The Stockton Maritime Museum (SMM) is advancing a once-in-a-generation project to establish a permanent, public-facing home for the USS Lucid along Stockton’s historic downtown waterfront. This effort, funded in part by a Proposition 68 Delta Community and Economic Enhancement Grant, combines historic preservation, waterfront access, community education, and economic revitalization into a single cohesive initiative. At its heart is a vision to connect people of all backgrounds to Stockton’s maritime heritage and to transform an underutilized waterfront parcel into a dynamic cultural destination. The project includes restoration and permanent berthing of the USS Lucid, the construction of a new Ship Access Building, rehabilitation of the historic Colberg Boat Works, and public space improvements along West Weber Avenue. It is designed to draw in locals, school groups, tourists, and visitors from across the region for hands-on engagement with California’s naval and shipbuilding past. The coming sections outline the philosophical foundation of the Museum project, its mission, vision, and values, its target audiences, and the big ideas and differentiators that shape its story and experience. These foundations are the lens through which all physical improvements, including the in-water elements described in this RFP, must be understood and contextualized.
