CONNECTICUT RIVER FOUNDATION AT STEAMBOAT DOCK INC
67 MAIN STREET, ESSEX, CT 06426 www.ctrivermuseum.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: THE MISSION OF THE CONNECTICUT RIVER MUSEUM IS TO "LEAD IN THE STUDY, PRESERVATION AND CELEBRATION OF THE CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE OF THE RIVER AND ITS VALLEY. BY DEEPENING UNDERSTANDING OF THE RIVER'S IMPORTANCE TO PAST GENERATIONS, THE MUSEUM WILL INSPIRE THE STEWARDSHIP OF FUTURE GENERATIONS."

THE CONNECTICUT RIVER MUSEUM (CRM) IS THE ONLY MUSEUM DEDICATED TO THE HISTORY AND NATURE OF THE CONNECTICUT RIVER. FOUNDED IN 1974, CRM IS A NON-PROFIT EDUCATION INSTITUTION THAT IS FULLY ACCREDITED BY THE AMERICAN ALLIANCE OF MUSEUMS-ONLY 8% OF NATURE AND 22% OF HISTORY MUSEUMS ACHIEVE THIS ACCREDITATION. THE MISSION OF THE CONNECTICUT RIVER MUSEUM (CRM) IS TO "LEAD IN THE STUDY, PRESERVATION AND CELEBRATION OF THE CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE OF THE RIVER AND ITS VALLEY. BY DEEPENING UNDERSTANDING OF THE RIVER'S IMPORTANCE TO PAST GENERATIONS, THE MUSEUM WILL INSPIRE THE STEWARDSHIP OF FUTURE GENERATIONS." TO ACCOMPLISH ITS MISSION, THE CONNECTICUT RIVER MUSEUM: A.OPERATES A MUSEUM AND LIBRARY TO RECOGNIZED PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS. B.PRESERVES AND MAINTAINS PUBLIC ACCESS TO ITS THREE NATIONAL HISTORICAL REGISTER LANDMARK BUILDINGS, WATERFRONT, AND GROUNDS THAT ARE USED FOR MUSEUM FUNCTIONS, COMMUNITY EVENTS, AND QUIET REFLECTION. C.COLLECTS, PRESERVES, AND PROVIDES PUBLIC ACCESS TO APPROXIMATELY 13,000 SIGNIFICANT HISTORICAL ARTIFACTS, DOCUMENTS, AND INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE RIVER AND ITS PEOPLE. D.PRESENTS A WIDE RANGE OF EXHIBITIONS, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, CLASSES, PUBLICATIONS, AND SPECIAL EVENTS THAT ATTRACT, ENGAGE, AND INFORM BOTH ADULTS AND CHILDREN. E.MAINTAINS "24/7" CONTACT WITH THE PUBLIC THROUGH VIA ITS NEWLY REDESIGNED WEBSITE, SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS (TWITTER, FACEBOOK, ETC.), AND CONSTANT CONTACT E-BLASTS AS WELL AS VARIOUS TRADITIONAL PUBLIC RELATIONS AND ADVERTISING METHODS. F.COLLABORATES WITH AND SUPPORTS OTHER REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES WITH SIMILAR EDUCATIONAL AND PRESERVATION MISSIONS. CRM IS LOCATED IN ESSEX, CT, MIDDLESEX COUNTY, A PREDOMINANTLY RURAL AND SUBURBAN AREA, 92% OF WHOSE POPULATION IS WHITE. CRM SERVES OVER 24,000 VISITORS EACH YEAR THROUGH A RANGE OF YOUTH PROGRAMS, PUBLIC PROGRAMS, SPECIAL EVENTS, AND GENERAL MUSEUM VISITS. VISITORS COME FROM ALL 50 STATES AND FROM MANY DIFFERENT COUNTRIES WITH APPROXIMATELY 60% COMING FROM WITHIN CONNECTICUT. THE MUSEUM RESOURCES INCLUDE 17 TRUSTEES INCLUDING OFFICERS; A STAFF OF 5 FULLTIME AND 8 PART-TIME STAFF; AND A NETWORK OF 40-50 DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS AS WELL AS COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY-BASED INTERNS. AMONG THE MUSEUM'S COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIPS ARE OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING THE ONRUST PROJECT, PROJECT OCEANOLOGY, WOODS HOLE OCEANOGRAPHIC INSTITUTE, U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, AND BUSHNELL FARM, OLD SAYBROOK, CT. CRM HAS WORKED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE EIGHT MILE RIVER WILD & SCENIC WATERSHED TO PROVIDE PROGRAMS TO SCHOOLS IN THE AREA. THIS SMALLER ORGANIZATION ASKED CRM TO ASSIST IN PROVIDING A MACROINVERTEBRATE STUDY TO MIDDLE SCHOOLS. CRM STAFF WORKS WITH THE CONNECTICUT RIVER CONSERVANCY TO CONDUCT BIWEEKLY WATER CHEMISTRY STUDIES. THE DATA COLLECTED BY OUR ORGANIZATIONS IS SENT TO THE UNIFIED WATER STUDY OF LONG ISLAND SOUND TO EXAMINE THE WATER QUALITY IN SECONDARY EMBAYMENTS OF LONG ISLAND SOUND. EACH MAJOR EMBAYMENT OF LONG ISLAND SOUND IN CONNECTICUT AND NEW YORK IS BEING MONITORED. CRM EDUCATORS INVITE LOCAL COLLEGE STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MONITORING AND WE ARE ABLE TO SHARE THE INFORMATION WITH OUR SCHOOL GROUPS IN THE RIVER SCIENCE LESSONS. FOR OVER 40 YEARS, CRM HAS CREATED AND HOSTED NUMEROUS EXHIBITS - EXPLORING A WIDE RANGE OF TOPICS IN ART, HISTORY, AND NATURE. IN RECENT YEARS, THE MUSEUM HAS BEEN ABLE TO CREATE TWO FLOORS OF PERMANENT EXHIBITS THAT ALLOW FOR A BETTER OVERVIEW OF 400-PLUS YEARS OF RIVER HISTORY AND A THIRD FLOOR FOR CHANGING, SEASONAL EXHIBITS. IN MAY 2019, CRM UNVEILED CONNECTICUT RIVER MYTHS & LEGENDS. THIS EXHIBIT BRINGS TOGETHER FOR THE FIRST TIME THE FOLKLORE AND SOCIAL HISTORY OF THE ENTIRE RIVER VALLEY-STORIES FROM CONNECTICUT, MASSACHUSETTS, VERMONT, AND NEW HAMPSHIRE. IT IS NOW TRAVELLING TO THE VERMONT HISTORICAL CENTER IN BARRE, VT, AND WILL ALSO BE INSTALLED AT THE SPRINGFIELD MUSEUMS IN MASSACHUSETTS. PROGRAMS TAKE MANY FORMS SPANNING WORKSHOPS FOR SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN AND ADULT LECTURES TO ON-WATER EXCURSIONS. SUMMER CAMPS ALLOW CHILDREN TO EXPLORE THE RIVER FIRST-HAND WHILE ENVIRONMENTAL FORUMS GIVE RESIDENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT ISSUES THAT AFFECT THE CONNECTICUT RIVER WATERSHED. HISTORICAL HANDS-ON LEARNING GIVES VISITORS OF ALL AGES THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT PAST SKILLS AND TRADES SUCH AS SHIPBUILDING. GALLERY TALKS, WALKING TOURS, AND GUIDED PADDLES CREATE A SENSE OF PLACE AND RESPECT FOR THE RIVER.

THE CONNECTICUT RIVER MUSEUM OFFERS MULTIPLE WAYS TO EXPLORE THE RIVER TO LEARN ABOUT THE NATURAL DIVERSITY AND HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT RIVER AND SURROUNDING AREAS. DURING THE SPRING, SUMMER AND FALL THE CONNECTICUT RIVER MUSEUM HOSTS THE REPLICA OF THE 1614 ONRUST FOR SAILS. THESE SAILS ARE OFFERED AS SCHOOL PROGRAMING AND TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC THROUGH REGULARLY SCHEDULED TOURS. IN FEBRUARY AND MARCH, THE CONNECTICUT RIVER MUSEUM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH RIVER QUEST, OFFERS WINTER WILDLIFE CRUISES ON THE 40 FOOT ALUMINUM BOAT. THESE TOURS FOCUS ON THE HUMAN IMPACT ON THE RIVER AND SPECIFICALLY ON THE POPULATION OF EAGLES AND OTHER WINTER BIRDS. THE PUBLIC CAN ALSO OPT TO RENT A CANOE, KAYAK OR STAND-UP PADDLE BOARDS DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS OR JOIN REGIONAL GUIDED PADDLES THAT ARE OFFERED TO THE PUBLIC.

THE CONNECTICUT RIVER MUSEUM INVITES STUDENTS, TEACHERS, YOUTH GROUPS AND LEADERS TO DISCOVER THE RIVER VALLEY AND EXPLORE THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN EXPERIENCE. PROGRAMS ARE BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF PLACE-BASED EDUCATION, A PHILOSOPHY THAT EMPHASIZES INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES USING LOCAL CULTURAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO ENGAGE STUDENTS. DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR CRM SERVES UPWARDS OF 4500 STUDENTS FROM SCHOOLS ACROSS THE STATE AND BEYOND. STUDENTS ATTEND PROGRAMS AT THE MUSEUM OR WELCOME MUSEUM TEACHERS FOR IN-SCHOOL PROGRAMMING. THE CONNECTICUT RIVER MUSEUM DOES HAVE A SMALL SCHOLARSHIP FUND FOR SCHOOLS THAT SERVE LOW INCOME, AT-RISK STUDENTS OR ARE UNABLE TO SUPPORT FIELD TRIPS. DURING SUMMER AND SCHOOL VACATION WEEKS THE MUSEUM OFFERS A VARIETY OF CAMP AND VACATION DAY WORKSHOPS. THE CONNECTICUT RIVER MUSEUM WELCOMES ADULT GROUPS TO COME EXPLORE THE MUSEUM AND DISCOVER THE RICH HERITAGE AND NATURAL BEAUTY OF THE CONNECTICUT RIVER VALLEY. THE MUSEUM IS ADA ACCESSIBLE AND OPEN YEAR ROUND. PUBLIC PROGRAMS ARE INTEGRAL IN OUR EDUCATION AND FURTHERS THE VISION OF THE MUSEUM. CRM ENGAGES WITH AUDIENCES AND ATTRACTS NEW VISITORS THROUGH THEATRICAL, ACADEMIC, ART EVENTS. THEMATIC LECTURE SERIES, NARRATED ON-WATER TOURS, THURSDAYS ON THE DOCK, AND TREES IN THE RIGGING MAKE A GENUINE IMPACT ON COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

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