The IWMA is a non-profit, 501c(3) public benefit corporation organized in 1991 under California’s Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation Law for public and charitable purposes. The goals of the Institute are to promote research and education through teaching and publication, in both print and visual media, in the maritime, social, and cultural history and archaeology of North America. This continent has a rich and varied maritime history, extending back thousands of years before its discovery by 15th century explorers. Precontact inhabitants developed coastal, riverine, and lacustrine trade based on an elaborate maritime technology. Later colonization by peoples from all over the world was accomplished largely by sea. This history has left us with a rich maritime legacy. The Institute's purpose is to research this legacy, locate historic sites and cultural resources, document, interpret, and preserve them for the education and benefit of all people.