Fleet Week Donations

The ships in the Historic Ships in Baltimore fleet are important symbols of our national heritage and are also valuable community assets. Preserving these sites for future generations to experience, enjoy, and learn from is an endeavor we can all share.

All donations benefit the ongoing maintenance and restoration of the Historic Ships and also help to provide valuable educational programming for visitors and school groups. Your donation is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

How-To:
Donate

Historic Ships in Baltimore welcomes and thanks you for your support. We offer a variety of ways to donate, including:

Online

Individuals can donate to Historic Ships online. You can also donate in honor of an individual, or even donate in memory of the deceased.

Donations
paypal


By Mail

You can send your check or money order with your name, address, phone number, and the contribution type to:

Historic Ships in Baltimore
301 E Pratt St.
Baltimore, MD 21231
Attn: Contributions

Note: Donations are being received at this address until Historic Ships in Baltimore is able to receive mail at it's Pier 1 location.

Support:
Current Projects

If you'd prefer to support a specific project, the following are underway or in the planning stages. Your support for these efforts is greatly appreciated.

All Hands on Deck Campaign

During a time of unprecedented change and uncertainty, there are enduring symbols of hope and familiarity that keep Baltimore feeling like home. Historic Ships in Baltimore’s iconic emblems – including USS Constellation, USCG Cutter 37, LV 116 Chesapeake, the Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse, and USS Torsk – have characterized our city’s downtown landscape for years, drawing millions of tourists annually and providing once-in-lifetime educational experiences for the City’s students.

Like many institutions, Historic Ships has been dramatically impacted by the pandemic and we need your help to stay afloat. Because of government mandated closures, these unique landmarks have been closed to the public for months with no clear end in sight. These closures have impacted revenue and resulted in the layoff of several employees. Vital maintenance, restoration and preservation projects have also been threatened because of cancellations of special events due to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the Constellation Cup and Captain’s Jubilee, that raise critical funds for the organization.

We are asking you to consider making a fully tax-deductible gift to support our mission to serve the community during this time of tremendous need.

Please help us keep these vital, primary sources of history afloat by making a donation today. Your investment in Historic Ships is an investment in the storied past of some of Baltimore’s most unique sites and the transformative educational experiences that they offer to students and visitors alike. With your generosity, Historic Ships in Baltimore will weather these challenging times together and we will continue to serve our community for years to come.

How to Support:

For more information please contact Chris Rowsom at crowsom@historicships.org

Donor Recognition:

All Donors will receive special recognition in select 2020 campaign materials, including but not limited to:

  • Name and/or logo featured on print and digital campaign materials*
  • Recognition as a "call to action" sponsor of Historic Ships in
  • Baltimore's campaign emails (8,000 subscribers)
  • Sponsor recognition on Historic Ships in Baltimore's website
  • Mention(s) on Historic Ships in Baltimore's social media channels
  • Recognition in Living Classrooms' Annual Report
  • A 100% tax write-off for the full amount of your charitable contribution

*Presentation of logo size will depend on gift level. Early response ensures full inclusion in media ads and campaign material.

What does your donation support:

TITLE SPONSOR | $50,000

  • the return of USCG Cutter 37 from Dry Dock and the development of new educational programming and interpretive exhibits discussing the legacy of Roger B. Taney and racial inequity.
  • Virtual programming for 5,000 students.

ADMIRAL | $25,000

  • Constellation's return to her berth and the opening of the new Pier 1 education building in April of 2021 and development of new, virtual programming discussing the ship's role as Flagship of the US African Squadron.
  • Virtual programming for 2,500 students.

VICE ADMIRAL | $15,000

  • the completion of the USS Constellation Bow Repair Project.
  • Virtual programming for 1,000 students.

COMMANDER | $10,000

  • the roof and window replacement, interior repairs and exterior painting of the Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse. Exterior painting work to be done by LCF Project SERVE.
  • Virtual programming for 500 students.

CAPTAIN | $5,000

FIRST MATE | $2,500

USS Constellation Billethead Project

USS Constellation is adorned with a billethead, or scrollhead, instead of a figurehead to decorate its bow. As far as we know, the billethead on the ship is original to her launch in 1854. Unfortunately, wind and weather have taken their toll and the ship's billethead is in need of stabilization.

In the spring of 2016, the billethead was removed from the ship as part of a repair project to the ship's bow section. It was determined at this time that the original billethead should be stabilized for public display in the museum gallery and a new billethead created to actually be mounted on the ship.

The plan is to photograph the original billethead to create a 3-dimensional image which can then be used to "carve" a new billethead using CNC router technology. The new billethead will be carved in sections, then the sections laminated together to create the new piece. Once done, the replica will be placed on the ship's bow.

How to Support:

Historic Ships in Baltimore is now collecting donations to support the billethead project. Total cost for this project is approximately $10,000, which includes creation and installation of the new billethead on the ship and stabilization and mounting of the original for public display.

Support:
Buy a Brick

The US Coast Guard Plaza is a special part of Baltimore's Waterfront Promenade situated next to the USCG Cutter 37, the last surviving warship from the attack on Pearl Harbor and one of Baltimore's National Historic Landmarks.

Hundreds of USCG Veterans and their families have installed commemorative bricks in the Plaza, and you can too. By purchasing a brick in the Plaza you can pay tribute to friends and relatives who have dedicated their lives to serving their country!

How to Support:

Donors can purchase a brick online. The following sizes are available:

4 inch x 8 inch brick with 3 lines of text - $125
8 inch x 8 inch brick with 4 lines of text - $300

Text is limited to 15 characters per line, including spaces and punctuation, and can include letters, numbers, and common symbols.

Support:
In-Kind Donations

In-kind donations of goods and services help the museum in many ways and are often the most rewarding. The museum's staff has developed several long-term relationships with individuals and corporations who have made in-kind contributions. One of the most long-standing in-kind contributors is the Vane Brothers Company; each year, they donate tugboat and pilot services for the annual USS Constellation Turnaround Cruise.

In-kind donations also include silent auction items for fundraisers, gently used office and computer equipment, specialized additions to the ships' restorations, etc.

To learn about opportunities or to make an in-kind contribution please contact:

Steve Bountress

Managing Director

410-539-1797

Support:
Artifact Donations

If you are interested in donating an object, photograph, or document that is directly related to one of the sites that the Historic Ships operates, we would love to hear from you. Please note that our available storage space for artifacts is very limited so we can only accept items that are directly related to our ships, the lighthouse, or the crewmembers who served aboard. Acceptance of an artifact into the Museum's collection does not guarantee its public exhibition.

Please note that all potential donations must be approved by the Museum's Curator and Collections Manager before they are brought to the Museum. Please do not bring items for donation to the Museum unannounced because staff will not be able to accept them.

For information regarding the donation of an object, please contact:

Brian Auer

410-539-1797 x 117