User:Paircon01/Museum of New Jersey Maritime History

The MUSEUM OF NEW JERSEY MARITIME HISTORY, overlooking the waters of Little Egg Harbor in Beach Haven, New Jersey is dedicated to the long and fascinating relationship between the Atlantic Ocean and its bays, harbors and estuaries and the New Jersey Shore. That history, while not always benign, yields stories and lore that come to life within the walls of the Museum.

Curated by Deb Whitcraft, who collection comprises some 85% of the objects and ephemera she has collected over a lifetime love of the sea. Included in the collection are

* 7200 files on ship wrecks off the Jersey coast (dating from the mid-1600's) * The complete collection of the US Life Saving Service Annual Reports * The original FBI investigation files on the 1934 MORRO CASTLE disaster. * An extensive collection of diving paraphernalia The museum, comprising 6,000 ft.2 on two floors, is completely user friendly. With interactive computer stations, multi-media and video presentations, this is the place to really understand how the sea can be both a benevolent provider AND a cruel mistress.

Opened to the public in 2006, the Museum was built with personal and private funding. A dedicated corps of volunteer docents work on projects ranging from grant-writing to cataloging to kinderclasses. Ms. Whitcraft, as Mayor Emeritus of Beach Haven functions as a Wedding Officiant and any honorariums she receives goes to the up-keep of the Museum.