The curator of Mystic Seaport, Edouard A. Stackpole, originated the idea for the institute and turned to Professor Robert G. Albion, Gardiner Professor of Oceanic History and Affairs at Harvard University to join with him in creating the Institute and to serve as its first director.
[2] Since its founding, the Munson Institute has been the leading, and often the sole, center for the teaching of maritime history in the United States.
Its faculty has included the leading maritime historians in the United States.
In 1996, 2006, 2010, 2012, and 2014,[1] the National Endowment for the Humanities awarded it grants to run summer institutes to teach maritime history to college and university faculty members in a national effort to further develop this field.
[2] The Institute annually awards the Hardin Craig Memorial Prize for academic excellence.