Katherine Dench

Essex Historical Society & Shipbuilding Museum, Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving, educating about, and celebrating the town’s maritime and shipbuilding heritage spanning over 300 years. The private company is based in Essex, MA. The museum operates on the historic Story Shipyard site and features artifacts such as the restored 1927 schooner Evelina M. Goulart and a scale model of the 1894 schooner Ernestina-Morrissey. It offers educational programs and workshops that integrate shipbuilding, environmental science, and historic trades, engaging students and the community through field trips, internships, and custom learning experiences. The museum emphasizes environmental stewardship through programs addressing the impact of invasive species on the local ecosystem and collaborates with regional partners to promote sustainable solutions. It maintains archives, shipbuilding tools, and a vessel list documenting Essex-built boats, and hosts community events and memberships with various benefits.