The Essex Historical Society and Shipbuilding Museum — Attraction in Essex

If the names "Bluenose" and "Thebaud" are familiar to you, if you know the difference between "Chewbacca" and "Chebacco", then you'll be right at home here. The museum is an all too brief look at the schooner building industry that defines Essex. There's enough to be educational, but you'll leave hankering for more. The exhibits are fascinating. The ship models are beautiful. Do yourself a favor and take the guided tour. Justin is a font of knowledge, some first-hand and some told to him by those who were "there", and he really brings the exhibits to life. Then, if you haven't already, go sail on "Ardelle" out of Gloucester, or "Fame" out Salem; both were built the old-fashioned way right across the creek at Harold...

Loved this place! If you like pretty and polish, this may not be your museum, but if you like real and working, you too will love it here. Take your time and discover...all kinds of stuff! There is a lot more here than will at first meet the eye. They build actual wooden boats here too. And by all means don't skip the old schoolhouse annex up the hill and down the block. For some perspective, the day after I visited here, I visited the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath. Of the two, and yes it's a close call, but I prefer Essex. Bath is sprawling, professional, and informative. But Essex...the place itself is an 'exhibit' in it's own right. It...

Friendly staff. I appreciated the effort put forth to remember Essex's shipbuilding past. They could use some more informational material to read if you choose to do the self-guided tour as there wasn't much explaining the tools and things they had on display. I would recommend the guided tour as I'm sure the tour guide goes through all the information you would miss doing the self-guided one. Definitely a small museum but it's nice in that it's not overwhelming with...