Preserving Nautical History

From the love of boating history and nautical life comes the Antique Boat Museum. The museum features a 106-foot houseboat, a St. Lawrence skiff, over 100 pleasure boats, a rideable triple-cockpit runabout ride, and various boating displays. The mission of the museum is "... to collect, preserve, exhibits, and interpret boats and other objects related to the history of boating in North America and to enhance public understanding and appreciation of the contributions of the St. Lawrence River region to North America's boating history.'' The museum not only takes pride in the history of boating, they embrace the town's nautical history.

The museum is located on a 4.5 acre plot of land on the banks of the St. Lawrence River. The area is vibrant with boating events all spring and summer, and events include tours, regattas, boat shows, children's events, boat-building classes, and celebratory dinners.

Some of the newer exhibits include Hacker! which is a juried art show that celebrates the artist John Hacker. Visitors to the show get to vote on their favorite pieces, and there is also an auction. Artists are invited to submit work if they would like to participate in the show. The Gar Wood exhibit explores the boats and personal history of Gar Wood, a legend in the boating world. Boating with the Boldts, another newer exhibit is a joint relationship with the Boldt Yacht House and the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority. Some of the Boldt boats are now a part of the museum collection and this exhibits showcases those, as well as the Boldt family history.

Museum hours are from 9 am until 5 pm from mid-May until mid-October. Events are held throughout the season. If you are planning a visit to the museum, allow at least an hour and a half to explore and learn. All of the campus and the buildings are wheelchair accessible. The museum will provide a limited number of wheelchairs to those who need them.

Much of the tour area is self-guided, but there is a 30-minute guided tour of the La Duchesse houseboat. This tour is free with your admission price to the museum. Keep in mind this part of the museum is not wheelchair accessible. Smoking and pets other than service dogs are not permitted at the museum. In order to commemorate your visit to the museum, visit the museum store. They are open from 9 am until 5 pm each day during the museum season.

The museum is a great place to host your next event. Whether it is an informal party celebrating an anniversary or engagement, or a wedding or reception, the museum is a great place to visit. Those with relatives who are fans of nautical life can host a surprise get together for a birthday, retirement, or special event. The facilities are impressive and comfortable, they offer great views of the river, and guests will feel the ambiance and history the museum offers. Whether you are planning a special event, interested in boating history, or just looking for a fun museum to visit near the river, the Antique Boat Museum in Clayton will offer everyone something interesting.