Northwest Maritime Center by Nic Lehoux

Our Buildings & Spaces

Weissblum Maritime Heritage Building

The Weissblum Maritime Heritage Building is the first building you see as you approach our campus. The color of the building, a warm yellow, pays homage to the color of the traditional maritime buildings of our area. Downstairs you’ll find our Welcome Center and Velocity Coffee, a coffee shop owned and operated by Port Townsend locals. Upstairs houses our main administrative offices, along with the H.W. McCurdy Library, Tretter Gallery, and the large Oliver & Morris conference rooms—which can be rented out for events and celebrations.

Chandler Maritime Education Building

Across the breezeway from the Weissblum Maritime Heritage Building is the Chandler Maritime Education Building, a two-story open warehouse designed specifically for demonstrating traditional marine craftsmanship. The red color of this building is a nod to Port Townsend’s historic brick buildings as well as the traditional waterfront buildings. Upstairs there is a mezzanine that borders a handful of classrooms and runs the full length of the building. Stairs at the far end lead to our Pilothouse Ship Simulator

On street level, you’ll find the Keith McCaw Boatshop where professionals and beginners alike carry out boat projects through space rentals and NWM Boatshop Workshops. Also on this level is our Bosuns Locker where we store gear and equipment used in our educational programs

Helen Keeley Boathouse

Our Boathouse is an active place used by individuals and organized groups of rowers and paddlers—including local rowing outfits Tuf As Nails Women’s Masters Rowing and Rat Island Rowing & Sculling Club—to store their rowing shells and sea kayaks. It’s also home to several Pocock shells, including the historic Husky Challenger.

First Fed Commons

Our First Fed Commons is a focal point year-round for community gatherings and maritime activities. It’s more than 40,000 square feet—with a beach boardwalk, small-boat staging platform, and hand-launch boat ramp, along with a deep water pier and boardwalk. Over 1,400 pavers, laid in the shape of a compass rose, are engraved with the names of community members whose support and financial contributions made our campus project possible.