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SAG HARBOR WHALING & HISTORICAL MUSEUM
SAG HARBOR, NY · EIN 111761496 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE A540 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Small ($100K-$1M) · sagharborwhalingmuseum.org
revenue
$165K
expenses
$184K
net assets
$280K
employees
4
program ratio
88%
mission · from form 990

THE SAG HARBOR WHALING AND HISTORICAL MUSEUM OPERATES AS A NONPROFIT MUSEUM FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING ACCESS TO A MUSEUM DEDICATED TO THE HISTORY OF THE COMMUNITY. IN PARTICULAR, ITS HISTORY AS A WHALING PORT AND HOW THIS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED THE WHALING INDUSTRY.

profile · synthesized from sources

The Sag Harbor Whaling and Historical Museum preserves and interprets the maritime and community history of Sag Harbor, New York, with a focus on its legacy as a 19th-century whaling port. The museum operates in the historic Benjamin Huntting House, a National Register-listed building, offering exhibits on local history, whaling, and cultural connections such as the role of baleen in fashion. It serves residents and visitors through seasonal programming, school tours, lectures, and special events.

named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

Free Virtual Museum
Online platform providing virtual access to exhibits, short films, music, and historical content for remote audiences
Maps of Sag Harbor
Exhibit showcasing 125 years of village development through historical maps, illustrating changes in land use, industry, and infrastructure
Marine Animal Art Exhibit
Curated art show featuring sculptures and paintings inspired by marine life, accompanied by whale soundscapes and works from local and visiting artists
School Tours and Educational Programming
Offers guided tours and educational programs for local school children focused on Sag Harbor’s history, whaling heritage, and cultural preservation
When Women Wore Whales
Exhibit exploring the role of baleen from whales in 19th-century women's fashion, featuring historical garments, baleen samples, and fashion plates
activities · 7 groups

What they do

  • Local History Museum Operations 2 activities
    • Curate and host permanent and rotating museum exhibitions
      Produces permanent and changing exhibits on topics including local history, whaling’s cultural impact, and maritime heritage. Past exhibits include “When Women Wore Whales,” a marine animal-themed art show, and a map-based exhibit tracing 125 years of village history. The museum also hosts annual art shows and sales, such as the 725 Art Show & Sale.
    • Operate a historical museum dedicated to Sag Harbor’s whaling heritage
      Operates a museum in an 1845 Greek Revival mansion to preserve and present the history of Sag Harbor as a whaling port, including stewardship of the state's largest collection of whaling equipment and authentic scrimshaw. The museum is open to the public seasonally, receiving over 5,000 visitors annually.
  • Historic Site Public Programming 2 activities
    • Deliver educational programming and public events
      Offers school tours, lectures, author talks, music events, children's programs, and community events such as the Annual Sag Harbor Clambake. Also provides 30-minute educational sessions within a life-sized inflatable whale exhibit focused on whale anatomy, conservation, and ocean stewardship for children and families.
    • Host historical reenactments and interactive demonstrations
      Hosts outdoor demonstrations of Revolutionary period maritime cooking techniques, including sampling of historically accurate maritime foods, to provide immersive educational experiences.
  • Guided Historic Site Tours 1 activity
    • Conduct guided walking and site tours highlighting local history
      Provides free, registration-required walking tours that explore Sag Harbor’s maritime history, including visits to Long Wharf and North Haven. Also offers general walking tours highlighting the village’s historical landmarks and waterfront vistas.
  • Website Accessibility Implementation 1 activity
    • Ensure digital accessibility for museum website
      Implements web accessibility standards including alt text, closed captioning, audio descriptions, color contrast adjustments, keyboard navigation, and proper labeling to ensure full and equal access for visitors with disabilities, and publishes a color contrast accessibility report to demonstrate compliance.
  • Historic Building Restoration and Preservation 1 activity
    • Preserve and maintain historic museum building and grounds
      Owns and maintains the historic Huntting family home as the museum’s permanent location, including structural restoration projects such as column restoration (1975), exterior renovation with environmentally safe methods (completed by 2016), interior upgrades with environmental controls, and construction of a boat shed in 1983 to protect a historic whaleboat.
  • Community Art Education Workshops 1 activity
    • Support community art and cultural engagement through workshops
      Co-hosts plein air painting classes for artists of all skill levels on museum grounds and participates in regional series of outdoor painting workshops to foster community involvement in the arts.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Conduct historical research and publish scholarly works
      Authored the book “Sag Harbor: 100 Years of Film in the Village,” documenting the history of cinema in the village and the 2016 fire that destroyed the Art Déco movie theater.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$165K
Contributions & grants$45K28%
Program service revenue$114K69%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$5K
expenses
Total expenses$184K
Program expenses88%
Admin / overhead9%
Fundraising3%
Salaries & benefits$70K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineFacilities
balance sheet
Total assets$293K
Cash$118K
Investments$0
Liabilities$13K
Net assets$280K
Liquid reserves7.7 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +6.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
RICHARD DOCTOROW BOARD MEMBER 5 $4K
board members · 12
  • BENJAMIN DIXON — TREASURER
  • CARROLL MICHAEL — BOARD MEMBER
  • CHRISTINA HRIBAR — BOARD MEMBER
  • COOPER ROGER — BOARD MEMBER
  • DRAKOULIAS PETER — BOARD MEMBER
  • FITZPATRICK MALLON — PRESIDENT
  • HAGEN LINLEY P — BOARD MEMBER
  • HINKLE ANNETTE — SECRETARY
  • MOLLY CHANNING — BOARD MEMBER
  • RUSSO KATHLEEN — BOARD MEMBER
  • STELLE BETTINA — BOARD MEMBER
  • WEINSTEIN BOB — VICE PRESIDE
relationships · 11

Who they work with

  • Benjamin Huntting House Government — Historic building housing the museum, designated a National Landmark in 1998 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
  • Bridgehampton Museum Partner — Co-hosted a plein air painting class and organized a joint exhibition for participants' artwork.
  • Bridgehampton Museum Partner — Cosponsor of the Back in Time: Sag Harbor Whaling & Waterfront Walking Tour; provides walk leader.
  • Dave. O. Partner — Curated a marine animal-themed art exhibit for the museum.
  • Ketcham Inn Partner — Collaborates with the museum through its resident historic cook for educational demonstrations.
  • Masonic Lodge Partner — Shares the building with the Masonic Lodge, which continues to use the second floor as a Masonic Temple.
  • Montauk Oceans Institute Partner — Organization where a board member serves as founding director and curator, creating ocean preservation exhibitions with thematic connections to the Whaling Museum.
  • SOFO Partner — Cosponsor of the Back in Time: Sag Harbor Whaling & Waterfront Walking Tour.
  • The Friends of the Whaling Museum Partner — Collaborative group that curated exhibitions, organized children's events, and hosted the Annual Sag Harbor Clambake prior to formal board membership.
  • Unitarian Universalist Meetinghouse Partner — Hosts the Whalemobile event at its location on Bridgehampton-Sag Harbor Turnpike.
  • Water Mill Museum Partner — Cosponsor of the Back in Time: Sag Harbor Whaling & Waterfront Walking Tour.
strategies · 3

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Cultural Heritage Preservation through Immersive Education
    methodology: immersive_education
    By combining historical artifacts, immersive multisensory exhibits, and experiential learning (such as life-sized inflatable whale displays and period cooking demonstrations), we deepen public understanding of whaling history and marine stewardship because experiential engagement fosters emotional connection and retention more effectively than passive observation alone.
  • Education as a Tool for Cultural and Environmental Preservation
    methodology: education-for-preservation
    By educating the public about maritime and whaling history through accessible, hands-on, and community-based programming, we promote long-term preservation of Sag Harbor’s cultural and physical landscape because knowledge fosters stewardship and community ownership of heritage.
  • Historically Authentic and Sustainable Stewardship
    methodology: environmentally_sustainable_restoration
    By maintaining architectural and historical authenticity while using environmentally sustainable restoration methods, we preserve the integrity and longevity of cultural sites because authenticity builds trust and relevance, while sustainability ensures long-term resilience of historic structures.