Lake Champlain Maritime Museum

Where

4472 Basin Harbor Road, Vergennes, VT 05491 Visit Website | 802-475-2022 | info@lcmm.org

Details

Ages: All Ages Parking: Yes

Museum

The Lake Champlain Maritime Museum has hands-on exhibits and learning adventures for all ages. It showcases the rich history of the Lake Champlain region and its people.

They have a large collection of original small watercraft built over the last 150 years and the largest collection of wooden shipwrecks in North America. Your children can even climb aboard the Philadelphia II, A full-scale replica of working Revolutionary War gunboat.

They are plenty of onsite amenities such as a museum store, children’s playground, picnic area. You can bring your own picnic lunch or grab a bite to eat at the Red Mill Restaurant next door at the Basin Harbor Club. They do have drinks and snacks available on the premises.

Open mid-May through mid-October. Hours: Daily 10am - 5pm.

*the museum is dog-friendly, please kindly pick up after your pet

Camps

Day camps and overnight expeditions at Lake Champlain Maritime Museum offer kids of all ages a one-of-a-kind experience on Lake Champlain. Kids can explore fish, underwater archaeology, and kayak building, or join an overnight expedition on the lake. Outdoor summer programs build problem-solving and teamworking skills, give kids the chance to learn with each other, and let all participants enjoy the lake. Registration is open until filled.

Reviews

6 reviews

August 19, 2013
"To be fair, I think my kids haven't been old enough for this museum (my eldest is currently 8). We live very near to it so we've been numerous times, including through school and the Basin Harbor Club but it never connects for the kids. Most of the content goes right over their heads and isn't engaging. But, we keep trying it! I do think as an adult, it is an interesting and nice museum - this is merely from a kid-spot perspective. The one thing my kids did find interesting is being able to get on the boats. With kids, aim for the event-type days or see if your school can do a focused visit. Also, check because you can usually check out a free pass to the museum from your local library."
- Mischka1628
September 27, 2011
"We really enjoyed this museum!! Our children are 5 and 3 and were never bored!! The museum has a compound-type feel to it; you walk from building to building to see the exhibits. We learned a lot about the history of our great lake, boating, and ice sports. I think at each age children will take something different away from the museum and I look forward to taking my children back when they are a little older to see how their perspective changes. A must-see Vermont attraction!!"
- mommasboys
August 18, 2011
"My 9 year old son loved the Maritime Museum. He stopped at every exhibit and asked so many questions. The staff were friendly and knew their history. We found out during our visit that the museum offers a summer camp and my son stated that he definitely wants to attend next year."
- TricksMom
August 4, 2011
"My kids attended two of their summer camps this year and I cannot say enough about these sessions. The instructors were not only incredibly knowledgeable but their interaction with the kids was amazing. I was disappointed for them that this first year had low attendance but I will do my best to promote them because my kids will never forget their time at LCMM and what they took away is so important. We are so lucky to have a resource like the museum for so many reasons."
- blkdogs
June 7, 2009
"We were amazed with the amount of maritime history for our great lake. LCMM does a great job showing how life was in the past with walk-thru exhibits, using current technology and professional exhibits to illustrate the history, and have it all laid-out for an inside/outside adventure into the past. Both adults and kids were entertained and enriched (in my opinion, children above the age of 8 will get the most out of this museum). Not sure how soon I will be back, though, a family of five cost us $41. Maybe this is a once every other year treat."
- ceb
October 13, 2008
"The folks at LCMM are amazing: super pleasant to be around, fully committed to Lake Champlain, experts in experiential education, devoid of gimmicks, and rooted in reality."
- vermompreneur