-Museums-

Richardson Maritime Museum

Background

The last of these skilled boat wrights and shipbuilders are disappearing. Most of the former large and accomplished boatyards are gone. Fewer and fewer watermen work the waters each year. The wooden boats are disappearing through age and neglect.

As Cambridge Creek loses more and more of its waterfront to commercial development, the heritage that created the Eastern Shore way of life is in danger of being lost to history. The purpose of the Richardson Maritime Museum and its affiliates, The Ruark Boatworks and Brannock Education and Research Center, is to make sure that heritage is kept alive and passed on to new generations. Not just by preserving the artifacts, but by teaching the skills and keeping the traditional boats alive and working.

James B. "Mr. Jim" Richardson Jim Richardson (1906-1991) stands out from other late 20th century Chesapeake Bay boatbuilders for his view to the past, which sought to rediscover, preserve and pass on methods used by craftsmen of previous generations. Not only did he have the ability to learn a variety of historic skills and ancient boat building techniques, but he was able to teach them to others. His legacy is seen in the skills of those he taught, who continue to practice the craft today. After his death in 1991, immediate steps were taken in his name, through the Richardson Maritime Museum, to commemorate the boatbuilding industry, document its art, and praise its craftsmen, and to offer an improved educational resource for those interested in keeping that knowledge base active.

the mission of the Richardson Maritime Museum:

The Museum was founded in memory of Capt. James B. Richardson, a prominent local boat builder. “Mr. Jim’s” dedication to the traditional wooden boatbuilding skills and to passing on those skills to new generations of boat wrights inspired the founders of the Museum to establish an organization dedicated not just to preserving his memory, but to continuing his efforts at keeping the art of wooden boatbuilding alive.

Overview of the New Richardson Maritime Heritage Center

The ultimate vision of the museum when all phases are complete

The Existing Museum will be moved to the new Waterfront Site on Maryland and Hayward Streets, and will be constructed in three phases over a period of four years.

The New Richardson Maritime Heritage Center will include:

A non-profit Large vessel restoration and maintenance facility,
A fully accredited shipwright school program
A museum and the Brannock Collection + new gallery facility
An in-town, 800 person conference and community center

Download Richardson PDF

Phase 1: Barn to boatworks & interim museum

Initial Changes will include:

A new 1 story 30 by 100 ft timber framed ship building facility to allow small to medium sized ships to be constructed and repaired indoors
The development of the Brannock Education and Research Center within the existing warehouse building
A new open boat shed and viewing area for the protection of small water craft for viewing at all times, in all weather conditions
A new brick terrace area in front of the Bannock Center with display areas for artifacts outside of the building.

***Existing Brannock Education and Research Building (left) to become the New Richardson Shipwright School***

**The layout of interim museum, including a new classroom space**

Phase 2: New Museum and Administration

The stage two improvements to the site will include the construction of the Richardson Maritime Museum are:

A new 3-story open museum space for large scale exhibits with diverse display areas for additional artifacts as well as new 250 seat assembly area and multi purpose space, office areas
Installation of three new classrooms for maritime education for boat contruvtion and heritage area activities and convention focus group spaces
A New terrace area with views of Cambridge creek harbor and surrounding areas and a cafe area open during museum hours to serve sandwiches and coffee
A new grassed parking area with geo grid base for 30+ cars, including handicap parking, bus drop-off, and a firelane
Terrace area landscape improvements and interpretive walkway system linking points of interest and historic items on and off site.
Installation of a new marine railway and quay for hauling historic boats for maintenance. New winch house for installation of historic 450 ton matine railway winch
Installation of a new landscape and interpretive trail with points of interest and historic station points
Installation of new wooden bulkhead structure with soft landing access to Cambridge Creek

Phase 3: Community spaces

New Community facility, auditorium, and visitor center will accommodate performance spaces, perhaps replacing the Governor’s Hall facility. This space will have flexible and numerous uses as a conference center, reception area display area for shows and musical events, outdoor listening area much like Wolf Trap near DC. Doors will open to access the grounds for overflow events.

The Tubman Museum

This Historic Cambridge center-city project renovated the existing Harriet Tubman Organization’s spaces to update the exterior, provide a new more visible, attractive storefront and renovate the interior spaces to allow for a more open museum setting.

The project was funded by the State of Maryland through a “Community Legacy” grant and was contracted by Harper and Sons. The project has been very successful, allowing the Harriet Tubman Organization to reach out to other historic organizations and establish a collaborative relationship with local statewide and national historic organizations

Before

After