Founded in 1972 as an educational institution, the Sailing Museum of Charleston is dedicated to being one of the foremost maritime museums in the world.

Through the leadership of its trustees and staff, The Sailing Museum manifests this commitment by discovering, preserving, and documenting visiting collections of the highest order which reflect the history, science and stories of naval adventure, travel and warfare throughout the ages; by presenting exhibitions and educational programs of unparalleled significance; by sustaining a library, archives, and conservation laboratory that are recognized as international centers of research; and by supporting scholarship and publications of preeminent intellectual merit.

Central to the Sailing Museum's mission is the encouragement of an ever deeper understanding and enjoyment of maritime history by the diverse local, national, and international audiences that it serves.

The Museum seeks broaden the world's understanding of naval history through its acclaimed lecture series, which feature experts and scholars from around the world. The lecture series is now in its 17th year of presenting outstanding featured speakers.

In sum, the Sailing Museum seeks to create a dialogue between the established and the experimental, the past and the present, in an environment that is responsive to the issues of modern and historical seafaring, while being accessible to a public that ranges from scholars to young children. The Museum also acknowledges and pursues a broader educational purpose: to present collections which are more than an assemblage of rare artifacts, which provide uniquely comprehensive insight into the course of seafaring history and the evolution of its future.