National Coast Guard Museum Honored In Star-Studded Extravaganza

By Pam Shapiro

What a night cruising on Boston Harbor!! The National Coast Guard Museum, which will be built on the waterfront in downtown New London, Connecticut, was the star of the show as Regan Communications hosted an exclusive evening to honor the Museum, and to bring its national fundraising campaign to Boston.
Attendees aboard Entertainment Cruise’s “Elite II” were treated to a spellbinding account behind “The Fin- est Hours,” the bestselling book now in production in Massachusetts as a Major Motion Picture from Disney. Producer Dorothy Aufiero and co-au- thor Casey Sherman spoke passionate- ly about the true story of four Coast Guardsmen who saved more than 30 men stranded on two tankers that had spilt in half of Cape Cod in February 1952.
The book and the movie are putting a well deserved spotlight on the Coast Guard, and on the need for a Nation- al Coast Guard Museum. (The Coast Guard is the only Armed Service with- out a national museum).
“Mission: Critical”
But the evening wasn’t only a cele- bration. Keynote Speaker, Admiral Robert J. Papp, who retired earlier this year after serving as the U.S. Coast Guard’s 24th Commandant, urged the crowd to support the Museum’s fund- raising effort, which has now reached a level of “mission: critical.” Papp is now a member of the National Coast Guard Museum’s Board of Director’ sand is helping to lead the way in secur- ing funding for the Museum’s design, construction, and operation.

New Renderings Revealed.
The evening also hosted the pub- lic unveiling of new renderings of the building that will encompass all fac- ets of the United States Coast Guard – land, sea and air. The Museum will take full advantage of its location on the New London waterfront by incor- porating a pier for America’s Tall Ship, Coast Guard Barque EAGLE, and soar to the skies with Coast Guard aircraft on the rooftop.
“This design engages the Museum structure with the New London waterfront site and includes Eagle as an integral part of the Coast Guard Museum experience,” stated James J. Coleman, Jr., Chairman of the Board for the National Coast Guard Museum Association.
The new renderings for the Museum showcase a four story 54,000 square foot building with four floors for inter- active exhibits, event space and lecture rooms, as well as a reception area with gift shop, café and direct access to EA- GLE.

Local Firm Leading the Way

Boston-based firm PAYETTE, a leading international architectural firm recognized for their creativity and vision has designed the physical building concepts. PAY- ETTE was recently named to the Ar- chitect 50 by Architect Magazine as one of the most highly awarded archi- tectural firms in the nation.
Charlie Klee, principal at PAYETTE and chief architect for the project, was enthusiastic about the progress in the design phase. “We are at the starting gate and ready to go.”
The interior exhibits are also begin- ning to take shape. The Board of Di- rectors has also approved engagement with Patrick Gallagher and Associates for the first phase of interior planning. The interactive, multi-media exhibits will highlight the dedication and her- oism of the men and women of the US Coast Guard through its 225 year history.
How to Get Involved
Coastal Angler readers are encour- aged to view the designs for the Na- tional Coast Guard Museum on its website at: www.coastguardmuseum. org. And, we are encouraging all an- glers to donate and to spread the word about the fundraising drive to make the Museum a reality. The Museum will open in 2018 based on the raising of fifty million dollars in private dona- tions to match the same dollar amount in government grants.

For more information or to make a donation, contact the National Coast Guard Museum Association at 860.443.4200 or visit www.coastguard- museum.org, and follow @USCGMu- seum on Facebook and Twitter.

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