'This institution belongs here': A peek inside The Sailing Museum in the heart of Newport
NEWPORT — As soon as the blue ribbon dropped in the threshold of the historic municipal Armory building on lower Thames Street, a large crowd of people funneled inside to be among the first to see The Sailing Museum ahead of its official opening.
“I can’t tell you how excited I am to welcome you to our new home,” Gus Carlson, president of the National Sailing Hall of Fame, said at the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday.
Carlson guaranteed an “extraordinary experience” for sailors and non-sailors alike who visit the new museum at 365 Thames St. He called it “the most precious new jewel in Newport’s crown.”
The museum is strategically illuminated, featuring interactive exhibits, videos and artifacts. It features, too, the National Sailing Hall of Fame and America’s Cup Hall of Fame.
Previously: The Sailing Museum inside the former Armory has set a date to open. Here's what to expect.
The Daily News reported on the finalized sale of the municipal Armory to the National Sailing Hall of Fame in 2019. It was a long road to get to that point, as some speakers noted Friday. Former Mayor Harry Winthrop first publicly floated the idea of bringing the National Sailing Hall of Fame to Newport in August 2017.
After the City Council approved the purchase-and-sales agreement to sell most of the Armory to the Hall of Fame, the Hall’s board of directors voted to relocate it from the historic Captain Burtis House at City Dock in Annapolis, Maryland, to Newport.
Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos touted the attraction of having such a distinguished museum in the heart of Newport. It’ll be “another reason why (visitors to the state are) going to be coming here,” she said.
“Our sailing and our ocean heritage is … unparalleled,” said Stefan Pryor, the state’s secretary of commerce. “This institution belongs here.”
More: Newport-based American Magic to again represent New York Yacht Club at America's Cup
“I consider this a perfect marriage in Newport,” Mayor Jeanne-Marie Napolitano said.
The museum offers a mix of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) exhibits, as well as information on such topics as the mentalities of sailors.
“You feel like you’re in a boat,” Carmen Critz of Newport said as she stood inside the museum. “It’s a plus for the city … We’re very grateful that they opened this museum.”
The Sailing Museum officially opens to the public on May 10. For more information visit thesailingmuseum.org.
This article originally appeared on Newport Daily News: The Sailing Museum set to open in Newport RI in former Armory
