Hudson River Maritime Museum Reviews

Located on the waterfront in the historic Rondout area of Kingston. This top notch museum covers the importance of the Hudson River in the history of the Kingston area. Exhibits are well done and very informative. Check out Matilda -- the full size tugboat. I was here off season, so was disappointed that I didn't get a chance to tour the Rondout Light House. Nice gift shop. If you're in the area, put this #1 on your to do list!!!!

We brought our 6 year old son and he really enjoyed the interactive nature of the exhibits. There was a very nice man that works there that pointed out a bunch of fun things for him to try out. We really enjoyed our visit and I highly recommend it for families with inquisitive kids!

They had a lot of artifacts for a small museum. Very informative about the Hudson River history, it's industry, ecosystem and steamboats. Right on the water.

We stopped by out of curiosity and found ourselves having a nice talk with the staff about the history and current plans. Learned a lot.

While working our way up the Hudson River we decided to stop at the Maritime Museum. Nice museum with great information on the maritime history of the Hudson River. Not a large museum, but very informative with nice displays.

They have a Family discount for 2 adults and 2 students, nice offer. We visited on a weekday morning, so they were not very busy, and parking was easy with a free town lot near by.

located on the strand in Kingston, NY. small building where you can get a little local maritime history. They have some boats around the building to look at too. You also have the Trolley Museum nearby. There are several restaurants and little shops along the strand. Its a nice place to visit during the warmer weather.

This is a wonderful museum of the Hudson River and the canal system. The ice sailing information was fantastic and we enjoyed the info on the steam boating on the canal. Wonderful displays and something for everyone's interests.

This museum is a must see if your into nostalgia. Kids have fun operating an old steam engine, have their pictures taken behind a billboard and look into a 1890 steam driven tugboat.

FUn little museum with cool exhibits on the old history of Kingston's maritime past, lots of boat models and pictures. Home to the Kingston Sailing Club (racing sailboats) as well as host to a number of events throughout the year.

Great spot for a visit.
The sloop Clearwater now makes its home here - and the programs offered through the museum are extensive. The historical information is told through a collection of items and stories that personalize the past.
A wonderful location to enjoy shopping and local restaurants, too.

well laid out and clearly documented; lots to learn about the role of this particular port in the earlier centuries of US history

Maritime museum is filled with artifacts of life on the Hudson River, mostly from the past. Model boats. Authentic wooden ice sailing boats. The rondout area is interesting historically. Many ships were repaired here and a few still are, old world wooden boats. Now there are also some good restaurants and a few shops close by.

Few weeks ago the museum had a replica of a Spanish galleon docked for all to climb aboard. It was a beauty. The half moon was here once. Check to see exhibits or visiting ships. There are other boats scattered about like old tug boats. Some pt something. But I love the old sailing ships that visit on occasion. They just finished repairing the Clearwater.

Very enjoyable walk through viewing the information displays and lots of artifacts from ice fishing tools to ice boats to an Indian canoe. The displays were were well presented and interesting, learned so much about the Hudson River!

Right on Rondout Creek, in Kingston. A small museum, dedicated to the maritime history of the Hudson River, definitely worth visiting before or after eating at one of the surrounding seafood restaurants. Kids will love it, and adults will find it very interesting. Close to the trolley museum.

I didn't expect much for $3.50 but was very pleasantly surprised. A small little gem on the inlet of the Hudson with great information about the river, barges, fishing, and life on the Hudson in general. We spent about an hour here which surprised me as I didn't think I would enjoy it (the museum was my wife's idea). If you like tug boats, then this is the place to be!

Definitely something you should add to your list. Spend an hour here, another 30 minutes in the shops in the area, and then have lunch with fresh oysters nearby. Who could want more.

I loved all the artifacts of the steamboats, yachts, history. Kingston is one unique place of history!

The museum is located on the Rondout Creek near the Hudson River. Home of crew teams, Clearwater, as well as other boats with great restaurants all around.

We loved learning about the local history!
Great place to bring the family or even wander around on your own. We go every summer & bring guests who are visiting!

It's much more then a museum. It's History as well as progress. With the Clear Water's dock next door and the new wooden boat school it has so much to offer. Sailing lessons or camp fir kids it's great.

We spent yesterday afternoon at the Hudson River Maritime Museum -admission was included as part of the Fall Foliage boat tour aboard the Solaris that we had booked. The museum is a fascinating look at life along the river In bygone years right up to today’s ecological/environmental efforts in place. There are many artifacts that transpose one back in time. We then set sail on the solar powered boat for a trip down Rondout Creek where we saw several examples of the area’s insutry from tugboats in dry dock for repairs, a barge being towed out of the water on air pontoons, and an example of an old lock along the river. Captain John and crew-mate Tanya were very knowledgeable about the area and seemed happy to answer any of our questions in a fun and friendly manner. The ride was very smooth and quiet and the scenery was beautiful. There is plenty of room on the boat for social distancing and it was immaculate so no worries there.

My sister and I did the Sunset Boat Cruise on the Solaris, and it exceeded our expectations! Our captain, Joe, and guide, Steve, were incredibly friendly and knowledgable, and they made our ride both an entertaining and relaxing experience. The boat is small, quiet, and soothing, perfect for those with or without sea legs. We’d happily go on another tour!

we came to the waterfront here to get our boat for the Hudson River sightseeing cruise, and found this interesting museum! It has a lot of info and the staff are very friendly. As mentioned before, it was so interesting to see how they cut ice in years gone by, when the river froze over. There were old wooden boats, and a lighthouse lens. Don't miss stopping here!

Looking for an indoor activity, my husband and I stopped in at this small gem of a museum. It's chock-a-block with the history of and artifacts of boats and ships on the Hudson. It's absolutely worth a stop.

We were pleasantly surprised by how much there was to see at this museum. Super interesting. We will definitely be back to spend more time and bringing our grandchildren too.

Lots of great info on Kingston and the Rondout Area!

Docked at the museum for the night and the fee included access to the museum.
We wandered throughout the museum.
An area is changed annually and this year it was about the efforts to clean the river from its past industrial time.
Throughout the museum are wooden models of ships used to navigate the Hudson River from the past to now.
One section covers the history of the canal systems up river from Kingston.
It’s not a large museum but worth your time to visit.

I reached out to the museum in the hopes of shooting a scene for a short film on one of their vessels and was shocked by how accommodating and friendly they were! They went above and beyond to help us out in their off season!

We filmed with captain Sam and he took our small crew out to the Hudson on the Solaris. Sam was so knowledgable and helpful-- he went out of his way to help us get the shots we needed and then some! This was such an incredible experience and I can’t wait to return and check out the museum and venture out onto the river again!

I highly recommend a trip on the Solaris to anyone looking for a unique and memorable experience. For filming, the boat was a very gentle ride and quiet— great for shooting scenes with dialogue! The boat is also covered-- we went in late April and had both sun AND rain while we were out, but the covering kept all our gear safe and sound!

There's really not much to see but the whole area is great. Kingston has taken over what used to be Rosita's restaurant and are planning to expand the Maritime Museum. There is also a trolley museum. Be sure to stop a the visitor center for info and brochures. And, if you like, take a boat cruise of the Rondout and Hudson.

A complete history of the work and workings of the area show by artifacts and photos. A real gem! A modest admission fee is icing on the cake.

The Hudson river Maritime Museum in Kingston contains many important artifacts that are representative of the importance of the Hudson River. Located right on the harbor, our small boat docked right next to the museum, which made visiting it and going into town very easy!

Hudson River Maritime museum is a little gem tucked away in Kingston, NY. Excellent day trip from North Jersey. Very pretty location, lots of local history, well presented. Totally enjoyable day. Had lunch next door on the river, just beautiful.

Nice museum! So much fascinating history of the Hudson & surrounding area.. Nicely done. Movies, artifacts, nice atmosphere!

What an impressive surprise. The museum is quite extensive with some excellent, well-curated exhibits. We explored for 2-3 hours. Right in the Rondout area with great restaurants, galleries, and a pretty walkway along the creek.

The Maritime Museum offers an interesting and informative view of the history of boats and history of boating on the Hudson and the Rondout area. Parking can be a problem, especially on weekends.

A lot to offer this small museum on the Hudson. Vintage photos of river life, tugs and steamboats pulling barges of coal from the mines of Pennsylvania, via the D & H canal, to supply NY City and Albany. A time line of development along the Hudson is interesting along with all the lighthouses on the river. There are boat models, art and video's of all kinds of boats. A nice ice harvesting exhibit. Opens at 11:00. Get to town early and visit the Visitors Center and stroll through town and the riverfront.

Interesting museum with in depth history of the area waterfront and trade, etc up and down the Hudson. Highly recommended.

A wonderful source of information about the Hudson River, particularly focused on the local area. A great collection of artifacts describing the part that the river played in the history, growth and development of the region. Plan to spend at least 1.5 to two hours to see it all, then you will find several fine restaurants nearby!

We had a very peaceful and relaxing time at the museum. The displays are grand and information is plentiful with a wide variety of New York history on the waters. We also took a short cruise on the Solaris. The first completely solar powered boat.

Staff was super nice and answered our questions without hesitation. It's a smaller museum, doesn't need a lot of time to do a walk through so a good stop for an hour or two between other attractions. The exhibits are small but full of lots of info, a few interactive pieces here and there. I love history but not particularly in to maritime history, though my husband is, and even I found everything interesting and very well done. The boat/lighthouse tour wasn't an option for us considering my husband's wheelchair but another boat cruise option is only a few feet away so there's still options for that though it's not related to the maritime museum. Just nice to have that option there so close by. The museum also has a wonderful collection of models and miniatures of historic boats that we both loved and original pieces of historical vessels. Will def stop by again when we're back in the area!

If you are into history beyond what they give you in high school and college, places like this are a gift from heaven. They talk about the Erie Canal in school, but little is mentioned of the other two canals, one still in use that were opened within two years or the Erie. The Champlain canal is still in use, and the D&H canal was instrumental in the building of NYC into the metropolis it is today. That exhibit goes until November I think.

If you are a local and don’t stop in just once, your missing a rich history lesson that will leave appreciating where we live so much more. If you are from out of town, welcome to the Hudson Valley. If you are lucky you may get a view of the clearwater. This weekend a pirate ship ( for real) is docked outside. While you are here take a trip on the Rip Van Winkle for a few hours. I bought a family membership which gets you a discount on programs and classes at the boat building school.

See you there.

Especially interesting museum. Great info about the river, the Indians, the wildlife and the famous boats. Powered by new solar cells. The launch point for the light house tour. The history of the D& H and Erie canals. Great for any history buff. Great info about tug boats and fire boats. Fire boat history includes their use at Pearl Harbor.

The area also harvested Ice and was a source for bluestone and cement. So much to learn. Interesting info about ice boats. Great place allow at least 2 hours.

Spent about 2-3 hours reading every exhibit. Was the only one there! Lots of history, ship models, videos. Definitely worth a visit. And stop by the wooden boat workshop next door as well!

i stopped with my granddaughter on the way back from Hyde Park and it was a very interesting part of the river history that I was unfamiliar with but unfortunately the museum was a little worn.

Nice little museum with stories and pictures of maritime life in the Hudson region over the years. Located right off the river as well.

This was our first family trip to the museum and on the Solaris to the Rondout Lighthouse. The whole experience was professionally-managed, with a friendly and knowledgeable guide, welcoming captain, and warmly-engaged crew-woman. The lighthouse itself was very interesting to see and offered great views of the Hudson. We drive up from the city and it was well worth it.

The museum packs a lot into a smallish space. A lot of information on the system of canals that brought coal from NE Pennsylvania to Kingston and ultimately to NYC. The opportunity to take their solar-powered boat "Solaris" out to the Rondout Lighthouse is what drew us to the museum. Your boat tour fee included admission to the museum and it's well worth spending some time before or after your boat ride. A nice gift shop too.

What a surprise to find this little gem while we waited for friends to arrive! There are so many great things to see and learn about in the museum. Take the time, open the door, go in and find yourself back in history. You can even touch some things! We enjoyed it😄

The museum features some of the best ship models, that I have seen. It is a self-guided "take your time" experience. Two things to note: there is a free parking area although the sign is confusing and if using google maps gps one might get a message that no route is available to your next destination. Simply drive back toward the town of Kingston, a higher elevation and you will be all set.

We spent about 90 minutes looking at the video, models of boats, and displays here. There are many interesting exhibits to see. The information about the explorer, Henry Hudson, the history of the river, the ice harvesting industry, and living and working at a lighthouse particularly stood out to me.

The Solaris boat is so nice to ride on - smooth and quiet. It's totally solar powered. The guide was great and knowledgeable. The captain was really cool. The natural history and local history is neat to learn about, and the lighthouse tour was fun.

The museum shows how local business impacted the region, state, and country in many important ways. Had exhibits on brick making, cement, fishing, coal transportation, ice, produce, and tourism, and how the Hudson River played an important part in the transportation of those things to NYC and beyond. Many models of ferryboats, cargo ships, and passenger steamers are on display. There are photos of the lighthouses on the Hudson, and one is literally just down the creek from the museum. There is an old tugboat on the grounds, and it is slowly being restored. A new building is being erected as the winter storage of the sloop Clearwater. Well worth the time to read all the descriptions on the exhibits. The small gift shop has quality items.

We enjoyed visiting and got a good overview of history on the Hudson River. Some nice artifacts and displays featuring various aspects of commerce and natural history .

My interest piqued by the novel “A Catskill Journey”, I was excited to visit the Hudson River Maritime Museum. The museum does an excellent presentation of the history of the Hudson River and its importance beyond the local communities. The early natives, commercial fishing, large steamships, brick industries, bluestone distribution and more are all well explained. The models room of the ships is worth admission alone. I took the “Wrecked and Abandoned Ship Tour” tour on the solar powered “Solaris”. The staff was very knowledgeable and interesting. As others have noted, it is also a pleasure to move silently in the water. I recommend taking the time to visit the Hudson River Maritime Museum.

From the outside this museum looks small but once you are inside and walk through all the rooms it is quite large. A lot of information on the Hudson river. Has information and boats that were used for ice racing.

We visited this historic port especially to see this museum. Unfortunately it was closed but their was lots to see just walking around.
Knowing about the Hudson River, here we learned about the importance of this Rondout Creek, especially the passenger steamboat to NYC and the sailing sloop shipment of stone, bricks and coal.
A mile downriver at the mouth of this creek, we found the 1915 48’ Rondout Light.

Worth a trip just to see the model boats.
Outside area calm and serene with water tours available as well as light house tours.

This is a great stop along the waterfront to take the kids. We have visited twice. It is much better if you call ahead and schedule a tour guide. They were great! This trip we did not have a tour guide, but we used a scavenger hunt (ask at the front desk) and that really got the kids involved. Take ashort walk across the street over to the trolly museum...and go for a little ride.

Lots of great information and I learned a lot about boating history in general as well as history specific to the area. We did not take the boat ride on the Hudson. The museum is larger than it first appears so you could spend quite a bit of time here if you wanted to read literally everything. Some of the audio displays were not working when we were there. Small gift shop with books, children’s items and crafts from local artisans. Entrance fee is very reasonable- so, worth a stop.

Lot more on the inside than what it looks from the outside, I learned a lot about the Hudson that I didn't know. Informational displays, a particularly clever video display of taking a tugboat down the creek, some interesting artifacts.

The Museum has added a ship building school to it's operation on the beautiful Rondout Creek , you can learn how to build sailing ships and see how it's all done. The Museum is also the winter home for the Clearwater, go back in time and see how life was on the river years ago.

This is a small maritime museum, agreeably welcoming. It makes good connections with Kingston, which was once an important harbour and shipbuilding centre, and the exhibits help bring Kingston's history to life. We particularly liked the ice yacht, which inspired a somewhat unrealistic aspiration to experience a new sport. It would have been interesting to see inside the old tug which is a museum exhibit. Unfortunately it seems that visits on board have been suspended or discontinued. Nearby, and I think connected, is a wooden boat building centre, where astonishing skill are on display. If you are visiting the Rondout area of Kingston, this is a good place to take in. I give the four star rating for what it is - a modest and small museum which makes the most of its exhibits.

We were disappointed that the Hudson River Boat Cruise was sold out. We did however. enjoy the Museum.

The cruise too Roundout Lighthouse was very knowledgeable & the Captain did very well experienced.
This was our very first time going too this lighthouse.

A very straightforward small museum, containing interesting information mostly about the commercial history of the Hudson (ice, fishing, shipping, barges and tugs). Not a prime destination, but a solid secondary one.

Great place to stop into and visit while your visiting the waterfront in Kingston. Historical city to see.

It was a lovely museum for those interested in the early development of boats and the Hudson River. I wish it were a little larger.

Has a lot of interesting stuff of Hudson River history. Boat building school attached to the museum and can learn a lot of history.good to visit with family and kids.

The Maritime Museum is an nice place to visit if you are interested in the history of shipping on the Hudson River. There are many interesting exhibits which chronical the major role the shipping industry played in the development along the Hudson. There are lots of miniature model boats on display.

We went to this museum mainly to get the ride to the Rondout Lighthouse. The museum itself is small but very nice with interesting exhibits on the history of Hudson Ferries and lighthouses. The models of various boats in the museum are expertly crafted and are amazing to see. The highlight for us was the short ride to the Rondout Lighthouse which provides some amazing views of the river. The lighthouse tour was informative about local history and offered some nice views as well. A nice time to spend about an hour or so. A little steep at $20 each, but that included the boat ride and entrance to museum.

liked the museum and spent a lot of time on rondout creek park watching sail boats cruise the creek and visit with family members

A great little museum, packed with tons of history and artifacts --- everything from the history of ferry boats on the Hudson, to lighthouse artifacts, and ice sailing! Who knew?

I enjoyed this museum because it was set up in a visitor friendly way.
Exhibit stations were easy to read and very informative. It made the experience of going aboard the Amistad and seeing the River Maritime Museum a very memorable trip.

A true Hudson Valley gem. Smartly curated 'real' exhibits engaging for all ages. The Volunteers deeply care about preserving and presenting the deep Hudson Valley maritime history. I return and contribute often. Turn off your screen and dive in.

I went to visit the museum to see their exhibit on Hudson River Lighthouses. They had a whole room designated for this and it was excellent. They had a wall mural, numerous lenses, a fantastic model of the old Rondout Light, and a video showing you what it is like inside that lighthouse. Also in the museum were great models of Hudson River steamboats, tugs, and a wheelhouse. They did a great job explaining how ice was harvested from the river and how ice sailing was a very competitive sport on the river. I also enjoyed the exhibit on brick making along the Hudson. In the courtyard is the tugboat Mathilda into which you can view the engine room.

The Hudson River Maritime Museum is one of those underrated museums that you come across that is packed with interesting information, interesting exhibitions and engaging displays. If you are interested in the history of the maritime exploration, the history of the canal systems and the growth of the manufacturing industry of the Hudson River Valley, this museum has all the answers and in a interactive way.

The displays are very interesting and there is a lot of reading to do (not very Gen Z). They explain not just the shipping industry but the whole history from when the Indians traded with the Dutch up to the changes in the towns with modern day gentrification and the growth of 'cottage' artist communities.

It is a very underrated museum that you should visit when you are at the Kingston Roundout or visiting the Kingston area.

I loved the ice sailing exhibit and my kids (5 & 7) liked to spin the helm. It is a small place, but also the (small) gift shop held a number of local items that were pretty cool. The woman running the place also allowed the kids to bang on the ship's bell very loudly, which they loved!

If you're really into boats, this is a great museum. If not, not so much. I'm more into the historical side and it was good for that. It's a small museum and if you read everything they have displayed, you could stay all day.

We did the Solaris Lighthouse Tour and enjoyed it tremendously. Friendly and knowledgeable tour guide made for a great trip. The electric outboard motor is super quiet.

Visited while looking at lighthouses along the Hudson River. This was a very informative museum. The staff was helpful. The grounds well kept. I was impressed by the dugout canoe on display - different than I imagined. Very enjoyable and well worth the time.

The museum is located on the Rondout Creek near the Hudson River. This was our first stop on a week-long vacation exploring the Hudson River Valley in New York. We stopped at this museum to get a history of the Hudson River Valley. There were lots of exhibits, some permanent and some rotating. The main attraction during our visit was art in the area. Not very interesting to us, as our objective was history and the development of the maritime industry on the Hudson and development of the area. They did have a very good section on this topic.

For $7 this was very entertaining. The exhibits on the tug boats were very interesting. We had to pull ourselves away from the tugboat history movie. I also liked the ice harvesting exhibit. The lighthouse exhibit was also enjoyable. We spent about 2 hours in there and it did not seem like it was that long.

My husband and I went to Hurley NY for Stone House Day and realized the Maritime Museum was very close so we went there. I had a brochure that stated you could get a boat trip to the lighthouse and see the museum. When we got there the gentleman selling tickets informed us that they haven't done the lighthouse tour in years. It was very disappointing since I love light houses. We decided since we were there we would see the museum. They had a lot of interesting history of the type of boats that have navigated the Hudson River over the years, Most of the displays are pictures or models. If in the area it is somewhat interesting but I wouldn't drive to Kingston NY just to see it.

They did a nice job with this museum considering what it was many years ago. They keep growing the attraction so I give them a lot fo credit for their dedication and perseverance. There are some boat rides nearby so you can make a nice day of it by taking a nice guided tour down the Hudson. All in all, you can have a nice fun day with the family in the Kingston waterfront district.

We visited on a rainy day. Good decision. The museum tells the story of transportation on the Hudson River from the perspective of the people who worked the river. Lots of memorabilia, photos, ship models, and other artifacts from the tugboat operators and lighthouse keepers.

A fun and interesting way to spend two hours. Check the website for special events and exhibits.

Unfortunately, the interactive features inside, like a model Fresnel light and a steam engine, were disabled. The sound quality on one video was too poor to hear at all. In other places, the museum was clearly a work in progress, but worth the time and nominal admission fee to learn about those hardy, industrious folk and their history.

I especially enjoyed the focus on tugboats because I come from a family of tugboat captains. The photos, videos and displays are very well done. There is an actual antique tugboat "on the hard" just outside the museum, which is located on Rondout Creek.

We loved the Haunted History Solaris Boat Tour! We went 11/1/2020. Greg our guide was very sweet and told great spooky campy stories. It was very cold and rainy out and I didn't mind at all. We were offered blankets and hot tea to make us comfortable. We live locally and I have never been on the river at night. It was a great experience. Everyone wore masks, the Captain gave is a run down of their Covid protocols and I was very comfortable with it. It was great way to be outside during Covid. Dress warm and enjoy the super quiet solar boat on the water at night!

We went to the museum and did not really expect much. But were we wrong! A great museum with fantastic ship models, relics, antiques and was just awesome. The guide was wonderful. Very nice to us and eager to answer all questions. There is even a Dayline bell you can ring Don't miss this great museum.

My husband and I thought this place was pretty cool. There's a lot of interesting history and memorabilia packed into a small place. The video on "ice boats" was especially neat. We only had an hr before our river cruise, so it was really not enough time to enjoy the museum. I definitely recommend stopping here if you're in the area

Unfortunately we arrived about half an hour before the museum was set to close, but the staff allowed us to go in for free as we were only going to be able to squeeze in a cursory glance at the exhibits. The inside of the building is HUGE and there is a lot more to see than it appears from the outside. If you’re interested in maritime history, this is a definite must-see!

wonderful crew and boat with a max of 16 people ..we loved everything about it . the boat was built there and is 100 % solar powered ..

We spent an enjoyable couple of hours in this interesting museum located on the waterfront in the Rondout section of Kingston. The entrance fee was a reasonable $7.00 per person. My husband and I are both fascinated by steamboat travel and there is a nice display about it. There are also exhibits pertaining to Native American use of the river, European exploration, steamboat and other disasters on the river, archaeology, ice harvesting and other boating activity on the river. As a previous reviewer mentioned, the building is not well air conditioned and it was a bit warm inside, but don't let that deter anyone from visiting this little gem.

My daughter and I were on our way back home when we took a detour to Kingston. Since we are museum-goers, we headed to the Maritime Museum. My daughter noticed that the lighthouse tour was beginning shortly, so we signed up. What a wonderful two hours we had! We basically started with the lighthouse tour. Had a very pleasant boat ride out and loved the tour. Back at the museum we had a wonderful (and informative) time browsing in the museum which was larger than we thought. Definitely worth planning a visit here!

There was a lot to see and do from this surprisingly little museum. Started out with a little history, native Americans, Henry Hudson etc. but quickly branched into the steamboat history, the Erie Canal, industrial archaeology in the Hudson Valley, the ecology, recreation like boating and fishing, the ice harvesting industry, and even stuff that is threatening the river nowadays like climate change and invasive species. There was even a great little gift shop and boat building workshop. Outside in the yard there was a big tugboat too. We took the boat ride out to the Rondout lighthouse, enjoying the views, the breezes, the sunshine and the tour of the lighthouse. Such fun!

This is a nice museum with plenty of Hudson River boat history. The first section of the building is filled with intricate models of historical river boats. The artistry and detail is very impressive. It also had a number of actual boats and lighthouse lamps. Very interesting. It was a fairly small museum, it took just an hour to see everything.

i finally went in after living here my entire life and gave me deep insight into how the rondout was an essential part of the hudson river maritime trade in the east

An outstanding museum (and staff) that chronicles the history of the mid portion of the Hudson River with artifacts, dioramas and displays. The museum is also kick off point for the boat to the Rondout and Esopus Meadows lighthouses on alternate Saturdays. Tour guides are provided. The museum is the new home to the Hudson River Sloop "Clearwater" that has been sailing the river for over 20 years. This is a great place that is open from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Check their website for festival schedules which occur periodically. Little gift shop also has normal local trinkets and menus of local restaurants.
The walkway along the creek is new and allows an easy stroll about a half mile upstream. Free parking is usually found under the bridge on the opposite side of the street. There is metered parking on the streets that must be fed all days but Sunday.

Went for the sunset cruise on the Solaris for my birthday. Definitely reccomend, the boat is really neat and the crew was awesome.

If you're at all curious about the area and its history. the Maritime Museum is a must see. It's a little small, and the exhibits could use an update, but it's still very much worth the trip.

Included with our tour of the lighthouse by solar boat, the Hudson Maritime museum was much more extensive and fascinating than I would have thought. We are not “water” people and have limited knowledge of maritime history. Despite that fact, the Museum was incredibly interesting. It really was well done. There was also good information about the Hudson River and it’s history including information about native populations

Interesting little museum. Great for adults and for kids. You can go through the entire place in under an hour.

The Hudson River Maritime Museum is a wonderful source of information about the trade and navigation on the lower Hudson.

Small museum with self guided tour. Walking around the tug boat outside was impressive. The history of the steam boats that traveled up and down the river was very good.

The Hudson river Maritime Museum offers so much information on the history of our beautiful Hudson River.
We also took the music cruise on the COMPLETELY SOLAR POWERED BOAT, Solaris. It was a peaceful ending to a hectic day. Loved the music of The Mammals, too.

Now that I've been there, I can say, the three guidebooks I consulted before making my plans all overhyped this museum. Exhibits and artifacts were dusty and had spider webs. Staff was unfriendly--front desk was chewing food when we paid to get in. Other workers we passed never said even a "hi" or "welcome." No docents. No volunteers. Seems underfunded. Gift shop, an afterthought. Needs physical overhaul, updating. Over-reached in trying to cover too much. Should stick with local history and culture. Upside: historic photo montage of workers/industry and small ice yaching exhibit. Area outside a mess. What a disappointment.

We visited here after booking a nearby campground. I called in advance and the employee I spoke to was very helpful. They have a family rate of $20 which I thought was a good deal.
We arrived on Thursday, May 18th. It's located in Kingston, NY but the area is very quaint and the museum is right on the Hudson River. It's an older brick building, but do not be deceived, because it's much larger inside.
The staff has done an excellent job of making exhibits both educational and hands on. We were able to learn about lighthouses of the Hudson, Rowing throughout the years, Indian tribes, Ice & brick industries, and most importantly, boats on the river! My children enjoyed it immensely. However, I would not bring in a child younger than 5-6 years old.
Right outside of the museum are docks where workers are restoring old boats and/or building new wooden ones. You can also book a tour with the Hudson River Tours next door.

I ike the history of the Hudson River Steamboats. Be sure to check the website for hours they are open..Also set along Kingston's water front...a lovely walk

I found it extremely interesting and learned a lot. The teens interested in boats thought it was cool but the younger bunch were. Bored very quickly. Try to schedule ur visit during one of ther many festival's to keep the whole family intrigued.

We enjoyed the stop here and learned a lot about the Hudson. We enjoyed the personal information from the staff.

Took some friends to Rondout to have lunch and see the Maritime Museum. It's a great place with lots of artifacts, boats and images. They now have a boat shop where wooden boats are being made. wonderful place and well worth the time to visit.

I learned a lot about the Hudson River through the museum's displays and videos. Everyone is able to go through the museum at their own pace.

The museum is nice if your into reading a lot. We took the tour of the lighthouse and they boat broke down and we were waiting a long time on the light house island in a heat wave. Finally they came with a little boat without seats where we had to sit on the edge. instead of apologizing, the captain told us we were lucky their boat broke down because we got to ride on 2 different boats. The captain also seemed to get distracted easily. On the way back someone asked him a question and he turned around to answer it as the boat was veering towards the side of the hudson. Luckily he young guy helping him grabbed the wheel and steered away from the edge as the captain just continued talking as he was turned around.

A very complete rendition of the history and culture of the Hudson River, illustrated by artifacts, models and audio/video presentations. A more complete experience than the modest admission fee would suggest.

We went to a lecture one evening on the history of local buildings. The museum itself is very informative and I loved the whole atmosphere. The lecture was wonderful and they served drinks and cookies beforehand. They have a great gift shop with lots of memorabilia of the area.
It is located in a revived older section of town with lots of restaurants and shops to wander about.

Our cruise boat docks next to the Hudson river Maritime Museum, and they offer free admission when we show our name tag. There are many interesting exhibits inside, and there are books and other historical items you can purchase. If you are visiting Kingston, it's worth spending some time in here and learn more about the area.

Comprehensive view of how important the Hudson River was to NY State's history. Filled with all the memorabilia of the river boats, the most prominent being the Mary Powell. A fantastic room and video of ice boat racing. Original documents and posters decorate the wall.

Cute museum detailing the history of the Hudson river and everything about it....great for kids and adults as well. Highly recommended

This exceeded our expectations. There was a lot of information presented in an interesting
fashion. We spent almost 2 hours here.

Amazing history on the Hudson River is found at this large museum, back to the time of the first settlers, up to the Industrial Age to present . Very cool.

We enjoyed the displays and the wonderful model boats. The staff were well educated and friendly. A great place to stop by before taking a cruise on the Hudson.

This museum does an excellent job of interpreting the history of the Hudson River and the river's impact on the economic development of not only New York but the entire nation. It is well worth a visit for those interested in general history but also the specialist in economic development and riverine commerce in particular.

It is an accessable, historic, beautiful siite located at the foot of Broadway Kingston NY. It is on the Rondout and surrounded by good restaurants. You can watch crew, kayak on your own or just watch. You may also see the Clearwater or Half Moon. h

A good place to learn about navigation and commerce/recreation on the Hudson River. The tour includes a visit to a nearby lighthouse, via a solar powered boat.

Come in & enjoy the history of all types of boats from years ago to present days. See how the Hudson River was navigated & used for many reasons. Enjoy the structures & mini models of the year's past boats that helped make our Country come alive!

While the museum itself is a bit dated, the extra trip to the Rondout Lighthouse made the Hudson River come alive. The guide was superb & brought the lighthouse keeper families to life. Being able to get onto the river & experience the confined area of this unique lighthouse showed what life was like - the river was the "backyard" for the family where they ice skated to school in winter or paddled a boat to the shore when the river wasn't frozen.

History of Kingston fascinating , splayed out in Museum. Neat boat ride on a tender to the lighthouse at the head of the Roundout Creek interesting too. ( It's all part of the deal)

I grew up in the area, but this was my first visit to the museum. It is smallish, but I think nice for those of us who may not want to spend all day at a massive spread out place like Mystic Seaport. The exhibits all relate to the Hudson and its history. Ice racing, tug boats, the Day Liner, the old ferries and light houses are all covered. There is a real tug in dry dock, wish we could go on her, but you can see her mighty engine. It is wonderful to see an area I remember as run down and a little scary be rejuvenated . There are also several restaurants within walking distance. The museum has a small gift shop with a friendly cashier.

We stopped at the museum before embarking on the boat ride nearby. It focuses on shipping and commercial use of the river and its associated canals and as such makes a nice bookend to the Yonkers Hudson River Museum, which concentrates more on ecology and environment. It looks small, but they've packed quite a bit in there. It also has some hands-on activities for kids as well as a nice shop.

Get a glimpse back at what life in the Hudson Valley was like. Interesting collection of artifacts. For adults and children alike.

Inside held a great deal of history, outside left you wondering "where's the rest?" Went with our four year old, and had to wait almost 10 mins for the woman at the desk to stop socializing with other people just so we could pay our admission which left me a tad irritated. Otherwise was good visit.

A wealth of information and things to learn. It's small but packed with lots of information. I'm local and frequently bring visitors there as well as adding in visits ourselves, as they do change the exhibits.

Looking for a maritime museum I found this online. About two hours from where I live I decided to give it a try. It is mostly about commerce on the Hudson with some recreational displays. I found it interesting but know that it is mostly ship models. There is a tugboat on the property that you can view the outside of. It is very large and you can not see the decks etc. Part of the museum is a wooden boat building school but no commentary from the workers. On the whole if you are in the area it is worth a stop. They even offer senior discounts, as I was leaving I observed them giving the discount but I did not know to ask so I paid full price. The cost is $7 for an adult. I do not think young children would like it since most of the displays are models with an description card to read next to it.

Museum has many exhibits regarding the history of the Hudson River. Located in the wonderful Rondout area of Kingston, New York. Great place to visit. The area is small, but there are many things to do.

Took the 4pm tour of the Roundout creek on the Solaris. Nice quiet boat. Use a walker and it was easy access. The cushions are a bit hard bit generally comfortable. We live near the Hudson and thought the "captain" and mate would know some real history but we actually told them about the river. The folks who run the museum should give new hires a crash course on the Hudson. The music tours might be a better bet.
An outside table at Old Savannah is a great way to end the day.

The Hudson River Maritime Museum is at the heart of the Kingston waterfront renaissance. Featuring interesting exhibits on tugboats, steamboats, and lighthouses, the museum also is home to the Riverport Wooden Boat School.
The museum is open 7 days a week, 11 am to 5 pm, April 30th, 2016 through November 25th, 2016. During the rest of the year, the museum will be open by appointment and limited winter hours.
The Hudson River Maritime Museum is located on the Rondout Creek in the Rondout area of the city of Kingston, New York.
The Kingston Home Port and Education Center multi-purpose building serves as a winter berth and repair shop for the sloop Clearwater, and as a center for the community to gather for educational programs, music, special events, workshops and meetings.
Other partners in the Rondout-West Strand Historic District include the Rondout Rowing Club, the Kingston Trolley Museum, the T.R. Gallo West Strand Park, and the Heritage Area Visitors Center. The Hudson River Cruises’ boat Rip Van Winkle sails out of the dock in the historic waterfront district.
My sister and I were in the area for a late afternoon wedding, and we spent several hours here one day, and had lunch at the Mariner’s Harbor Restaurant. We enjoyed it so much that we came back the next day and spent several more hours, and had lunch at the Ship to Shore Bistro.

A reasonably priced museum with much more to offer than its seemingly small size. An amazing insight into life in Kingston and on the Hudson in days gone by.

Great news about the HRMM creating the River Port Wooden Boat Building School situated on site of the old Kingston Rhinecliff Ferry.

Since the Dutch first settled the Rondout, it has been the gateway to the Hudson Valley and Catskill Mts. The history of the Rondout being the center of commerce in the Hudson Valley speaks for itself. It is only fitting that wooden boats are built upon the shores of the Rondout Creek once more.

Not only will the newly trained craftsman keep the Clearwater afloat continuing its mission on the Hudson River for another 25 years and more, River Port Wooden Boat Building School will be a catalyst drawing students & communities alike, from across the Hudson Valley for construction of and then competition in wooden boats.

Imagine spectators lining Kingston Point Park and the RhineCliff Station boat ramp to cheer their community rowing teams as they race their Long Boats out on the Hudson and maybe earn an invitation to the Northeast Regional Youth Open Water Rowing Championship in Hull, MA.

Or Herreshoff 12 1/2 Sloops darting to & from the Hudson's shores competing for the coveted Cup.

Please visit HRMM.org to learn more. Thank You.

The Hudson River Maritime center museum and boat building school are a phenomenal addition to the Kingston, NY area. The museum has a wonderful collection, detailing Kingston’s rich history dating back to Henry Hudson and the many central roles Kingston played in the eastern USA during the previous four centuries. The connection to the famed Hudson River Clearwater, also here, and the classic wooden boat building school present a unique view of Kingston, the first capital of New York.
You can enjoy the upgraded water front, beautiful post and beam structures, either arriving by car or by boat (there are plenty of public docks), along with the many top restaurants located within a few hundred feet.
The coolest thing is the new 100%, totally solar powered boat, built there (The Solaris). This is the first in the nation, coast guard approved, 100% solar powered commercial boat. I’ve ridden on it twice, and the quiet, beautiful ride on the Hudson is a delight to behold, powered only by the sun!!!
Don’t miss visiting the Hudson River Maritime Museum. It’s a really cool place to see, especially if you have any of these interest areas: science, history, innovation and ecology.

A small museam devoted to changing exibits conecting the Kingston Rondout area to the rest of the world. There are seasonal festivals. The museum grounds is now the winter home of the Sloop Clearwater, areplica of the Dutch trading vessels that served the farmers, trappers and businessmen of the Hudson valley in the 18th and early 19th century.

Excellent trip! Jack was our guide, he is very friendly and knowledgeable. It was a smooth boat ride with a comfortable deck.

Our trip was very leisurely and the guide was extremely informative. We only went a short distance....just to the mouth of the Rondout Creek where it branches off from the Hudson River. We were able to climb up in to the Rondout Lighthouse and the guide gave us a running commentary about all aspects of the lighthouse. Very interesting.

Despite being assured that it was air-conditioned, only one room (plus the museum shop) had any air conditioning. That might not be a problem most months of the year, but when the temps are pushing 100 outside, being stuck in an old building with no air conditioning does not make for a pleasant visit. There weren't even fans running in two of the rooms, so it was stuffy to boot. I can't imagine that the hot, humid air is very good for many of the paintings and artifacts on display.

As for the exhibits, it is certainly very small. Even if you stopped to read everything, it probably wouldn't take much more than an hour to go through it all. However, there were a couple stand-out exhibits. The room on shipwrecks on the Hudson was our favorite (and not simply because it was the only air-conditioned room!), and the East Gallery contained numerous pieces from the age of the steamboats, which was fascinating as well. All in all, something fun to do if you are already in the area for a Hudson River Cruise, but I wouldn't go out of your way to visit.

Also - for a little something extra - try to get their when the Half Moon (the replica of Henry Hudson's ship) is docked there. VERY interesting stuff.

The museum has a variety of exhibits which with a few minor exceptions are geared towards adults. There were only a few other visitors there so we wondered around at our own pace for about an hour. I grew up in the Hudson Valley but I still learned a lot. The person at the front desk was wonderful and made the visit even more enjoyable. Overall time and money well spent. I would recommend the museum to adults and children over the age of 12.

Small waterside museum that shows historical info for the Hudson River and nearby waterways. Exhibits included historical ferries and day liners. Worth the visit.

A very nice museum with well-planned exhibits highlighting the history of the Hudson River. The museum itself is relatively small but they pack in a fair amount of exhibits that chronicle the River's industrial and ecological history as well as general maritime history. It's location right on the Hudson makes it a perfect stop while exploring Kingston.

the hudson river marintime museum is one of the best museums that I have ever been to, not only because of its exhibits, but also the friendly atmosphere. I have chatted for a long time with the museums' staffs, and it is really interesting to hear what they have acknowledged. Many of the gift shop staffs are volunteers, but they are all very knowledgable about the area and the museum.

the inside of the museum contains a lot of interesting photos, models, the items from the steamers, sloops and even bricks and other staffs. I think the the size of the exhibits is about the medium, if you look through everything carefully, it will easily take you two hours. The only bad thing is that they can no longer provide a Rondout lighthouse tour because the ship company sold the passenger ship.

Museum just located next to the Rondout area, it will be excellent to plan a trip to Rondout for a half a day in weekends, first to look around the historical houses in the area, and then go to marintime museum, take a visit to nearby trolley museum for a trolley ride, after that, having a great lunch, and end the trip with a hudson river cruise running. It will definitely be a memorable trip for the whole family!

While this is a little dated, it suited my purposes. I have ancestors from this area and this gave me a good outlook on boat building and other industries in the area historically.

Very interesting exhibit. You really geta feeling of what the Hudson was like when it was a major transportation way. They are now setting up a school of boatbuilding and this week will have an Antique boat show. On top of that, they are the home of the Clearwater and a water taxi is run from their docks to and from Amtrak in Rhinecliff

A visit to this museum is a MUST for anyone interested in the Hudson Valley. It offers explanations and exhibits of maritime history as well as the history of the cement and brick industries of the area.

My son and I loved the Hudson River Maritime Museum! A good part of the museum focused on the ferries and tugboats of the great shipbuilders, and maritime history. Currently, there's also a very interesting exhibit on the lighthouses along the Hudson River. One of the lighthouses is within viewing distance--the Rondout Lighthouse.

We went on a free pass, but it's definitely worth the price!

Go around the back of the museum, also, and take a walk along the water, if you'd like. Diagonally across from the museum is the Trolley Museum. If you take the trolley tour, you can get a good view of the Rondout Lighthouse. I'm glad we learned about this lighthouse at the Maritime Museum, first!

The workers at the museum are very nice and knowledgeable, as well!

You probably don't know much about the really bustling shipbuilding and shipping industry that was going gangbusters along the Rondout Creek in the 19th and first half of the 20th century....this museum doesn't look like much on the outside, but it's fascinating on the inside -- photographs, models, documents....it's just great. And then you can go out and stroll along the creek, have a bite to eat or drink....a lovely weekend afternoon!

The Museum offers a great perspective of maritime life on the Hudson River. The displays are well done and varied. It is spacious, clean and informative.

The staff is very friendly. There is a small gift shop on site as well.

They offer tours of the Rondout lighthouse for an additional fee. It is well worth the additional money. They transport you to the lighthouse on a small pontoon boat so tour sizes are small. Once at the lighthouse, a docent provides a story of the wonderful history of the lighthouse.

The grounds are well maintained as well.

This was a wonderful surprise. I didn't expect to see such a well organized museum.

Well done!

The museum has a nice set-up. I was a little confused about where to begin but ... there are videos and interactive exhibits. Discusses climate change as well as maritime history on the Hudson. There is also some history of rowing as a sport. It was fun to participate in a scavenger hunt. The museum is self-guided. They have a gift shop. An exhibit about the Erie Canal as well. They also offer tours on boats. I went on the Wrecked and Abandoned Tour. It was fun and we saw a few wrecks and abandoned boats, not as many as I was expecting. Has to do with high tide and low tide. The Captain and the deckhand on the boat were helpful and knowledgeable. We also had a lovely tour guide Pamela. Parking is free across the street from the museum. Otherwise there is street parking, you need quarters.

We stopped here during a tour through the Kingston area. I wasn't quite sure what we would see since we have done quite a few different nautical themed tours over the years. I thought worst case we would have a place to kill about 2 hours until our dinner reservation. I was pleasantly surprised. When we first walked in it looked very small. I thought that was all there was and then the very talkative 'greeter' told us to head down a hallway. It got to be great. There was a little display about Henry Hudson and the arrival of the first Europeans. I knew most of that but it was still interesting. There was also a nice display of tugboat images and materials. It could have included a little more information near the beginning about why this was such a key point in the Hudson, that showed up later but might have been nice to have near the beginning. They had a whole room set aside for lighthouse stuff. It was a little out of date in spots (talked about how you could go do a tour of the one lighthouse through the museum but that is temporarily off). By still it was great. The last large room, maybe the size of a large school gym, was broken up into about 6 different pieces. It talked about ice cutting, ice racing, ferries. the small boats that were used, the day and night trips on the river, and the ecology of the river. I especially like the ice racing since I had never seen that before. The 2 hours flew by though I am not sure there would have been a lot more to see. Overall it was a very good 2-3 hour visit. My biggest disappoint concerned the lighthouse tour. I knew from checking ahead that it wasn't going to happen, just a little tough to be reminded several times of how it used to be an option.

Vern nice museum, great exhibits very clean and nicely done, we really could have used a little more time to investigate a little further, but we had a boat to catch. The exhibit of the light houses on the Hudson River has me wanting to go back and travel the full length of the river and visit all the light houses, maybe a future trip. The hostess in the museum was a real treasure and we so enjoyed talking to her, she was so friendly and perfect for this job. Neat little gift shop with some interesting book finds and nice little maritime trinkets and gifts.

The rooms were more than expected. Colorful and plenty of dioramas and boats. Much better than anticipated.

It won't take too long to see so take an hour and stop on by. The exhibit is well laid out and helps one appreciate exactly why the river was so critical to commerce "back in the day"

We came here on a weekend. I did not see any price sheet on the outside. The young lady said, "That will be $12.00. Others mentioned $3.50. That did not happen. When we left, my wife noticed a small sign that said, "Seniors - $5.00." So I screwed up. She could have asked. Anyway, the bulk of the exhibits are folksy, but amatuerish. Drawings of ships, old (old) photos. And a number of loop videos. Nice, informative, but not world class. We did get to tour a retired tugboat outside, which was pretty cool. But in the end, just average.

We visited this great museum because we read somewhere that they had a lighthouse tour and decided to sign up. If you arrive by car, there’s parking right outside, but you have to pay for it at a meter. Across the road there's some free parking. The lighthouse tour goes from a landing stage at the back of the museum. It’s worth visiting the museum restrooms before you set off, since there are no toilets en route. The trip out takes just a few minutes on a solar-powered boat. The lighthouse itself is fascinating and we were lucky enough to have an excellent docent tour guide show us around. The building has been left as it was when it was last occupied; so it's very atmospheric, if a little spidery. At the top of the building a small ladder leads up to the lantern, which now houses automated lights which are also solar-powered. The tour price ($25 for adults and $20 for kids) includes entry to the museum itself, and the exhibits give a comprehensive history of the Hudson and New York City; and Kingston’s place in the scheme of things.

This is the only museum in New York Sate dedicated to preserving the maritime history of the Hudson River. This museum seems small from the outside, but the interior will surprise you. There are full size boats and other artifacts, an art gallery, and a lovely gift shop, One gallery covers the history dating from Henry Hudson and the Half Moon,The other gallery has exhibits of the area in its heyday when it was a stop for dayliners and was the D&H Canal terminus. A multimedia display of aquatic life in the Hudson contains real specimens.The museum is located on the Rondout Creek and there is docking available. Within a short walk, visit the Trolley Museum, tour the Hudson on the Rip Van Winkle, visit art galleries and shops, and dine at one of the many fine restaurants.

We took a lighthouse tour on the Solaris that was so brilliant we booked another one! The first trip took us out to the Rondout Lighthouse. The boat trip itself was beautiful, and our guides were friendly, funny and knowledgeable about the river's history. Their love of the region & for the environment was palpable. Next, we went on an early morning birding tour with an expert who lent us his fancy specialist binoculars. We saw bald eagles, ospreys, cormorants, blue herons, and many more. Booking a tour on the Solaris means you get free entry to the spellbinding Museum, and we ended up spending the whole day. The boat tour changed what I thought about the river in general and lighthouse living in particular. I didn't realize that little slice of water had so much history, and such environmental significance. Frankly, I think the price is a real bargain, as you get hours of entertainment and a unique experience. Highly recommend.

It is located at 50 Rondout Landing at the foot of Broadway in Kingston, New York, along Rondout Creek in the city's old waterfront, just east of the John T. Loughran Bridge.

It has a rich history of shipping, boating and industry on the Hudson and its tributaries, such as the Rondout, where Kingston grew prosperous early in the 19th century as the northern end of the Delaware and Hudson Canal. The city was the busiest port between New York City and Albany.

The museum was founded in 1980 by local Hudson River enthusiasts, but did not move to its present property, an old boat shop, until 1983. Its exhibits include various small craft, artifacts of river steamships such as the Mary Powell, a research library, ice-harvesting tools and maps, paintings and sketches from past eras. The 1898 steam tugboat Mathilda is displayed in the yard next to the museum. In the summer months boat trips are available to nearby Rondout Lighthouse, where the creek drains into the Hudson. Boats putting in at the dock range from privately owned pleasure craft to oceangoing cruise liners. The Hudson River Sloop Clearwater has its winter home port here and visits frequently as do many historic reproduction vessels such as the Onrust and the Half Moon. As well as having the ability to accommodate deep draft vessels at their docks the museum provides free docking for canoes and kayaks.

The museum is a must see! There are excellent restaurants nearby and lots of sightseeing.

This is a great little museum down on the water front that is full of wonderful history about cruising the Hudson River. Lots of information, models, videos about the ships of the day, how people lived, goods that were moved.

This museum starts and ends in a very small gift shop. The museum is larger than it would appear and is self guided so lots of reading and videos to watch. Was enjoyable way to spend a few hours if you like history.

I spent the afternoon today walking through the Kingston Maritime Museum and it is really an interesting look at the history of the shipping and pleasure boat industries up and down the Hudson River. They have displays on tugboats, ferries, the steamboat industry and the fishing industry.

There are also displays on the manufacturing industries of ice foresting, the brick industry and the ship building industry. There is an unique display on ship models towards the back and there is a real tug boat just outside the museum. There is a display on the Erie Canal and its development and it changed all of New York State.

The museum also runs river cruises and you can experience a sunset cruise, tour of the lighthouses or just a trip to tour the Hudson River. There is something for everyone at this museum.

It is great for kids.

If you want to know more about the history of the Hudson River and the commerce that has boomed over the years thanks to this important waterway, this is a wonderful place to visit! Enjoy!

Fab cruise, friendly, enthusiastic, knowledgeable team on board and very quiet boat. Well worth it. Includes museum which is fabulous and informative. A great way to see the river and some wildlife. Hopefully go back one day when in the states.

The Hudson River Maritime Museum is a small museum at Kingston's Historic District, by the river. The different sections present memorabilia, pictures and scenarios related to the wealthy times when goods were delivered through the Hudson from North cities of NY State to NYC. It is a self guided museum, and you will find lots of information about transportation of people and merchandise along the river. Cities like Kingston were very rich by then: wondering the old streets one can find old houses that shone many years ago.

The displays are always well done and things for the children to see and do. Once you've toured the museum and walked the waterfront there, you can hop on the trolley that stops at the museum and take an interesting ride out to Kingston Point Park via the railway.

First stop on our exploration of the Hudson River Valley, this small museum exceeded our expectations. An interesting and important review of how important the River was to many industries and many livelihoods. Uses all kinds of media, including boats, to tell the story.

We enjoyed the museum more than we expected, and learned some things about the Hudson River we didn't know. It was interesting to see how the river was used for industry and recreation, especially during the winter when the river is nothing but ice!

Enjoyed. Wish we'd gone when the cruise was still operating in October but all the same, we enjoyed.

Two seniors visited this museum on a Sunday in late August and had a wonderful time. The museum is small but the exhibits are packed full of information if you like to read the details (which we do). We spent about four hours in the actual museum learning about the Erie Canal, the Hudson River history from Henry Hudson through to this century, the ships that used to tour the river and much more. We also took the Rondout Lighthouse tour for about 1 ¼ hours. This is the only way to actually tour the lighthouse as the museum has an agreement with the Coast Guard. We were able to see the entire inside of the lighthouse and climb to the top and walk around outside the lens housing. Never been able to do that before in any other lighthouse tour. Of course, the lighthouse is fully automated now but still in service. The town of Kingston looked very interesting also, as we walked about for a while after the museum closed. There is a small municipal parking lot across the street from the museum and metered street parking (free on Sundays). Many restaurants are available within walking distance. There is even the Trolley Museum of New York across the street that was giving trolley rides while we were there.

An excellent summary of the highlights of the Hudson River Valley - thanfully minus the Revolutionary War that is everywhere else. Of course much about navigation, but what the river has meant to industry and the people. Lots of reading exhibits, so if hands on is your thing this isn't it. We combined with the Hudson River cruise, which is located next door.

This is a relatively small museum dedicated to the maritime history of the Hudson. Given it;s small size, it has a large collection of artifacts and covers Hidson river lighthouses, recreational boating, ice boating, ferries, and the early Dutch explorers. It is located in the center of Kingston on the waterfront, near Old Kingston with it's shops and restaurants. A great part of a laid-back day in Kingston.

We did the Haunted Rondout boat trip and it was a super fun Halloween activity if you are more into the "haunted history" types of tours versus the "haunted house or hayride" scary activities. Gorgeous night on the creek, it was fun to be around waterfront Kingston. We had dinner at the Old Savannah restaurant and it couldn't have been a more enjoyable evening.

This little museum is tucked at the foot of the historic Rondout district. It's easily overlooked, but definitely worth a visit. Interesting for kids and adults alike, with hands-on exhibits, lots of model ships, history of maritime industry in the area, and even a few tanks of local fauna. The staff were super sweet and helpful as well.

Great museum...very thorough with presentations. Learn about tugboats, steamboats, steam engines, lighthouses, ice harvesting and brick making. Staff very knowledgable and friendly!

Superb museum with many exhibits, both permanent and changing. A real Hudson River ice boat from the FDR estate across the river, pieces of the Mary Powell, a side-wheeler steam ship that went from Kingston to NYC promptly at 7AM - long before the auto. Well worthy of the time spent.

Here as part of a history tour. Clean and very informative. Our guide was excellent and knowledgeable.

Great museum to understand the history of the Hudson River and associated water travel in connecting canals from 1600's to 1900's.

In addition to visiting the good museum, we too a boat tour. This was a lovely excursion. The boat, the Solaris, was built at the Maritime Museum and is fully solar-powered. It is SO quiet and that is such a peaceful thing, being out on the water with no motor sound! The landscape is lovely and it is a pleasant ride. We chose a tour that provided history around the Lenape Indians and their history in the area, the neighboring friends and foes. It was very informative and interesting and I learned many things I did not know! I highly recommend taking one of the several different tours they offer on the Solaris.

This is not a large museum but contains a lot of history of the area. Staff are very knowledgeable and the museum is inside. There are displays, video and full size displays of ice racers and even an engine from a tug boat. It is right by the river and a way to spend and hour or so with very reasonable admittance fee.

I've spent many days in the museum. The staff is knowledgeable and friendly. The attractions show so much of the local history of the river, with pictures and artifacts

Each year the volunteers members do an amazing job of creating exhibits that entertain and teach. This is a museum you could visit each season and be pleasantly surprised about your time spent.

Nice small museum dedicated to the Hudson River where you can learn about Henry Hudson and the role the river has played in American History. And appropriately so, it is right on the waterfront. They have steam boat models and whole ice sailing boats on exhibit. When we were there, there was the
Smithsonian Traveling Exhibition Water/Ways which explores "the endless motion of the water cycle, water’s effect on landscape, settlement and migration, and its impact on culture and spirituality."