Newport Harbor Nautical Museum ExplorOcean Home

In the Balboa Fun Zone

600 East Bay Avenue

Newport Beach, CA 92661

(949) 675-8915

Expansion Plans

ExplorOcean Plans

Newport Harbor Nautical Museum / ExplorOcean

We are pleased to announce the unveiling of creative renderings and strategic plans for a new facility.An interactive premier cultural destination, the new facility will present meaningful collections and engaging exhibits, and offer relevant educational programming that will connect people to the adventure, inspiration and mystery of the sea.

The project will span from Palm Avenue to Washington and from the waters edge including docks to East Bay Avenue. The exterior structure will be architecturally iconic; a visual magnet and central defining point for the Balboa Village. Synergy between its cultural attractions including entertainment, education, exhibition and the commercial components including retail, dining and marina, activities will produce a singular guest experience to play a vital role in the revitalization of the Village; becoming the community’s social gathering place.

Great Hall

Three distinct areas will make up the exhibition spaces. The Great Hall will be a vaulted nautically inspired space serving as the complex’s theatrical transportation point from the land to the sea and serve as home to the Steele model collection, nautical historical artifacts, the Newport Nautical archive, partner and media presentations, signature gift shop and café. The Balboa Discovery Center will present a “Marinexplorium” and multi-use space, flexible enough to host theatrical presentations, lectures, special events and exhibit permanent and temporary nautical collections. This center will offer an interactive eco-lab, webcam weather station and will present a variety of educational programming. The third space titled Transpacific Adventure Zone will have an exterior architecturally inspired by classic wooden yachts and interior reflecting advanced racing yachts of present day. “The Zone” celebrates the open yacht race of the high seas from Transpac to America’s Cup through visuals, simulations, interaction and educational programming.

The historic Fun Zone Promenade and marina provides the entrance to the new facility. The outlining water's edge will feature the bay ferry, Newport Harbor Ferris Wheel, restaurants, retailers and kiosks open to the public.

How to Contribute

Individuals and institutions will be provided with a myriad of support avenues including pledges, one-time gifts, and multi-year grants to ensure maximum community participation in the campaign. Our dual role is to meet the financial goal in a timely basis and provide opportunities at every level of giving insuring that all participation is inclusive and meaningful. For more information, please contact Rita Stenlund at (949) 675-8915, ext. 104 or rstenlund@nhnm.org.

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