This Collection Will Kill You: Identifying and Addressing Hazardous Materials in Your Collection
2026-10-01 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort, 315 Front St., Beaufort, NC, 28516, United States
From arsenic to uranium, humans have long had the pesky tendency of using poisons, caustics, carcinogens, and even explosives in our art, our clothing, our entertainment, and as part of our everyday lives. Sometimes these items even make their way into museums, often in odd or unexpected ways. Join museum Conservator Michelle Crepeau as she discusses how to identify hazardous materials in your collection, options for mitigation and remediation, and why you shouldn’t lick the science!
This program is part of the museum’s Maritime Heritage Lecture Series, informal lectures focused on North Carolina’s rich maritime history, coastal environment, and culture. Programs are offered select Thursdays at noon. The lectures are held in the museum auditorium and streamed via Zoom. Admission is free, and registration is not required for the in-person program. Visit ncmaritimemuseumbeaufort.com/virtual to sign up to receive the Zoom links. Programs are also posted to the museum’s YouTube channel.

Exploring Coastal Habitats on the Rachel Carson Reserve
2026-10-06 08:30 - 12:00 | NC
Join a member of our education team to discover the various plants and animals of the salt marsh and tidal flats at the Rachel Carson Reserve. The guided hike will take you through the different habitats and the sandy, muddy, and wet terrain found on Town Marsh and Bird Shoal. The program is recommended for ages 12 and up. All participants under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
Field programs are designed to give participants hands-on experiences with North Carolina’s environment, history, and culture. Please note that these programs take place primarily outside. Please review the age and experience requirements before registering. Pre-registration is required by noon the day prior to the program. Register below. For more information, call 252-504-7758.

The Story Behind Echo the Whale and his Skeleton
2026-10-08 12:00 - 13:00 | North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort, 315 Front St., Beaufort, NC, 28516, United States
Join Natural Science Curator Keith Rittmaster for an informal discussion about “Echo” (the museum’s 33.5-foot sperm whale skeleton) and his heart. When the adolescent male whale came ashore at Cape Lookout in 2004, his bones and heart were preserved for study and display. Keith will cover the step-by-step process of retrieving, preserving, and displaying the specimen that now resides in the museum gallery.
This program is part of the museum’s Maritime Heritage Lecture Series, informal lectures focused on North Carolina’s rich maritime history, coastal environment, and culture. Programs are offered select Thursdays at noon. The lectures are held in the museum auditorium and streamed via Zoom. Admission is free, and registration is not required for the in-person program. Visit ncmaritimemuseumbeaufort.com/virtual to sign up to receive the Zoom links. Programs are also posted to the museum’s YouTube channel.

Introduction to Wooden Boatbuilding
2026-10-10 - 2026-10-11, 2026-11-21 - 2026-11-22, 2026-12-12 - 2026-12-13 | Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center, 322 Front Street, Beaufort, NC, 28516, United States
The introductory wooden boatbuilding class provides hands-on experience with fundamental boatbuilding concepts. The course teaches students to select wood, design a boat, and use various techniques like steam bending, planking (carvel or lapstrake), and fastening to construct a small boat. The curriculum covers basic design, essential tools, safe workshop practices, and the properties of wood, culminating in a small project that builds confidence for independent boatbuilding.
Class runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Class fee is $200 ($180 for Friends of the Museum). Minimum age is 16. Course size is limited, and advance registration is required. Register below or by calling 252-504-7758.

Bonehenge Family Friendly Tour
2026-10-12 14:00 - 14:30, 2026-11-10 14:00 - 14:30 | North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort, 315 Front St., Beaufort, NC, 28516, United States
Children ages 7 to 14 and their companion adults are invited to participate in a new 20 to 30-minute tour of the Bonehenge Whale Center. The free tour is a shortened version of the regular public tour with softer imagery and vocabulary for a younger audience. Along with the opportunity to touch and hold multiple bones, whale oil, and a real whale’s tooth, the tour will include discussions on what whales eat, how they are adapted to deep ocean living, conservation issues regarding whales, and how the public can help.
This tour takes place in an active workshop; therefore, it is not recommended for children under the age of 7. Pre-registration is required by noon the day prior to the program. Register below. For more information, call 252-504-7758.

Kids' Cove: Maritime Masks
2026-10-14 09:00 - 11:00 | North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort, 315 Front St., Beaufort, NC, 28516, United States
Kids’ Cove is a free-play program designed for children ages 0-5 and their caregivers with a different maritime themed craft and wiggle activity each month. While the museum’s gallery remains temporarily closed, the Kids’ Cove programs will return to the museum auditorium. This is a screen-free program meant to help caregivers connect with their little ones, each other, and their local maritime heritage. The program is designed so that participants can stay for as short or as long as they want, arriving and leaving at any time during the scheduled program. Programs do not build on each other, so you can participate in one, all, or some without feeling left out. Programs are held on the second Wednesday of each month from 9 to 11 a.m. Pre-registration preferred.
Sign up below or by calling 252-504-7758.

Bonehenge Public Tours
2026-10-16 10:00 | Bonehenge Whale Center, 275 W Beaufort Rd Ext, Beaufort, 28516
Bonehenge Whale Center is dedicated to research, marine conservation, stranded specimen collection, exhibit preparation and display, educational programming, and publications that focus on NC cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises). It operates as a partnership between the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and the Carolina Cay Maritime Foundation.
As an active workshop, this site is not regularly open to the public. Join the museum’s Natural Science Curator Keith Rittmaster and Associate Education Curator Christine Brin for an hour-long guided tour of the whale center. During this program, participants will see the skeletons of multiple whale species, have unique opportunities to interact with these specimens, and learn about the conservation issues facing cetaceans and what the public can do to help.
Participants must be over 14 years old. Limited spaces are available. Pre-registration required by noon the day prior. Register below or by calling (252) 504-7758.

Introduction to Woodworking
2026-10-24 - 2026-10-25 | Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center, 322 Front Street, Beaufort, NC, 28516, United States
The new Introduction to Woodworking class teaches beginners to safely and efficiently use hand and power tools, understand different wood types and their properties, and apply fundamental techniques like cutting, shaping, joining, and finishing to build a small project. The course focuses on building foundational skills, with instructor demonstrations and supervised hands-on practice, to instill confidence and a solid understanding for future woodworking projects.
Class runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Class fee is $200 ($180 for Friends of the Museum). Minimum age is 16. Course size is limited, and advance registration is required. Register below or by calling 252-504-7758.

Sea Monsters
2026-10-29 12:00 - 13:00 | North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort, 315 Front St., Beaufort, NC, 28516, United States
Legends and stories of sea monsters are almost culturally universal, with even landlocked groups of people telling tales of fantastic sea or water creatures. Join Associate Education Curator Christine Brin for a look at some of the most popular sea monsters and some of the “sea creatures,” like whales, that may have inspired these stories.
This program is part of the museum’s Maritime Heritage Lecture Series, informal lectures focused on North Carolina’s rich maritime history, coastal environment, and culture. Programs are offered select Thursdays at noon. The lectures are held in the museum auditorium and streamed via Zoom. Admission is free, and registration is not required for the in-person program. Visit ncmaritimemuseumbeaufort.com/virtual to sign up to receive the Zoom links. Programs are also posted to the museum’s YouTube channel.

Whales in North Carolina
2026-11-05 12:00 - 13:00 | North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort, 315 Front St., Beaufort, NC, 28516, United States
North Carolina has many species of whales that travel near our shores and sometimes strand on our beaches. This makes it ideal for biologists to study and promote the conservation and understanding of these endangered marine mammals. Join Natural Science Curator Keith Rittmaster to learn about the whales most commonly spotted off the coast of North Carolina and view some related display items.
This program is part of the museum’s Maritime Heritage Lecture Series, informal lectures focused on North Carolina’s rich maritime history, coastal environment, and culture. Programs are offered select Thursdays at noon. The lectures are held in the museum auditorium and streamed via Zoom. Admission is free, and registration is not required for the in-person program. Visit ncmaritimemuseumbeaufort.com/virtual to sign up to receive the Zoom links. Programs are also posted to the museum’s YouTube channel.

Kids' Cove: Turkey
2026-11-11 09:00 - 11:00 | North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort, 315 Front St., Beaufort, NC, 28516, United States

Sailor's Supper
2026-11-12 12:00 - 13:00 | North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort, 315 Front St., Beaufort, NC, 28516, United States
Clues from the remains of ships help us learn more about the lives of sailors in the 17th and 18th centuries. Join Associate Education Curator Christine Brin for a look at what seafarers were eating, how they were preparing and storing their food, and what materials they were using to cook and consume it.
This program is part of the museum’s Maritime Heritage Lecture Series, informal lectures focused on North Carolina’s rich maritime history, coastal environment, and culture. Programs are offered select Thursdays at noon. The lectures are held in the museum auditorium and streamed via Zoom. Admission is free, and registration is not required for the in-person program. Visit ncmaritimemuseumbeaufort.com/virtual to sign up to receive the Zoom links. Programs are also posted to the museum’s YouTube channel.

North Carolina’s War at Sea: Privateers & Letter of Marque Vessels
2026-11-19 12:00 - 13:00 | North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort, 315 Front St., Beaufort, NC, 28516, United States
North Carolina’s privateers and letters of marque vessels took the war to sea against British shipping in North American, Caribbean, and European waters. Join Maritime History Curator David Bennett to learn the difference between privateer and letter of marque vessels, who owned them, what life and combat aboard these vessels was like and their impact on the war effort.
This program is part of the museum’s Maritime Heritage Lecture Series, informal lectures focused on North Carolina’s rich maritime history, coastal environment, and culture. Programs are offered select Thursdays at noon. The lectures are held in the museum auditorium and streamed via Zoom. Admission is free, and registration is not required for the in-person program. Visit ncmaritimemuseumbeaufort.com/virtual to sign up to receive the Zoom links. Programs are also posted to the museum’s YouTube channel.

History of Santa Claus, Patron Saint of Sailors
2026-12-03 12:00 - 13:00 | North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort, 315 Front St., Beaufort, NC, 28516, United States
Did Santa prefer a green suit before he started wearing his now iconic red? What is Mrs. Claus’s first name? We may not know everything about the mysterious and jolly figure; but during this family-friendly presentation, Associate Education Curator Christine Brin will try to answer some questions without taking away any of the magic.
This program is part of the museum’s Maritime Heritage Lecture Series, informal lectures focused on North Carolina’s rich maritime history, coastal environment, and culture. Programs are offered select Thursdays at noon. The lectures are held in the museum auditorium and streamed via Zoom. Admission is free, and registration is not required for the in-person program. Visit ncmaritimemuseumbeaufort.com/virtual to sign up to receive the Zoom links. Programs are also posted to the museum’s YouTube channel.

Kids' Cove: Trains
2026-12-09 09:00 - 11:00 | North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort, 315 Front St., Beaufort, NC, 28516, United States
