Inside New Richmond's Cardboard Boat Museum

NEW RICHMOND — Connect Clermont reporters recently gained an inside look at New Richmond’s Cardboard Boat Museum, the world’s only museum dedicated entirely to cardboard boats, according to its website. Productions Specialist H Brewer sat down with founder Tom Lemon for a featured interview in the latest Connect Clermont YouTube video.

The museum sits along the banks of the Ohio River at 311 Front Street, and has drawn attention over the years for its light-hearted innovation.

Lemon began building cardboard boats in 2001, later working with friends and family to create flotillas of different shapes and sizes. What began as a hobby developed into a community passion project as they began building and testing more boats on the waters of Illinois.

Inside the Cardboard Boat Museum in New Richmond.

“In 2007, we were building a boat in my garage,” Lemon reflects. “I was like, ‘we need a place to show these boats that we have, because I have like six or seven in my garage.’”

With help from a friend who knew of an abandoned gas station garage, Lemon found the perfect space to display the team’s growing collection. Today, the museum showcases an impressive variety of cardboard boat designs, each with its own backstory tied to local water races and builders.

Beyond preservation, the museum’s mission is to inspire innovation and bring people together. Lemon says that community races are a major highlight.

“There’s basically two races,” he explained. “There are races that are really fast, and then there are races that people are trying to get to the end. Those are the fun ones to watch.”

Watch the full interview with Tom Lemon at the Cardboard Boat Museum.

Races feature multiple categories, including youth, dog, and mechanical divisions, each with unique rules and challenges that add to the spectacle.

Image by @card.boardboat Instagram

The Cardboard Boat Museum operates on Tuesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, offering free admission to the public. Visitors can also purchase merchandise or make donations to support the museum and keep it accessible to residents across Clermont County.

The next cardboard boat race will occur on July 4, 2026, as part of New Richmond’s annual Freedom Fest celebration. Community members interested in participating can contact the Cardboard Boat Museum by phone or online for entry details and additional information.

Subscribe to the Connect Clermont newsletter for more community videos and interviews.