Child-Friendly Exhibits

The museum is definitely child-friendly. Some kids max out quickly at traditional "look, don't touch" museums, so we've got lots of fun stuff to touch and do. And when they're done with the exhibits, there's plenty of room to run, play, and picnic on our spacious campus.

Yard in the Yard

What was it like to sail on a square-rigger? Find out in the Yard in the Yard. Kids can steer a real ship's wheel. Walk around the capstain and listen to its rhythmic clanking as they pretend to raise the anchor. Or climb out on the footropes on a large scale model of a ship's mast to furl the sail.

Peapod

Peapod is a play-and-learning area full of hands-on activities. Very young children can dress up in 19th century costumes and shop in a general store of the period; play with ship models, tie knots, or snuggle up with a stuffed animal and a book. (Limited hours during summer camp sessions – please inquire.)

Marine Science Lab

Use a mechanical grappling arm to catch marine life in a mockup of a submersible vehicle, then take your samples into the lab to analyze and identify. Observe real, live lobsters, crabs and starfish, and learn about marine habitats. Create your own fish with an abundance of free craft materials, then take him home as a souvenir.

19th Century School Room

Find out what was it like to go to school 150 years ago. Write on a real slate, sit at an antique school desk, and make a clever clothespin doll – our most popular craft project. It's yours to take home for free.

Look Around – There's More!

Don't hesitate to take children through the "adult" exhibits too! There are hands-on activities for children in most exhibit buildings, and kids are often fascinated to see our exhibits of boats, ships, and the way people lived in days gone by.