With the support of heartfelt applause, the staff and Friends of the North Carolina Maritime Museum at Southport proudly broke ground for a 2,500 square foot addition to the Museum’s facility at Fort Johnston. Over 70 people attended the recent ceremony, and listened to words of appreciation and a dedication.
The addition will increase the museum’s working spaces, to include a large, multi-purpose meeting/classroom, an archival storage room to protect and preserve sensitive documents and artifacts, provide a workshop for building and maintaining exhibits, a library extension for audio-visual media, two new ADA-compliant bathrooms, offices for the Curator of Education and the Friends’ Administrator, and space for storing exhibits, artifacts and other materials.
Because of the continuing hard work of the museum’s Friends, and support from the many generous Donors, the goal of the “Come Grow with Us” campaign to raise $305,000 for its Phase 2 expansion has reached 86% of the funding needed to complete the project.
Since opening in its new home in July 2011, the Museum has seen visitation rise to 40,000 – 50,000 guests per year, and has received the prestigious TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence Award three years in a row. The Museum has also received the “Brunswick Marketplace People’s Choice 2015”, 1st Place Museum in Brunswick County award.
Visitors have come from all 50 states and some 39 foreign countries. With outreach programs, summer camps, 2nd Saturday events, and a continuing monthly program of adult education events, the Museum reaches up to 90,000 people annually.
The North Carolina Maritime Museum at Southport is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. Admission is free. Donations are always welcome. The North Carolina Maritime Museum at Southport is located at 204 E. Moore St., Southport. 28461. For more information, call 910-457-0003 or visit their website at www.ncmaritimemuseums.com
