Digital Collection

Nearly all of the museum's archives are digitized, as well as a portion of the Museum's objects, thanks to support from the National Maritime Heritage Foundation.

Online Collection

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Donations

The vast majority of the museum's collections are made up of generous and thoughtful donations by the local community. The museum primarily accepts donations which document the general maritime history both of Cold Spring Harbor and Long Island, as well as pieces which are part of the general American whaling story. We also accept donations which help our educators teach programs about science, art, culture, and history. 

If you are interested in donating a piece to the collection, first please check out our guidelines. An appointment is required to bring your item to the museum; donations cannot be accepted without one. 

Please note we do not appraise any items. All  museums are legally prohibited from doing so. We do not authenticate pieces or place value on items. Those seeking this information should contact an appraiser or auction house. ​

Research

We welcome research requests.

• ​Scholarly research is by appointment only - contact us at a minimum of two weeks ahead.
• Digitization requests are accepted; note usage and/or publication fees apply.
• Basic genealogical research may be conducted through the work of the German Genealogy Group.
• For general American Whaling research, the database at whalinghistory.org is a strong resource.

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Loans

The museum loans objects and photos to appropriate institutions (not individuals) whose missions are in line with the museum's purpose.

Please email our Collections & Exhibits Coordinator with a formal request, including a description of the project, timeline, and facilities report. At least 6 months lead time is suggested.   

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