There are currently nine lightship museums, eight of which are actively open to the public. Some operate as independent museums, but most are part of maritime museum organizations that include other historic vessels and landmarks. They are as follows:

1. LV-83 “Swiftsure,” Northwest Seaport, Seattle, WA
2. LV-87 “Ambrose,” South Street Seaport Museum, New York, NY
3. LV-101 “Portsmouth,” Naval Shipyard Museum, Portsmouth, VA
4. LV-103 “Huron,” Port Huron Museum, Port Huron, MI
5. LV-112 “Nantucket,” Boston, Massachusetts
6. LV-116 “Chesapeake,” Baltimore Maritime Museum, Baltimore, MD
7. WLV-604 “Columbia,” Columbia River Maritime Museum, Astoria, OR
8. WLV-605 “Relief,” Lightship Relief, Oakland, CA
9. LV-118 “Overfalls,” Overfalls Lightship Museum, Lewes, DE

Two other Nantucket lightships are in existence and privately owned: LV-613 and LV-612.