The Newburyport Custom House was once the hub of a thriving international port, where duties were assessed and taxes were paid on goods that came from around the world. You'll get a sense of the role the custom house played as you pass through the Collector's office and view examples of the barrels and boxes that had to be inspected so that the proper tax would be paid. The museum houses other exhibitions related to maritime life, such as knot-tying, whaling, and the origin on the Coast Guard. But the exhibit we love the most is of the exotic goods brought home to Newburyport by ship captains from far away ports.

We also love the building itself, which was designed and built by Robert Mills (renown architect of the Washington Monument) in 1835.  It is an excellent example of Classic Revival architecture and features two of Mills trademarks: the vaulted ceilings and cantilevered granite staircase.  Not surprisingly, it is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Note that the Newburport Martime Society, which operates the museum, also runs Lowell’s Boat Shop in nearby Amesbury MA.  This working museum continues to make wooden boats in the more than 200 year-old tradition of craftsmanship.  Visitors can view boat builders at work, schedule a guided tour, go rowing or view exhibits.

If you want to see more examples of the fancy items sea captains brought home to their families, don't miss the Oriental Room at the Cushing House Museum, which is just a few blocks away from the Custom House.

Learn More
For hours, admission fees and other detailed information about the museum, visit the Newburyport Maritime Society web site.

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