Bristol, RI – May 11, 2022. The Board of Directors and Staff of the Herreshoff Marine Museum/America’s Cup Hall of Fame would like to congratulate the Board of The Sailing Museum, along with Executive Director Heather Ruhsam and her team, on a successful launch last Friday.

The Herreshoff Marine Museum and The Sailing Museum have formed a partnership to expand the footprint of the America’s Cup Hall of Fame by creating an interactive multimedia America’s Cup Hall of Fame exhibit at The Sailing Museum’s home in the Armory in Newport, RI. Over 90 legends of the America’s Cup have been enshrined in the America’s Cup Hall of Fame since its founding by the Herreshoff Marine Museum in 1992, and the new exhibit at The Sailing Museum, which includes many artifacts on loan from the Herreshoff Marine Museum, will help bring the stories about these sailing heroes to a broader audience.

“We’re really happy for our partners at The Sailing Museum, and we wish them all the success in the world,” said Herreshoff Marine Museum President & Executive Director Bill Lynn. “We’ve worked together closely to help bring the America’s Cup Hall of Fame experience to life there, and we’re looking forward to a long and fruitful partnership.”

The Sailing Museum purchased the historic Armory Building in Newport in 2019. As the location for many America’s Cup-related activities during the Cup’s 12-Metre era (1958-1983), the Armory holds special significance for many sailors. A broad range of compelling and interactive exhibits have been developed with the goal of creating a space where sailing comes alive for both sailors and non-sailors alike.

The Sailing Museum is also the home of the US National Sailing Hall of Fame. Since many America’s Cup Hall of Fame inductees have also been inducted into the (US) National Sailing Hall of Fame, the partnership between The Sailing Museum and the Herreshoff Marine Museum offers the opportunity to develop a more comprehensive understanding of these sailing legends.

According to Sailing Museum Executive Director Heather Ruhsam, “This partnership between the The Sailing Museum and the America’s Cup Hall of Fame creates a venue to introduce visitors to some of sailing’s most interesting personalities. Through their stories and the museum resources, we will connect people to the sport and encourage them to get out on the water – outside our door on Newport Harbor and across the country!”

The Sailing Museum opened its doors to the public on May 10, 2022. Visitors are also encouraged to visit the America’s Cup Hall of Fame at the Herreshoff Marine Museum in Bristol, RI.

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About the Herreshoff Marine Museum | America’s Cup Hall of Fame

The Herreshoff Marine Museum/America’s Cup Hall of Fame, located in Bristol, Rhode Island, USA, is a maritime museum dedicated to the history of the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company and the America’s Cup. The Herreshoff Manufacturing Company (1878-1945) was most notable for producing fast sailing yachts, including eight America’s Cup defenders, and steam-powered vessels. The museum, situated near Narragansett Bay on the grounds where the manufacturing company once stood, has a collection of over sixty boats including Nathanael Greene Herreshoff’s Clara, built in 1887, Harold Vanderbilt’s Trivia, and the 1992 ACC yacht, Defiant. Website: www.herreshoff.org/achof

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About The Sailing Museum

The Sailing Museum, a 501c3 organization, features exhibits celebrating the National Sailing Hall of Fame and America’s Cup Hall of Fame. Located in the historic Armory Building on Thames Street in Newport, R.I. the museum brings incredible people and inspiring stories from across sailing together into one place that is accessible to all. Interactive educational exhibits provide real-world applications of STEAM concepts that come alive through sailing; and visitors of all ages, non-sailors and sailors alike, experience the magic that happens when wind and water meet. Website: thesailingmuseum.org