SSHSA’s varied collections are available for use by members and the general public. A portion of our collections are digitized and can be explored online in our catalog. Click the blue button below to search our online resources. Many more collections are still being processed and described, and so are only accessible in person.
Research visits are by appointment only between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Please call us at 401-463-3570 or submit a contact form below to schedule a time or to discuss research assistance.
If you have any questions or would like to learn more, please contact SSHSA and ask for archivist Astrid Drew.
Visit the Virtual Museum
Archives and Collections
SSHSA’s archives covers a vast array of maritime topics and history relating to the United States and world shipping. Click the links below to find the inventory list. These are not exhaustive. If you have a specific research question, please reach out to us as many of our items are not yet digitized.
- ship plans, line drawings and blueprints
- ephemera such as brochures
- ship advertisements
- periodicals
- ship menus
- the George G. Sharp naval architecture collection
- the Doran Collection of Grace Line memorabilia
- boat, yacht and ship logs
- newspaper clippings, tickets and posters
- film, video and audio recordings
- Company records, ship logs, and ledgers
- images such as photographs, negatives, positives, glass slides and color projection slides.
- objects, artifacts and fine art, including paintings in the Virtual Museum
Archival images and ephemera are available for purchase as reproductions, either as physical prints or digital copies. Please note that additional fees or restrictions may apply for use of archival images in publications, and TV or film productions. On-site research services are available at an hourly and half-hour rate. Learn more about our rates here.
Maritime Reference Library
The library includes volumes about shipping lines, specific vessels of military and merchant classes, war, immigration and genealogy, as well as periodicals, reference materials on marine engineering, the merchant marine, and shipping registers.
Search and browse our library in our online catalog.
Donations
While we are happy to accept many different types of donations, we ask that you please contact us in advance by calling 401-463-3570 or submitting a contact form below. Because of limits on archive space and staff time, any unsolicited items that are dropped off at the Ship History Center without prior knowledge will be considered an unrestricted gift and may not be incorporated into our permanent archival collections. Please feel free to contact our archivist with questions.