OUR MISSION & VISION
HUDSON RIVER
MARITIME MUSEUM
2023 ANNUAL REPORT
The Hudson River Maritime Museum (HRMM) connects people to the
Hudson River and its watershed through education and preservation of the
river’s maritime history and environment.
HRMM seeks to empower the public to understand the value of their own
stories, and how the connection between the past and present can ultimately
shape the future.
Using traditional education methods as well as hands-on learning, we will
engage diverse audiences in programs that focus on our shared history and
we will explore how science informs our everyday life.
In partnership with the local and global community, HRMM will continue to
grow as a cultural and tourism hub and serve as a thought leader in
modeling a resilient, sustainable, and inclusive waterfront.
HRMM 2023 Annual Report
HRMM 2023 Annual Report
OUR YEAR
HRMM continues to serve as a vibrant, multi-
functioning educational resource and visitor
attraction. Recognized by TripAdvisor as the #1
Best Thing to Do in Kingston, NY, almost
30,000 people experienced HRMM’s events and
exhibits in 2023. Additionally, the same list
ranked our Rondout Lighthouse tour on Solaris,
our solar-powered cruise boat, at #5!
Our multi-building waterfront campus continues
to serve as a classroom and playground for people
of all ages within the community. We delivered
740 general education programs on our campus,
engaging individuals ages 5 though 95 in living
history experiences on-land and on-the-water.
Homeport Barn served as a town hall for community gatherings and as a workspace for groups
as diverse as local jugglers and Kingston Radio to the Sloop Clearwater. Our yard and
waterfront also continued to be home base for Kingston Sailing Club, Kingston High School
Varsity Crew and Rondout Rowing Club’s training and regattas. Additionally, our wood shop,
sailing school and exhibitions were utilized to serve our mission of providing hands-on living
history experiences for organizations like Place Corps, Boys and Girl’s Club and Mentor Me,
and programs like Hudson River Stewards, among many others.
We employed 29 instructors to deliver high quality programming in traditional crafts,
woodworking and sailing. Our Sailing School remains the only accredited US Sailing school in
the Hudson Valley.
A team of 40 captained, crewed, and led tours on Solaris. This included us engaging the
services of 10 local musical acts and more than 14 guides who shared their talents and expert
knowledge on a range of topics including indigenous history and local food and drink.
Our Follow the River Lecture Series, sponsored by Rondout Savings Bank, featured 10
presentations hosted by historians, authors and experts exploring topics as diverse as local
Lenape history, the D&H Canal, biodiversity, and a Kingston Sea Lion named Sharkie.
The Wooden Boat School delivered 95 classes to
more than 500 attendees
Solaris cruised 740 times with more than
4,800 passengers onboard.
Our online collections were viewed by more than
11,700 researchers and history enthusiasts.
The Sailing School trained 579 aspiring adult and
youth mariners.
More than 4,500 visitors toured our visiting
vessels Nao Trinidad, Impossible Dream, and Joh
n J Harvey.
Our education department hosted more than
2,800 students this year across our campus.
OUR NUMBERS
HRMM 2023 Annual Report
Our community continued to support us with 60
volunteers giving more than 14,000 hours o
f their time to support HRMM’s operations a
nd activities.
PROGRAMS
58%
DONATIONS
24%
GRANTS
14%
MEMBERSHIP
4%
INCOME: $1,077,051
EXPENSES: $1,125,240
PROGRAMS
43%
ADMINISTRATIVE
23%
OPERATIONS
17%
PR/DEVO
12%
HRMM 2023 Annual Report
OUR COMMUNITY
-Teacher
In 2023, Hudson River Maritime Museum
partnered with the following organizations:
American Cruise Lines
Apollonia
Blauweiss Media
Camp Ramapo
Clearwater
D&H Canal Historical
Society
Dutchess County Clerk's
Office
Ester Wines
Friends of Historic
Kingston
Gateway Hudson Valley
Go Beyond Greatness
Historic Huguenot
Street
Hudson River Cruises
(Rip Van Winkle)
Impossible Dream
John J. Harvey
Kingston High School
Hudson River Stewards
Kingston Children's
Home HS
Kingston City Central
School District
Kingston Radio
Kingston Sailing Club
Klyne Esopus
Museum
Mentor Me
My Kingston Kids
Northeast
Woodworker
s Association
NY Folklore
NY Trolley Museum
Reher Center
Riverkeeper
Rondout Rowing Club
Rose Hill Farm
Schooner Apollonia
Sloop Clearwater
Teaching With Small
Boats Association
The Ashokan Center
Ulster County
Archives
Wild Hudson Valley
YMCA
HRMM 2023 Annual Report
Knowledgeable instructor who was
encrouaging...friendly, engaging, and a
master at taking the lead while bringing
the crew along to feel like a team.”
- Adult sailing student
Exceeded my expectations...wonderful
tour guide...The museum displays and
interactive components were
appreciated and they help to humanize
the history for children...the boat ride
was definitely a highlight.”
-Teacher
We took a ride on the Solaris while
listening to a band, which was fantastic!
The band was amazing and the captain
and crew were very knowledgeable! I
would highly recommend catching a ride
when you can... 100% smooth sailing!”
-J. Kimball, via google
Great place to visit. Lots of
interesting facts. Could spend
hours here.”
-C. Bergaron, via google
OUR IMPACT
OUR CHALLENGES & PLANS
57 Days closed due to flooding over the past
six years
HRMM has grown steadily in the last decade with few significant
infrastructure repairs and updates to accommodate expanded programs
and more visitors. In response to the increased demands on our buildings
and resources, in addition to the realities of the increasing effects of
climate change on our waterfront campus we have launched our first
capital campaign, NAVIGATING FORWARD.
Flooding is now a common occurrence and its physical impact on our
buildings, equipment, and ability to conduct our business is a reality that
we have been facing head-on. Future proofing buildings, professional
remediation work, the reassignment of staff hours, and the rescheduling
or cancellation of public programs and education work is putting
considerable stress on our organization's resources and budget
NAVIGATING FORWARD hopes to secure the funds necessary to address
improvements to the buildings and campus to ensure we can meet the
challenges of our future.
For more information, visit www.hrmm.org/navigating-forward
More than $175,000 in lost revenue and
clean-up costs over the past six years.
It’s predicted that environmental impact will
cost the Museum almost $500,000 over the
next six years.
HRMM 2023 Annual Report
2024 BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Huntley Gill- President
Brian Johnson - 1st Vice President
Jesse Hicks- 2nd Vice President
Robert Burhans - Treasurer
Shelly Wright - Secretary
Board Members
Dan Proctor- Immediate Past President
Allan Bowdery
Stephen Digilio
Mark Heller
Ann Loeding
Joshua Mandel
Liz McEnaney
Mark Peckham
Nick Rothlein
Bill Ryan
MUSEUM STAFF
Executive Director Lisa Cline
Director of Finance & Operations Liz Feser
Director of Education Kerry Gallagher
Education Manager Erin Boss
Education Manager Jonathan Kaufman
Capital Campaign Manager Peter Criswell
Grants Manager Ann Loeding
PR & Marketing Manager Kirsty Gaukel
Collections Manager & Digital Archivist Carla Lesh
Office & Membership Manager Paul Stankus
Store Manager Juliana Nash
Store Associates:
Lily Celaya, Isabel Czech, Fran Drakert,
Owen Hickey, Karen Hinderstein, Violet Yaffe
Waterfront & Fleet Manager Jim McCann
Programming/Captain, Solaris Sam Merrett
Dock Assistants and Solaris Deckhands:
Erin Boss, Fen Flanagan, Isabel Kasdin,
JJ Kathe, John Mehalak, Betsy O'Toole,
Ben Simon, Dale Sutton
Solaris Captains:
Jon Hansen, Joseph Hayes, Tom Macom,
Jim McCann, Adam Reznikoff,, Nick Rogers,
Wooden Boat School Manager Dan Nelson
Boat Shipwright & Lead Shop Instructor Wayne Ford
Sailing School Director Jody Sterling
Sailing Instructors:
Ethan Bates, Isabel Czech, Jon Hansen,
Lia Huszti, Gray Lobell, M.J. Reiss,
Henry Shannon, Max Smith, Sam Yaffe
BUSINESS SUPPORTERS
Adams Fairacre Farms, Inc.
Arold Construction Company, Inc.
Around the House LLC
Bank of Green County
Carl Bell Plumbing & HVAC, Inc
Constructive Hands, Ltd
Ester Wine & Spirits
Hudson River Cruise
Keyser Funeral & Cremation Services
Mid-Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union
Nick Roberti’s Marine
Ole Savannah
Partner Rentals
Rondout Yacht Basin
Rondout Savings Bank
Tomelia Sail & Canvas
.Safeco Alarm Systems, Inc.
Sawyer Motors
Sea Tow Mid Hudson
Solar Sal Boats
Ulster County Tourism
Ulster Savings Banks
OUR PEOPLE