Newport Harbor Nautical Museum

History of the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum

Dedicated to preserving and promoting maritime heritage, the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum first opened its doors in 1986 on Balboa Boulevard. Using the enthusiasm of local residents, the grassroots organization erected a number of successful exhibits recounting the history of Newport Harbor in their one-room facility.

Model Ship Gallery

Over the years, the collections outgrew the small facility, and in 1994 the Board of Trustees launched an ambitious campaign to secure a larger, professionally run maritime museum for the community. Their search was aided by the generous gift of the riverboat restaurant, "Reuben E Lee", located at the head of the Bay. The showboat, a landmark in the harbor, was built in 1963 by Blurock and Associates to replicated a traditional Delta paddlewheeler.

Newport Harbor Nautical Museum

Re-christened the "Pride of Newport" in 1995, the Museum moved into our new home that fall and began to transform the 13,00 square foot restaurant into a beautiful museum. The museum boasted three galleries, a classroom, a conference room, and a library, as well as a restaurant and gift shop. An extensive range of programs for children and adults were developed through our education department .

Charting A Course for the Future

With the growing need for new and innovative cultural institutions in our community, the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum is expanding its facility and programs to reach a broader and more diverse audience.

In late 2005, the Museum successfully purchased 34,000 square-feet of waterfront property in the Fun Zone on the Balboa Peninsula, plus the adjacent docks, which will become the future home of the Museum and its Tall Ship program. Inspiring plans were drafted to move the Museum from the "Pride of Newport" to its a permanent home on Balboa Peninsula.

By December 22, 2006, we had completed our move to Balboa Peninsula. We are beginning to establish ourselve in the Fun Zone as a destination for visitors and a location to host community and corporate events. We are geared to expand our education-based offerings to include extensive adult learning options as well as exciting classes for the younger generation.

Find out more about this exciting facility expansion, and how you can help support the Newport Harbor Nautical Musuem.