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In addition to presenting on-line lectures, our staff contributes to blogs, book reviews and other services to the field. We also maintain our social media outreach and contacts with the wider maritime and scholarly communities. Special events and changing exhibits help us attract new audiences and widen our community outreach.
The digitization of our photo archival collections continues with the help of graduate interns from around the country. This is a major focus of our Second Decade Initiative and Phase I of this multi-year project should conclude by the end of 2026.
Our library of books, periodicals and articles has begun to be catalogued and will continue with the assistance of University of Maine's Library Sciences program faculty and students.
During the 2020-21 pandemic period, we expanded our virtual volunteer force and completed several projects as part of our Second Decade Initiative. These included cataloguing our objects collection, developing resource lists of maritime organizations around the world by region and establishing working relationships with colleges and faculty in the fields of animal behavior, art, history, library science and underwater archaeology.
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| Hatch of HMS Mary Rose visits the Museum in 2017 to watch the Blue Angels aboard S/V Valiant in Annapolis Harbor |
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In 2019, the Museum's founder participated in the first international Maritime Animals conference, held in Greenwich UK at the National Maritime Museum. Patricia Sulivan discussed the museum's mission and presented an overview of the types and functions of maritime pets throughout the ages.
Sullivan shared her east and west-bound ocean crossings with a Black Lab service dog who has accompanied her owner on several voyages. Many ocean liners roll out the red carpet for such dogs, and we salute them all!
During her time in the UK, Sullivan visited colleagues at various maritime museums and ports of call. Buster, the history dog from Plymouth University, and Hatch from the Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth were just two of many furry and human friends she met up with.
The museum's dory, "Noah's Barque" found a new home in 2019. She performed very well on the water, but was too unstable to use for pet demonstrations and educational events.
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Looking Ahead
The year 2026 will mark our twentieth anniversary! We are planning several new exhibits and programs to take place throughout the year, and we welcome your ideas and inquiries. One of our exhibits will highlight the importance that volunteers make in our life, as well as in the work of most non-profit organizations.
Our research, cataloguing and behind-the-scenes curatorial projects reflect the enthusiastic work done by volunteers and interns of all ages and from different countries. Stay tuned!
Maine has a long and enduring maritime tradition, and we have been proud to call the Pine Tree State our home since the Fall of 2021. Our location on Rockland Harbor at the mouth of Penobscot Bay, home to a Coast Guard station, an impressive group of museums and a lively art scene, is perfectly suited to our maritime mission.
Find us at the Sail, Power & Steam Museum Complex at 75 Mechanic Street, adjacent to Snow Marine Park and the terminus of Rockland's Harborwalk.
Open hours: Saturdays and Sundays year-round from 12-4. Other hours by appointment. Please call ahead, since we are sometimes off-site doing programs! Our phone is 207-390-5909.
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| Potuguese Water Dog |
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| Egyptian Tomb Painting showing cat hunting birds |
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Newsletters
Our annual newsletters are available by year below.
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In Memorium
Our dear friend, founding member and early advocate while in Annapolis passed away in the summer of 2024. Rear Admiral Peter Chabot enthusiastically participated in all of our events, and his wisdom and humor were always appreciated, especially during board deliberations! Pete and his wife often sailed with their cats.
In his honor, a donor helped us establish a perpetual endowment fund. The P.G. Chabot Memorial Endowment Fund supports our educational programs.
Pete was an avid historian and animal lover, and he believed in the power of education to inspire and train future leaders. Read more about him here and make a donation in his memory:
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| Ray L and Scott R |
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Past News
One of the museum's earliest correspondents (via Twitter) was the spokesdog for the Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth UK. Hatch's remains were found when that noble ship was raised from the seabed in the Solent River in the late 1980s. The preserved ship's hull and part of its interior offer a glimpse into shipboard life during the Tudor period. Hatch in his plush replica form visited us in 2017 to honor commissioning week in Annapolis. (See photo above.)
In honor of the Americans with Disabilities Act's 25th anniversary in 2015, we visited and had an extensive interview with a live-aboard Service Dog and his owner. Service dogs and cats sail around the world to help their humans live fun and fulfilling lives. Many have blogs and websites.
Our annual charity golf tournament held its fifth and last tournament just prior to the pandemic, with an added Virtual Tournament option for people not living near Annapolis.
We hope to revive the tournament at our new Maine location!
Pennsylvania artist Heidi Brotheron dedicated a painting to us which features maritime pets from many parts of the world. It is her "folk art" concept of maritime pets in all seasons and from all continents. Her image has been reproduced as notecards. Visit our store for more details.
Several summers ago, we interviewed Rosie, a black labrador who was the mascot of Coast Guard Station Annapolis. Rosie kept things moving smoothly at the Station and also provided hospitality services! She retired with honors to spend her last happy years with her long-time handler.
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| C.G. Station Annapolis mascot Rosie and Handler BM1 Abels |
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