NC Maritime Museum : BEAUFORT

ONLINE BOAT REGISTRATION: 49th Annual Wooden Boat Show
2025-04-01 08:00 - 2025-04-30 12:00 (America/New_York) | North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort, 315 Front St., Beaufort, NC, 28516, United States
Sign up to exhibit your vessel at the 49th Annual Wooden Boat Show, the longest-running boat show in the southeast!
Boat registration is $30 for the first boat and $5 for each additional boat. Registration includes an event T-shirt and admission to the opening reception on May 2 (5 to 7 p.m. at the Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center) and the awards ceremony on May 3 (4 p.m. at the Watercraft Center).
To register a boat for display, complete the appropriate form below. For more information or to register by phone, call 252-504-7758. Online registration closes April 30. After that time, call 252-504-7758 to register.
Boat check-in is at the Watercraft Center, and setup will be from 8 to 10 a.m. on May 3.

The Vice-Admiralty Courts of Colonial North Carolina
2025-03-27 11:00 | Fort Macon State Park, 2303 E. Fort Macon Road, Atlantic Beach, 28512, United States
In colonial North Carolina, maritime law was enforced by the Vice-Admiralty Courts. Join Maritime History Curator David Bennett to learn about how the Vice-Admiralty Courts functioned, as well as their involvement in cases regarding smuggling, shipwrecks, prizes, and more.
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. The lectures are currently held in the Fort Macon Coastal Education Center and streamed via Zoom. 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 Whales and Whaling Symposium
2025-03-21 10:00 - 16:30 | Fort Macon State Park, 2303 E. Fort Macon Road, Atlantic Beach, 28512, United States
Join us for the annual Whales and Whaling Symposium to learn about the history, biology, conservation, and pedagogy of whales and whaling related to the southeast U.S. and Caribbean. The free symposium provides an opportunity to learn which species of whales can be found in the state’s coastal waters and further offshore, how and where some of these species were/are hunted regionally, and the contributions aerial surveys, stranding response, and prepared skeletal specimens make to research, conservation and education.
The program is free. However, pre-registration required due to limited seating; you must register for each program that you plan on attending individually. Register below or by calling 252-504-7758.
SCHEDULE:
10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Educational Display: Interactive and informative display of whale teeth, baleen, oil, skulls, and bones, as well as educational games.
10 a.m. Welcome and Introduction
10:15 a.m. “Trying Women: A History of Women in the Whaling Industry”
Christine Brin, North Carolina Maritime Museum associate curator of education
Using information gathered from whaling communities around the North Atlantic, Christine Brin pieces together the history of women in the whaling industry. These roles included net mending, running stores, processing whale meat, and occasionally even joining their husbands at sea. Join us for an interesting insight into the world of women in the early 17th century North Atlantic maritime community.
11 a.m. “Mogul and Medieval Iceland: A Millennium of North Atlantic Right Whales”
Dr. Vicki Szabo, professor of ancient, medieval, and environmental history at Western Carolina University
In 2018, a young North Atlantic right whale named Mogul made a splash off the coast of Iceland. Mogul’s transatlantic trip was remarkable because his species has not been witnessed in those waters for centuries. Using the evidence from medieval sagas, histories, charters, maps, archaeology, and biomolecular analysis, Dr. Szabo offers a thousand-year history of the North Atlantic right whale as seen from the shores of medieval Iceland.
Noon-1:30 p.m. Break for lunch
1:30 p.m. “Does Mother Know Best? Matrilineal Influences on Whale Social Dynamics”
Courtney Felton, North Carolina Maritime Museum associate curator of education
Dive into the world of whale and dolphin social dynamics during this presentation that dives into the role the females of the species play in social interactions, including raising their young, babysitting, and even limiting bullying. Join Courtney Felton to see if mother really does know best.
2:30 p.m. “What Can We Learn from Marine Mammals that Strand on NC Beaches?”
Dr. Vicky Thayer, adjunct professor for the College of Veterinary Medicine at NC State University and North Carolina Stranding Network coordinator
North Carolina beaches see a higher diversity of marine mammal-stranded species than any other state. Most of what we know about many of the species comes from stranded individuals. When searching for the cause of a stranding event, we often find evidence of ship strikes, entanglement in fishing gear, infectious disease, ingestion of marine debris, cumulative impacts, or shark predation. However, the cause can not always be determined. Join Dr. Vicky Thayer as she explores the challenges and rewards of being part of the collaborative and collegial North Carolina Marine Mammal Stranding Network.
3:30 p.m. “North Atlantic Right Whale Aerial Surveys in North Carolina”
Meghan Bradley, Hannah Gricks, and Courtney Caccamo; this season’s southeast United States North Atlantic right whale aerial survey team
Get a brief overview of the duties of the southeast United States’ North Atlantic right whale aerial survey team, as well as highlights of ongoing research and conservation efforts for the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale, during this snapshot of the survey season since November 2024.

The Maritime Dimensions of Coastal Plantations
2025-02-27 11:00 | Fort Macon State Park, 2303 E. Fort Macon Road, Atlantic Beach, 28512, United States
Join David Bennett, curator of maritime history, to learn about the maritime activities of coastal plantations in antebellum North Carolina, including shipping, shipbuilding, ferries, landings, commercial fishing, and more. He will also discuss the lives of free and enslaved watermen associated with coastal plantations.
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. The lectures are currently held in the Fort Macon Coastal Education Center and streamed via Zoom. 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.

Museum's Most Wanted: Identifying and Dealing with Museum Pests
2025-02-20 11:00 | Fort Macon State Park, 2303 E. Fort Macon Road, Atlantic Beach, 28512, United States
Many museum artifacts provide tasty treats for a variety of insects, animals, and fungi. A big part of museum conservation is preventing damage to our artifacts, which means knowing what’s eating your collection. Join museum conservator Michelle Crepeau for this lecture all about identifying common museum pests, their impact on collections, and methods of mitigation and prevention.
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. The lectures are currently held in the Fort Macon Coastal Education Center and streamed via Zoom. 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.

Ports, Pilotage, and Shipping in Colonial North Carolina
2025-01-30 11:00 | Fort Macon State Park, 2303 E. Fort Macon Road, Atlantic Beach, 28512, United States
Join Maritime History Curator David Bennett to learn about the economic role of shipping in colonial North Carolina. In addition, the lecture will discuss the rise of ports and pilotage and how they facilitated economic development.
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. The lectures are currently held in the Fort Macon Coastal Education Center and streamed via Zoom. 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.

Coastal Culture and Waterfowl Watching Excursion
2025-01-16 | North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort, 315 Front St., Beaufort, NC, 28516, United States
Observe wintering waterfowl at Pungo Lake and Lake Mattamuskeet during this one-day, guided tour. Not recommended for children under 12; under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Friends of the Maritime Museum Annual Membership Meeting & Holiday Reception
2024-12-08 16:00 - 18:00 | Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center, 322 Front Street, Beaufort, NC, 28516, United States
Join the Friends of the Maritime Museum for a holiday reception at 4 p.m. followed by its annual Membership Meeting at 5 p.m. at the Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center. The winner of the 2023 raffle boat will be drawn during the reception. The event is free and open to the public. Everyone is welcome to join the Friends of the Museum. Learn more at maritimefriends.org.
