The Sailing Museum Opens May 10

The Sailing Museum will officially open its doors to the public on May 10. Located on the waterfront of downtown Newport, Rhode Island in the historic Armory Building that was built in 1894, the museum will offer an innovative multi-media experience.

An educational and cultural non-profit organization, The Sailing Museum will feature the National Sailing Hall of Fame and America’s Cup Hall of Fame. In the space once used as the Press Room for the America’s Cup, the heritage of sailing will be celebrated, the legends of the sport honored, and new sailors and innovators inspired. In addition to the Halls of Fame, The Sailing Museum will feature a mix of high- and low-tech interactive exhibits that share the principles of sailing, provide seasoned sailors with opportunities to test their skills and knowledge, and connect new sailors with resources to get started on their sailing journey.

A collaborative design effort led by award-winning Healy Kohler Design, The Sailing Museum will offer sailing enthusiasts the chance to revel in their sport and new sailors to be enticed to take to the water for the first time. The personalized museum journey begins with the selection of a boat. For sailors, they can select from one of seven; while those experiencing sailing for the first time will be given the option of a short quiz that will help them select a boat. For all, this boat will become their avatar throughout their museum experience, guiding them through the interactive elements, and offering the chance to build skills and earn virtual rewards. The first floor of the museum is divided into six thematic areas: Wind & Water; The Making of a Sailor: Mental; The Making of a Sailor: Physical; Teamwork; Competition; and Legends of Sailing – National Sailing Hall of Fame & America’s Cup Hall of Fame. The second floor is home to additional exhibits and a private lounge honoring Hall of Famers.

Embedded with ‘stealth learning’, exhibits will provide real-world applications of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) concepts that come alive through sailing. These five disciplines are used in everyday activities, promoting problem-solving, and creative and analytical thinking in a more open-ended way and making them applicable to real life. Formal and informal educational programming will be layered into the experience throughout the year.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place May 6 from 10:30 a.m. to noon, to which the public is invited to attend. Rhode Island Lt. Governor Matos will be in attendance and the Governor will provide remarks alongside other dignitaries.