Gumb's coastal schooner has found a new home in the Amistad gallery, and next on the list is the installation of track lighting.
The dive helmet collection has also been reorganized. By streamlining the Ellery Thompson display, we've finally created enough wall space to hang all three sections of our remarkable 1855 Long Island Sound charts—produced just twenty years after the U.S. Custom House opened.
There's still plenty to do, but the finish line is finally in sight.
After twenty months of deliberation, the National Park Service announced last week that the Borough of Fenwick has been awarded the Lynde Point/Old Saybrook Inner Lighthouse. We applied for the lighthouse in 2024 and were excited by its possibilities. That said, we are already stewards of three magnificent lighthouses, so the decision was not a devastating one. In fact, losing this particular opportunity comes with a certain sense of relief. Photo at right: Laura Gray.
Next Saturday is Connecticut Open House Day. At the Custom House, museum admission will be reduced by 50 percent, bringing the cost down to just $5.
New London's First Saturday events continue to gain momentum. The Shoreline Trio's performance was delightful, and we are grateful to Rachael Brown, cello; Linda Hinz, piano; and Melisa Trinidad, flute, for a wonderful afternoon of music.
Edie Twining's opening for MOONSONG drew many visitors who had never before stepped inside the museum, along with one familiar face—graphic novelist Jon Buller. The exhibition remains on view through July 5.
None of Saturday's events would have been possible without our dedicated corps of volunteers. Many thanks to docents Jim Flood and Regan Morse (pictured at right, with me at center), who oversaw both the day's events and the museum shop. Thanks as well to Felix Orlando and Harry Smith for lending a hand with the more irregular requests. It was a long day—and an excellent one.
Last week, Jennings Elementary third graders joined NLMS educator Jody Barthel to visit several more of New London's historic sites. One class remains, and then our 2025–26 school program comes to a close.
Summer is icumen in. --S
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