Channel Islands Maritime Museum

Incredibly impressive maritime museum with some of the most detailed sailing ships in the world along with original portraits from the Dutch masters of the 17th and 18th centuries. If you love museums, maritime history, or a gorgeous location on the water with sea lions galore, this museum is worth your day. Great gift shop as well!

The staff and the place are both incredibly nice! It's a wonderful location to delve deeper into the fascinating world of sailing history and to cultivate an appreciation for the arts. And to top it all off, there's even a breathtaking view of sea lions at the back of the building, and they are simply adorable!

Wow! What a gem of a place! Make the time to get into see this amazing collection of paintings and ship models. Such an extraordinary opportunity to see this history with a knowledgeable staff. Vivian walked us through the tour and made it so engaging and loved seeing her favorite pieces along with a fun hunt to answer the questions on pieces. The details on these models will take your breath away. The paintings are striking. Just a wonderful place!

Some of the best volunteers, friendly, very knowledgeable. Vast knowledge on the beautiful exhibits they have there. Lots of beautiful paintings. Was pleasantly surprised at how much beautiful art they have. Went for my birthday and was very happy and it made my birthday great and my week even better. A great place I'll be back enjoying again soon

Loved our experience at the Maritime Museum! The staff are friendly and welcoming, they offer to tour you around or let you peruse on your own. When we had a question about the model ships, Mary was very knowledgeable and informative. Downstairs is various paintings and models, upstairs is more informative and hosts art exhibits. I highly recommend this cute spot to know more of the history and appreciate the artwork from the past! (And do ask the staff questions, they love sharing facts and history!)

Amazing preservation of some of history's most prestigious ships from all corners of the world... In scale model form. The detail that was put in to these models is beyond compare and the staff was very willing to help and provide details. Plus the walls are covered with some of the nicest maritime art I've ever seen. Take a few hours, if you're in the area, to come see this nicely-presented museum.

We were the 2nd people to show up. The guy at the front was super helpful and nice. He said once all the employees showed up He'd show us around. A litte after exploring the exhibits by ourselves someone did go and talk to us about many of the exhibits. They made the exhibits so much More exciting and interesting . They had so much knowledge on everything. We learned alot about the CATALINA Islands and Hueneme Port and the about Indigenous people from the Area. Loved this place. The gift shop was well organized and had alot of cute stuff. 😍

Super cute stop off the PCH. Totally worth the $10 to see the nautical art, learn about the history of whaling/whale facts, and see a tall ship. There are also picnic tables outside with a little ship play structure.

This museum is beautifully located on the harbor and contains a large collection of paintings and model ships. We were fortunate enough to have a tour led by one of the many docents that work at the museum. Admission is very low priced and you can also become a member. We learned a lot of fascinating stories of battles and how ships were built. Highly recommend.

A sweet gym, located at the Channel Islands Harbor! We took the kids here a long time ago on a field trip, so it's been a while since I've been here. It's really cool to learn some history of Port Hueneme. I had no idea that we have the largest commercial port here between LA and San Francisco. Theres a lot of fascinating nautical artwork but my favorite is the models of the historical sailing ships! Highly recommend checking it out!

This museum is a hidden gem. It is definitely worth a visit even if you're out of town. It's a lot bigger than it looks from the outside. On the first floor we had an amazing tour guide, Klaus. You would think he had a masters degree in history, he knows so many fun facts and all the art work and ties it into the ship models. I'm thoroughly impressed with their selection of art. And it was only $7 dollars for an adult! We will be back. Thanks again!

Prior to the museum's relocation, I'd visited in on the other side of the channel in a smaller venue. Following the Passport 2 History book, it was time for checking out the newer location several weekends ago. My understanding is that the building used to be a restaurant, so it's a two story affair with great water views. They have a lot more elbow room now, so they've expanded their collection of nautical paintings on display, as well as the dozens of intricate ship models. One area recognizes the master crafting of Edward Marple. It's actually quite amazing in their particular milieu that they have so many of his models, as he wasn't from the area. It would be interesting to learn more about the museum itself - who decided that there should be a collection of this type in Oxnard, and who led the charge to raise the money to acquire the many unique items they've curated? They don't lack for items to display, which is great for visitors. Am not sure how someone could go through here in just 15 to 20 minutes. Just taking in the details in the models, or letting yourself be drawn into the paintings to appreciate their world on canvas is worth the time to slow down and enjoy the depictions of life on the high seas. We spent at least 45 minutes going through all the exhibits. They also have a nice gift shop area behind the main counter where you check in. Whoever's doing the buying has a good eye for attractive items. One small sour note was that the volunteer who was handling the main desk didn't have any idea where to find the stickers for the Passport 2 History program for us. Then another family wanted to apply their admission to a membership. They were standing under a sign at the counter that said that you can do just that, but the docent said that it wasn't possible. (He hadn't been trained on the procedure.) He didn't seem to have a staff person to call to help him with these questions that arose, leaving several of us with a less than fulfilled set of requests. Another docent on the floor was very helpful in making sure that we noticed a 400 year old Flemish painting in one of the main galleries. The museum is right to be proud of such a treasure! Worth a visit to a treasure trove of seafaring artistry in many forms.

It is a very small museum right at channel island. It costs $7 (at my time) for entrance. It is just an okey museum. They got a lot of paintings of ships and vessels. And model of ships and vessels for different time. You have to be a die hard ship fans or die hard history fans to enjoy it. My son happens to be a die hard history fans, so we got a real nice "tour" by him. That makes this place more interesting. But I can imagine coming by myself, I can be done with the whole museum in less than 30 minutes. Second floor is very small and only show a few artifact from the ship. They have a special exhibit for women tattoo during my visit (no idea how it relates) I would have to say the Seabees museum not far from this museum is a WAY better choice. A lot more educational and a lot more interesting. Unless you are a die hard ship fans, I will suggest the Seabees museum instead!!!

The collection isn't about a real ship but galleries filled with depictions of ships - whether by scale model or oil painting. With over a hundred models, the representations covered a wide range of sizes while staying mainly focused on old sailing ships. The models made with animal bones were of greatest note. Less interesting were the oil paintings of the ships. Hard to avoid the merry maritime docents that anxiously want to give tours so you might be nice and give in. Allow about an hour to give the docent enough time.

A true HIDDEN GEM, the Channel Islands Maritime Museum has one of the most interesting collections of maritime artwork you could ever imagine. From gorgeous paintings dating back to Holland in the 1600's to remarkable handmade replica ships spanning world history, this museum has it all!! Make sure you request Klaus as your guide, as he's a remarkably gifted storyteller with a great sense of humor and deep knowledge of his subject matter.

We visited the Channel Islands Maritime museum and were very surprised how much fun we had. My daughters are 10 years old and as we left they stated they couldn't believe we were in there so long because it felt like only a few minutes. The volunteers were amazing! Top Notch!! They welcomed us in and were eager to show us around. The highlight was Marc C. and the knot exhibit, he taught us so much about the long history of knots and even taught us a basic knot. My daughter's stayed engaged and learned a lot about the exhibits through the scavenger hunt.

We loved this sweet museum with a lovely collection of nautical artwork, both historic and recent, as well as many displays of model ships. We had a great docent who talked to us about some of the highlights and piqued our interest. Would definitely recommend!

We enjoyed the museum itself. Excellently displayed ships and information. We will return. Ladies working at the front and inside: one had difficulty figuring out how to charge us. We had to use cash because of her inability to process a card. Online website says seniors are a certain price force try but she insisted on charging us a higher price even after I showed her the museum website with the current senior price. The other lady insisted we wear masks after the county of Ventura no longer required masks, even though we were the only visitors the entire visit and in every museum display exhibit we were the only ones in them. I am pro vaccination and pro mask. I have had both COVID vaccinations and both boosters. We were far away from either woman (in another room always) but she still went out of her way to insist we wear our masks; their prerogative as a private business but truly overkill. I am 65 and my friend is 78.

We came here with 4 kids ages 12, 10, 3, and 2. The museum is 2 floors made up of 2 large rooms. You could probably see everything in 15/20 mins unless you're REALLY into ships. The little kids wanted something to touch and play with and there one 1 table with some plastic fish for them. I didn't see a coloring station that a previous reviewer mentioned. For the price I was disappointed. We ended up taking the little kids outside while the older ones finished the tour. Unless you are super interested in boats and your kids are super well mannered with long attention spans ...SKIP THIS MUSEUM.

We visited the local maritime museum today and really enjoyed ourselves. It's a small museum, maybe 2,000 sq. ft., but it's packed with beautiful works. The enthusiastic volunteer staff guided us through the museum, introduced us to Dutch & English maritime artwork, as well as the numerous handmade models for sale at prices ranging from $20 - $1,000, many being sold for fundraising purposes to support the museum. In addition, there were model makers on-hand to explain the intricacies of model ship building. A great extra - periodically classes are offered teaching kids (and adults) about model ship building, including how to build ships in a bottle for hobby & gifts. The museum visit is free, but they recommend a $3 donation to support the cause - a good deal. Photos: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/7zIUv8_Ionwl8lKHCIiNzg?select=xW3m351iRqNodle6vw5CBw

My three year old and I visit many local museums as part of the Passport 2 History program. They range in their interestingness, but the Channel Islands Maritime Museum is certainly one of the best! It's not huge on the level of a Natural History Museum or Getty... but it's larger than many of these one-room local history museums. There are two floors that each have a large room or two. You'll see many ships and paintings of ships... but what makes this even more fun is that they have many things for children to do! They have a play mobile pirate ship for the kids to play with that kept my son's attention for a LONG time! They also have a selfie station where you take a picture in front of a cannon, complete with wigs, hats and costumes to try on! There was no one else in the museum when we went, so we could take our time and really have fun! Upstairs has other neat things to do, and even better... beautiful views of the water! They had a coloring station for kids that had a handful of plastic toy whales that kept my son's attention for a LONG time! They had special lighting that attempted to recreate and "under water" feel, and he had a great time playing with the toy whales there! They also had some whale bones, which I'm always fascinated by! Especially the size of a whale vertebrate! While many of the Passport museums are free... this one is $7/adult. So that is probably why it's a bit cooler than many others. We had a great time. There is free parking, and not far from Ventura, so there are plenty of things to do around to make for a great day trip!

Lovely museum with lots of cool ship artifacts and tons of history. Fun for the kids.

I went through the long volunteer training way back in 2018. It was a very long training. I wanted to work in fixing up the garden has the daughter of the Owners loved gardening and dragon flies. The President of the Museum did not or want that done, ( would rather have it weeds there) So I left and never looked back I was very hurt has I did a proposal for the garden and I was going to volunteer my time, plants, seeds etc. They do not like kids coming there and they told us in training to talk with their parents if any "rude" kids. Hey kids are kids. The elevator does not work well so you have to use the stairs of which are weird and high. The other volunteers have their own click so it is hard to get with people and be friendly. It is sad because this place could be nice place, but to many so called "KNOW IT ALL"'S think they are in charge they want you to know everything about every picture in the museum. Unless you love ships, the sea or have been in the service its for you. Sad to see all the volunteers that I started with are no longer there. That says something about who is in charge for sure.

What a great local museum. Joe, gave us so much information about the exhibits and the museums history. Good job

Rude!!!!! Doesn't even deserve 1 star. My son did the scavenger hunt but i didn't see it necessary to take the paper home. When I politely decline the paper her response was "to hell with you" !!! Ummm??

"Hidden gem" doesn't even begin to cover it. What a place! I went, expecting, well, you know, a quaint little museum with a few artifacts. What I found was a world class museum tucked into the harborside. The exhibits are extraordinarily well placed and lit. The variety of topics and pieces provides something for nearly every maritime interest and there's a very nice little gift shop to boot. Don't miss this place.

So I thought I would give an update after my son 4th day debacle. My mom took him back since I refuse to go. My mom stated it was a wonderful experience for her and my son. Some nice man working there gave them a tour of the place. I think it was to makeup for our first experience. She said there was many model boats in all sizes for my son to see. I plan to stop by the next time I'm over that way and hopefully will have a better experience.

This is a small maritime museum, tucked away at almost the very end of the commercial area along the water in Oxnard. It has a wonderful collection of paintings and models and artifacts like scrimshaw, whale bones, and clothing and weapons, including cannons. There are ship's wheels and a knot tying area for touching. A children's table had a Playmobil pirate ship to keep the little ones entertained. The museum has two floors. The second floor is accessible by stairway or elevator. Each floor has at least one docent who is very knowledgeable about the displays and eager to share that knowledge with you. The gift shop is very nice and has gifts comparable to what is for sale at the Island Packers gift shop in Ventura or the Channel Islands National Park Visitor Center gift shop, with an extra focus on historical maritime items. The displays include a variety of items ranging from Chumash vessels to Viking ship models to golden age pirate, man of war, clipper ships, exploration ships, all the way to modern vessels. There is a detailed display about Port Hueneme that I found fascinating. There are globes and charts showing shipping lanes and much more. The bulk of the collection is paintings and models. If you love tall ships, this is a must-visit location. I want to add that there is plenty of parking and a nice play/seating area out front where you could eat lunch and see the harbor or let the kids play in/on/around a good-sized ship built with the obvious intent of providing a place for photos and children to play. Visit the museum and learn things you didn't know - such as the fact that Sir Francis Drake is known to have stopped in the Channel Islands and spent a month in 1579 repairing his flagship, The Golden Hinde, somewhere near San Franciso during his famous circumnavigation of the world.

Pretty cool exhibits of paintings and detailed models of old ships. The docents were very friendly. Worth stopping at if you're in the area.

Tom was an amazing tour guide. Absolutely fabulous. They had lots of art to look at. It was worth the price you paid.

This museum is mainly about small model ships of the 17th through 19th centuries, with a bunch of mairtime paintings on loan from England. There's only about 20 minutes of interesting things to look at and discuss with the enthusiastic docents.

Great maritime museum with a rich collection of paintings and models. All paitings are original and many date hundreds of years back. We were quite surprised to discover this jewel.

This is a small museum displaying paintings and model ships. It only cost $5 for adults and $2 for children 17 yrs and younger. Not a bad deal. It's a small place, but everything in there is worth the extra time view. The docent we had was nice but just not very interesting. Unfortunately for us, he had a lot to say. This was one time we wished the docent would simply stand in the room quietly until asked a question. But "A" for effort.

This is a very interesting little museum, worth a detour. It has an impressive collection of maritime paintings and historical ship models. The location is attractive, overlooking the harbor. Easy parking.

Not what I was expecting. Large amount of wooded ship models and art. If you're into that then this is your place.

The executive director was so accommodating to my 13 assisted living residents. We showed up for an outing on a whim and they had two available docents to give us a tour! They were unbelievably knowledgeable about all of the paintings and ship sculptures. The second floor has a great view of the harbor.

I visited this museum 20 years ago and it has so much promise. It is affordable, has an amazing collection of paintings, models by Edward Marple, and enough seasonal exhibits to keep you coming back. I did note back in 1999 that there was a pretty egregious error in a label for one of their most famous models - the Charles W Morgan. The model is correct, but it is labelled by the museum as a Mystic CT Whaler. Although it is true that this last surviving New England Whaleship is indeed currently at Mystic Seaport, her stern is proudly painted "New Bedford", and Mystic Seaport has never represented her as anything other than a New Bedford Whaler. See the mystic seaport link: https://www.mysticseaport.org/explore/morgan/ Go to the "360 degree" video or the link that discussed the history of the ship and take a look at the port listed on her stern - it ain't Mystic. The Morgan sailed for 80 years and 37 voyages, all from the port of New Bedford Massachusetts. In 1941 she was transferred to Mystic, where it was lovingly restored as it is today. Although it is true that in the Whaling era the port of Mystic was a Whaling port, the label by the museum was clearly not correct. I not only pointed this out to a docent when I was there (and was told I was wrong), but have Emailed them 4 times asking them to verify my "claim" - and never an answer.... If you go to a maritime museum and get inaccurate information, and the museum doesn't really care about communicating accurate information, and you are unable to verify exactly what they did get right and what they didn't as you go through the exhibits, I guess the bottom-line is that it isn't much of a museum. Museums, I thought, had a responsibility to get it right. And you got it, I am originally from New Bedford. But Mystic Seaport has taken very very good care of her.

Great place, especially if you are into nautical art. Very cozy, relaxing atmosphere, fascinating display models and the docents really know their stuff. Great inexpensive outing!

This is a Gem that surely should not be missed! Great location near restaurants, great views from the Museum and a very knowledgable and friendly staff. See ships from the 1300's, Dutch masterpieces, you'll learn things you never ever knew before, guaranteed! Learn more about them here http://bigcitybuzz.com/p_org.php?p=2124&mem=&ptnid=5129

One of the best small museums around, this place has so much to see, model ships, flemish paintings, maritime artifacts, helpful and knowledgeable docents can turn your unguided tour into an insightful journey through maritime history, as well as the importance of port hueneme to local maritime history. Now as to peoples comments about "kids" this is not a place that is unfriendly to children but, a place that belongs in the "china shop category" if you would not be comfortable taking your children to an expensive china shop then this is probably not the place for them. Much like a larger museum such as the Getty this museum has many delicate and historical artifacts on display that are irreplaceable.

The maritime museum is a great place to see ship models, world class paintings and other exhibits. It's located right by the harbor so you can go kayaking or go to the beach before or after stopping by the museum. It contains works of art that are valuable and very old so I recommend that you don't bring your children here that are under 6 of age because they will be inclined to touch the ship models and paintings. As with most museums you are not supposed to touch the displays. Try to get one of the docents to give you a tour because there are some really great stories about the artists and about the time periods that the paintings were produced. Overall all the people are so nice and welcoming and it only costs $5 to go so it's worth it to stop by!

This Museum houses World-class ship models and rare Maritime Art by 17th Century Dutch/Flemish Masters as well as modern day maritime artist such as John Stobart and David Thimgan. The collection of French POW Bone Models is the largest collection on display in the US! The Ed Marples Tall Ship Collection is second to none. The Korean Turtle Ship is what kids love to see. And the Zheng He 15th Century Ming dynasty Treasure Ship and figure of Royal Court costume brings many hidden spots in history out for your perusal and analysis. The current Nautica 2011 Art Exhibit will be ending soon, so drop in to see some great local artist works. 10/10/11 rws

Unfortunately I am not able to review the museum because I was not allowed in. I wanted to take my sons to the museum today. We are in the harbor a lot and they really enjoy all of the boats. Upon entering, the lady at the front was very quick to tell me that this was an "adult museum" and that they "have art." She said that we were welcome to enter but the museum was for adults. She kept repeating that they had art and seemed very worried that I would allow my boys, 5 and 3, to disrespect the art in any way. I was offended that she would assume this, and that she would strongly discourage our entry. If this museum is for adults, I recommend posting that on your website. We are in the harbor all of the time and I thought that this would be a fun and educational stop that we could make. I was obviously wrong. If you have kids your money is obviously no good here. As I helped my boys into our car another younger lady ran out to apologize. She offered us free entry and tried to make it right but the damage had already been done.