▁the ▁society ▁in ▁ 1 8 2 3 . ▁It ▁was ▁designed ▁by ▁architect ▁Brad bury ▁Johnson ▁( 1 7 6 6 – 1 8 2 0 ) ▁as ▁the ▁office ▁for ▁the ▁New ▁Ham pshire ▁Fire ▁& ▁Marine ▁In sur ance ▁Company , ▁which ▁went ▁bank rupt . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁the ▁society ▁expanded ▁into ▁the ▁third ▁floor ▁of ▁ 6 - 8 ▁Market ▁Square ▁to ▁accommod ate ▁its ▁C ople y ▁Research ▁Library ▁and ▁Rand all ▁Gallery . ▁ ▁Like ▁most ▁a then æ ums , ▁it ▁comb ines ▁the ▁functions ▁of ▁a ▁library ▁with ▁those ▁of ▁an ▁art ▁gallery ▁and ▁museum . ▁The ▁institution ▁retain s ▁certain ▁ 1 9 th ▁century ▁custom s — members ▁are ▁" prop ri et ors ," ▁and ▁the ▁director ▁is ▁" keeper ." ▁Its ▁collection ▁now ▁includes ▁more ▁than ▁ 4 0 , 0 0 0 ▁books , ▁with ▁an ▁archive ▁of ▁about ▁ 1 2 , 0 0 0 ▁photograph s , ▁ 4 0 0 0 ▁of ▁which ▁are ▁posted ▁on ▁the ▁A then æ um ' s ▁website . ▁▁ ▁Port sm outh ▁was ▁once ▁a ▁major ▁New ▁England ▁se ap ort . ▁As ▁a ▁consequence , ▁the ▁A then æ um ▁has ▁a ▁strong ▁emphas is ▁on ▁mar itime ▁history , ▁particularly ▁ship building ▁at ▁Bad ger ' s ▁Island ▁and ▁the ▁Port sm outh ▁Naval ▁Sh ip yard , ▁both ▁located ▁across ▁the ▁P isc ata qua ▁River