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Buffeted by inflation, rising costs and the growing uncertainty surrounding government support for cultural institutions, Mystic Seaport Museum has implemented “necessary organizational changes” that include the elimination of 22 positions. Employees were informed of the layoffs Tuesday, Christopher Freeman, the museum’s interim president and chief executive officer, said in an interview. The layoffs, which represent about 15% of the museum’s workforce of nearly 150 people, were felt across the spectrum,” affecting members of all departments, Freeman said. Those whose positions were cut received severance packages and those enrolled in the company’s medical benefits plan also were offered health care support. “The Museum remains open and will continue to present seasonal programming,” the museum said in a statement. Freeman said that although the museum’s business has been relatively steady, its revenue growth has not kept up with the rate of inflation, which hit 3% nationally in September after climbing 2.9% over the year that ended in August. Operational costs have been rising, too, he said, and some federal funding has dried up. Future government funding, he said, is in doubt, a major issue for museums and other cultural institutions across the country. The museum’s revenue comes mainly from three sources: ticket sales, private philanthropy and memberships. According to the museum’s annual reports, attendance fell from 255,000 visitors in 2023 to 212,500 in 2024, while some 11,000 households are invested in memberships that provide free general admission and such perks as discounts on events, dining and shopping. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of museum memberships ranged from 13,000 to 14,000, according to Freeman. Business and cultural leaders reacted Wednesday to word of the museum’s layoffs. “I have a lot of friends and colleagues at the Seaport, so this is devastating news,” Jason Mancini, executive director of Connecticut Humanities, wrote in an email. The staff there is incredibly dedicated to preserving and sharing history, and making it relevant to the public.” He said dwindling support from government sources is having a devastating effect on cultural organizations around the state, a growing number of which he said are struggling. “This means layoffs and closures, reduced hours, and other operational adjustments,” Mancini wrote. “At CT Humanities, we are exploring mergers and acquisitions, strategic partnerships, and shared services and are encouraging others to do the same. This is an adapt-or-die moment for our sector.” Brue Flax, president of the Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce, said he was surprised by Mystic Seaport Museum’s layoffs given “things are going pretty well in Mystic.” “But even when the perception is that things are going well, the reality can still be challenging,” he conceded. “Costs are going up. The Seaport’s trying to deal with it the best they can.” He noted costs associated with maintaining security at chamber events, for example, have recently skyrocketed. “The Seaport is a solid institution; it’s going to do well,” Tony Sheridan, president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut, said. “I feel bad for the people who had to be let go, but I understand the need to do it. An institution like this can’t run a deficit.” Mystic Seaport Museum’s layoffs come three months after the departure of Peter Armstrong, who stepped down as the museum’s president and chief executive officer to accept a job that enabled him to rejoin his family in England. The museum’s board named Freeman, 59, to succeed Armstrong on an interim basis. “I knew we had a financial challenge ahead of us, but it was not clear to me the scale of that challenge,” said Freeman, who’s been with the museum for 28 years. Freeman said the museum board and senior management have developed a plan to ensure the museum’s long-term sustainability. The plan, he said, was adopted at the board’s September meeting. A search committee has been formed to find a permanent president and CEO. “I have been invited to submit an application if I choose to do so,” Freeman said. “I’m not going to comment on whether I will.” Currently, the museum is completing a $9 million renovation of a 35,000-square-foot section of the Rossie Mill building, which will house a collection of American watercraft. Pursued with donor-designated funds, the project is not affected by the financial pressures squeezing the museum’s operating budget, according to Freeman. “We are concluding construction and raising funds to install the exhibit,” he said. b.hallenbeck@theday.com © 2025 The Day (New London, Conn.). Visit www.theday.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
