Mystic Seaport questions URGENT

[martin schulz]

As some of you may have noticed I am deeply involved in making the Flensburg harbour a place for traditional boating. We already have a Musumboatyard (building old-type boats in a traditional manner), the Museumharbour (home of 20 ex-working boats and about 10 little open fisherboats), the Steamer ALEXANDRA ( an original 1908 built Passengersteamer), the Flensburg maritime Museum and the recently founded Classic Yacht Harbour.

About 20 years ago among the Museumharbour-people the idea was borne to get a hold on the whole westside of the Flensburg harbour to force the city council to only allow traditional vessels there. Of course as shortsighted as Politicians are they thought it a bad idea and still believed that perhaps some day cruiseliners will need the space. About 2 years ago the idea was again digged out. Not because the city council then thought it may be a good idea, but because they had to replace a rotten Pier and were desperately looking for state subsidies. The idea and then the written concept of a "Historic Harbour" as a touristic landmark appealed to the government and subsidies were offered.

The moment the subsidies were granted the city council stepped back from their plan to errect traditional buildings to "refflect" the traditional boats and started planning a modern seaside with stainless steel and glas architecture (couldn't say I didn't see that comming). I, as Museumsharbour CEO mobilized the press and said that the Museumharbour will step back from the whole idea, which then will lead to the subsidies beeing not granted. Somehow that changed their minds :) and the city council promised, after endless maneuvers, bertrayals and mobbing to follow the original plan (I really don't no what agenda they were following. I guess the city council has other ideas about the seafront and wanted to keep the option to lease parts of it to some gastonomy businesses).

But the fight isn't over yet. The city council promised to start building the traditional boathaouses, sanitary houses and the Steamer pavillon in august, but nothing happened so far. There will be a meeting this month with fundamental issues being discussed.

This idea of an "Historic Harbour" containing museum Boatyard, Museumharbour , classic yachts, maritime Museum, Steamers and still to be acquired traditional tugs, freigthers and fisherboats is absolutely unique in Germany. There is a maritime center in Svendburg, Denmark which has some traditional facilities and offers the opportunity for tourists to sail on Baltic Traders, but apart from that, there is no similar concept in the Baltic (or europe).

We have often argued telling those ignorant politicians about our role-model, which is in fact Mystic Seaport. Some of us (unfortunately not me) have been there and have told us about the boats and the facilities there and about the big touristic destination that seaport has become.

I would love to get a hold on some subsidy money to fly over there to have a proper excursion, but since that won't happen please tell me everything you know about Mystic. Can somebody provide me with an email address of somebody who is in charge there, so I can get some 1st hand informations and some valuable suggestions?
I might need some information about visitor frequency and numbers, costs and general layout.

[Andrew Craig-Bennett]

Martin - you've seen Rod B's lovely pictures in People & Places?

Strength to your arm - it is amazing how ignorant local government can be. Ours is convinced that they should spend a fortune promoting "tourist destinations for cruise passengers", although people have tried to tell them that Harwich International is used by cruise liners for changing passengers - people starting or ending a holiday are not going to hang around in the area where they take the ship.

[Joe ( Cold Spring on Hudson )]

Come to Mystic I will meet ya and buy ya a beer ;) Aside from that I don't know but I think Jamie (Uncas) dad had something to do with Mystic. Ask him and I'm sure many will chime in with heaps of help for such a worthwhile project. WHOA its an amazing undertaking my hats off to you for taking it on. You sound like you have a lot of hutzpah.

Let me add if you need someone to make some sort of calls and contact information for you on this side I would be willing to donate some of my communication skills.

[rbgarr]

Start here of course: http://www.mysticseaport.org/ I believe there have been publications written by the Mystic staff and others about the history of Mystic Seaport at various stages since its founding (1921?) Up to date budget information would need to be requested from them directly. They may also have suggestions on the political town vs. gown issues if you know what I mean by that phrase.

Try this info@mysticseaport.org to contact the research library and administration offices. Good luck on your challenging project!

Another Forum member who has been heavily involved with marine museum projects of one kind or another is Ben Fuller.

[Mrleft8]

Sounds like Flensberg is in the Caribbean...
I live fairly close, so if you'd like pictures of specific areas that might not be on the list of those taking pretty pictures, I'd be happy to oblige.

[uncas]

rbgrr
My father was the past director, however, it was a long time ago and he died at 90, 3 yrs ago. Revell Carr lives in
Wells, Me., retired as director in 2001 and may be a better choice of an individual to contact. I am sure that he is still a member of the board. If you want me to do a bit of digging, I'd be happy to get his phone number if nothing else.
Again, although it is hard to beleive, my father retired from there almost 30 yrs. ago. Too long ago.

[Ken Hutchins]

I think an important bit of information is the size of the parking lot for visitor cars and busses, you shoud be able to get a good photo and count the spaces. Many days especially on weekends there is not enough parking spaces.
They also have events year round so it is not just a summer attraction.

[uncas]

Good Point Ken. Before Mystic finally was able to buy the old factory across the street, parking was a bear. Unless ya knew someone working there and could sneak in to the staff lot. :)

[uncas]

rbgarr.
I'm trying to think of the correct name. There is an international association of maritime museums which my father help start in the early '70's. Many museums, here in the US and Europe are members. I would suggest a phone call to any large maritime museum in Europe for information. Again, if ya want, I can get Rev's number though...

[Bruce Hooke]

One key to the Mystic experience that you may not know about is all of the historic demonstration stuff that goes on there. They have basically tried to recreate a broad range of the types of buildings and businesses that one would have found in a 19th Century New England seaport, from printers to ropewalks (part of one) to taverns. I even remember talking to someone there who specialized in historic weather instruments.

An important part of the business model of Mystic Seaport is the fact that they charge admission ($17.50/adult). This, naturally, provides a lot of income to help them operate, but they do also need donations to support all the stuff they do, not to mention a lot of volunteer labor.

You probably know this, but Mystic is also a coherent single entity that, I'm sure, has to work with the city, but that can basically be run like a big museum. This, I'm sure, makes things easier than if the various elements of the historic "district" were all run by different entities, including the city. But, it is, of course, also a good idea to not focus on one single model.

Others, like Uncas, may be able to provide you with "inside contacts" but lacking that I found these two contacts on their website. They may not be the exact people you need, but they should be able to point you in the right direction:

Michael O'Farrell
Publicist
860.572.5317
michael.ofarrell@mysticseaport.org
or
Molly Entin
Public Relations Assistant
860.572.0711, ext. 5005
molly.entin@mysticseaport.org


I would consider picking up the phone and calling them. A long list of email questions is likely to get sidetracked, whereas a phone call can help you track down the information you really need. If you are mostly looking for statistical information about their operations I'd bet that one of these people could help you. I don't know how things work in Germany, but here in the US important financial information about the operation of non-profits is public information.

The following is straight from their website:

More than 300,000 people visit Mystic Seaport annually. Membership represents more than 20,000 people from all 50 states and several foreign countries. The volunteer corps consists of more than 1,400 people.
I've never needed high level information such as what you are after, but I have always found the people I've talked to at Mystic very helpful.

You might want to start by going to their "press room." http://www.mysticseaport.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewPage&page_id=71EA57C1-97A8-564A-92D0E29CD26E1E31

Use the links highlighted in yellow on the left side of the screen to find press releases, fact sheets, and the like. These may well answer a lot of your basic questions.

[Thorne]

I think he's in Denmark, not sure.

Surely there is some national Tourism office you can link up with -- sometimes it takes a bureaucrat to catch a bureaucrat...or deal with one.

I'd try vamping up your proposal to include stuff like Jamestown, the new something-something Quay being opened in North Caroline or nearby (?), and other museum-historical demonstration/reenactment sites. Obviously your focus is on the maritime museum element, but it might help to link with the related type of tourist / historical attractions that are successful.

Try checking out the Portsmith site -- google Mary Rose in the UK -- they are another successful maritime museum operation.

[yorgie]

Good one Thorne!

Martin should be in Denmark but unfortunately the refrendum didin't go the right way.However because Flensburg was no longer a commercially viable port it's remained relatively unredeveloped and retains a certain old world charm that other port cities like Kiel have lost.

Martin wrote a post recently about how fun-loving Danes re-occupy their former city every weekend,so I guess things have worked out well.

Chris

[Thorne]

Well, it coulda been Danish *so* easily!

;0 )

Martin, also check out Bourtange in northeast Holland -- an old 17th Century star fort completely renovated and rebuilt. In an area otherwise totally devoid of tourist destinations, this one pulls reenactors and tourists from all over the world = including me last year.

http://www.luckhardt.com/bourtange/bourtange-Images/1.jpg

Here's the link to my photos from the 2005 event in Bourtange -
http://www.luckhardt.com/bourtange/bourtange.html

And here is the Wikipedia listings for Flensburg -

Flensburg (Danish (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danish_Language): Flensborg, Low Saxon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low_Saxon): Flensborg, North Frisian (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Frisian_language): Flansborj) is an independent town (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independent_city) in the North of the German state (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/States_of_Germany) Schleswig-Holstein (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schleswig-Holstein). Flensburg is the centre of the region Südschleswig (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%BCdschleswig). After Kiel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiel) and Lübeck (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%BCbeck) it is the third largest town in Schleswig-Holstein.
The nearest larger towns are Kiel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiel) (69 km south) and Odense (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odense) in Denmark (92 km northeast). Flensburg is Germany's second most northerly town after Westerland (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westerland%2C_Germany) on the island of Sylt (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sylt) and it lies about 7 km from the Danish border.
In Germany, Flensburg is known for
the nationwide database of traffic violators
its beer Flensburger Pilsener, also called "Flens"
the center of the Danish national minority in Germany
the greeting Moin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moin)
the large erotic mail-order companies Beate Uhse (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beate_Uhse_AG) and Orion
its handball team SG Flensburg-Handewitt
My bad...

[Hwyl]

rbgrr
Revell Carr lives in
Wells, Me., retired as director in 2001 and may be a better choice of an individual to contact. I am sure that he is still a member of the board.

Hmmm, I live there too. I looked in the phone directory not in there. Maybe I'll run into him in the supermarket,

I'll give you the same offer as Joe did. I'll see you there for a beer (it's about 4 hours away from me). It seems much more of a commercial venture than Flensburg.

The tax laws here in America, encourage donations to non profits. Mystic was a good place to donate to, because many of it's directors were fairly powrful people, a donation puts you close to the oligarchs.

[martin schulz]

And here is the Wikipedia listings for Flensburg

You forgot the most important part:

Museums

* Museumsberg – Museum for artistic and cultural history.
* Schifffahrtsmuseum – Museum for shipping and shipbuilding.
* Rummuseum – History of the "Rum Town" of Flensburg.
* Naturwissenschaftliches Museum – Animal and plant worlds of northern Schleswig-Holstein.
* Museumshafen – Private initiative for maintaining old sailing ships Segelschiffe.
* Museumswerft – Shipbuilding (sail) of bygone centuries for children.
* Fischereimuseum – Initiative of the fishery association, lies on the old Fischery harbour.
* Phänomenta – For experiencing and understanding nature and technology.
* Salondampfer "Alexandra" – Förderverein zur Wiederinbetriebnahme des Dampfers von 1908.
* Gerichtshistorische Sammlung – a collection of legal history at the Flensburg State Court.
* Bergmühle – Association for maintaining the historic windmill from 1792.
* Johannesburger Heimatstube – Documents, pictures and writings from East Prussia.

[uncas]

Hwyl.
I'm fairly confident that Rev lives in Wells...
I know he is busy writing and on the road a lot.

If it ain't Wells, its Bath...

He is a good guy. You would like him.

[martin schulz]

Ok Guys thanks a lot.
I will go through your posts again and then try to call someone in MYSTIC, although writing an email seems to be the easier way (time difference).

[uncas]

martin
I'd write.. e-mails are fast granted but for that reason, they don't really demonstrate the seriousness of what you want.
A call is choice two. But you may be put on hold, dropped or misdirected. And a phone call is easily forgotten.
But a letter, you will have a copy for the records and that, down the road may be a good thing.

[Hwyl]

Hwyl.
I'm fairly confident that Rev lives in Wells...
I know he is busy writing and on the road a lot.

If it ain't Wells, its Bath...

He is a good guy. You would like him.

About a hundred miles

Revell Carr, (207) 677-2859, 75 Seawood Park Rd, New Harbor, ME 04554

[uncas]

Hwyl
I sense that he moved since I last saw him. When he came to my father's funeral in 03, I thought he had told me he lived in Wells.
Hey we all move around a bit.

Thanks for the update though.