Blue Compass II
2026-08-10 - 2026-08-14 | North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort, 315 Front St., Beaufort, NC, 28516, United States
Blue Compass II is a new Summer Science School class that provides children entering grades 3 and 4 with fun and adventure in their coastal environment. The five-day camp highlights the maritime traditions, natural resources, and rich history of the North Carolina coast. Campers will build a stitch and glue model boat, fish from local docks, investigate underwater archaeology, discover a pirate’s treasure, and tour Bonehenge Whale Center. Each day features interactive projects, outdoor exploration, and fun discoveries about life along the coast. The program runs from 9 a.m.–noon each day.
Summer Science School courses are designed to give children entering grades one to 10 hands-on experiences with North Carolina’s environment, history, and culture. Some courses take place outside the main museum building and may involve travel. Advance registration is required. Register below. Limited scholarships that cover course fees are available; email Education Curator Courtney Felton for scholarship information. For more information, call 252-504-7758.

Kids' Cove: Whales
2026-08-12 09:00 - 11:00 (America/New_York) | 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.

Kayak the Salt Marsh
2026-08-13 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-09-01 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-09-30 09:00 - 12:00 | Gallants Channel, 293 West Beaufort Road, Beaufort, NC, 28516, United States
Learn about salt marshes and wildlife while on the water. Basic kayak instruction and safety lessons on shore are followed by a 1.5-mile paddle through the salt marsh in the museum’s sit-in cockpit touring kayaks. The program is recommended for ages 12 and up. All participants under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Participants must know how to swim; some kayaking experience is recommended.
Field programs are designed to give participants a hands-on experience 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.

Introduction to Wooden Boatbuilding
2026-08-15 - 2026-08-16, 2026-09-12 - 2026-09-13, 2026-10-10 - 2026-10-11 | 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.

Hiking and History on Shackleford Banks
2026-08-19 08:30 - 12:00, 2026-09-22 08:30 - 12:00
Experience Outer Banks history and wildlife with a guided hike on Shackleford Banks, part of the Cape Lookout National Seashore. Participants will take a ferry to an undeveloped barrier island. This field trip requires hiking through sandy terrain for 2 to 2.5 miles. 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.

Seashore Life I
2026-08-20 - 2026-08-21 | North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort, 315 Front St., Beaufort, NC, 28516, United States
Students entering grades 1 and 2 will investigate coastal marine life of the tidal flats, salt marshes, and sounds on local islands during this two-day class. The field-based classes include ferry ride, barrier island hiking, and animal identification. Course runs from 9 a.m. to noon each day. A limited number of scholarships are available. Advance registration is required. Register below or by calling 252-504-7758.
The program is part of the museum’s Summer Science School series. Its courses are designed to give children entering grades one to ten hands-on experiences with North Carolina’s environment, history, and culture. Some courses take place outside the main museum building and may involve travel. Advance registration is required. Register online at ncmaritimemuseumbeaufort.com. Limited scholarships that cover course fees are available; email Education Curator Courtney Felton for scholarship information. For more information, call 252-504-7758.

Bonehenge Family Friendly Tour
2026-08-21 14:00 - 14:30, 2026-10-12 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.

Build a Boat in a Day
2026-08-22, 2026-09-05 | Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center, 322 Front Street, Beaufort, NC, 28516, United States
Participants in this introductory workshop use pre-cut kits to construct a small, flat-bottomed plywood boat in a single session. The course focuses on teaching basic woodworking and assembly skills. The class is designed for beginners and is a collaborative effort for families or small teams. Each participating team assembles a small flat-bottomed plywood boat suitable for paddling. The boat is 12 feet long, 32 inches wide, and weighs about 40 pounds. Each boat will be completed to a watertight condition and ready to take home for paint or varnish.
Teams are limited to a maximum of 4 people, at least one of whom must be an adult. Minimum age is 8 years old. Register below or by calling 252-504-7758.

It’s Getting Hot in Here: The Importance of Maintaining a Stable Environment for Collections
2026-08-27 12:00 - 13:00 | North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort, 315 Front St., Beaufort, NC, 28516, United States
Ever wonder what those little gadgets with the temperature and humidity read-outs in museum cases are all about? How about those pink-blue strips, the ones that look like a flat thermometer? Or those little baggies of orange-green beads? Conservators and collections staff spend a great deal of time monitoring and making changes to the museum environment in order to prevent damage to artifacts. Join museum Conservator Michelle Crepeau as she discusses the ways the environment can impact artifacts and what museums do to control environmental effects, including helpful tips and tricks you can apply to your own collections.
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.

Bonehenge Public Tours
2026-08-28 10:00, 2026-09-11 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.

Lofting a Boat
2026-08-29 - 2026-08-30 | Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center, 322 Front Street, Beaufort, NC, 28516, United States
The boatbuilding class teaches how to create full-size, scaled-up plans for a six-foot boat using a traditional process called lofting. Students will learn to transfer a boat’s design from a boat plan and draw it out in full scale, the first critical steps for creating templates and building a boat.
Class runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Class fee is $110 ($99 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.

Lost Ships, Living Reefs: The Dual Legacy of North Carolina Shipwrecks
2026-09-03 12:00 - 13:00 | North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort, 315 Front St., Beaufort, NC, 28516, United States
Join Education Curator Courtney Felton to explore how North Carolina’s shipwrecks transform into thriving marine habitats and vital parts of our ocean ecosystem.
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
2026-09-08 08:30 - 12:00, 2026-10-06 08:30 - 12:00
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.

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

Can You Knot? A Knot Tying Workshop
2026-09-10 14:00 - 16:00 | North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort, 315 Front St., Beaufort, NC, 28516, United States
This hands-on course will review the history of knot tying in the maritime industry, followed by an opportunity for participants to practice their knot-tying skills. The course will cover a minimum of 10 knots, with the potential to cover more, including splicing, as time and participant interest allow. Program is open to ages 12 and up. Pre-registration is required by noon the day prior to the program. Register below. For more information, call 252-504-7758.

Life Aboard Ship Means Going at Sea
2026-09-17 12:00 - 13:00 | North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort, 315 Front St., Beaufort, NC, 28516, United States
When nature calls, you must go! But where do you go while at sea? You may be surprised by the historical practices of something so basic as using the bathroom while on board a ship. Join Associate Curator of Education Christine Brin for an informative look at the evolution of the ship’s head (bathroom). She will cover historic sailing vessels, ironclad warships, and submarines related to this aspect of maritime life you may never have thought about.
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.

Family Model Boat Class
2026-09-19 09:00 - 14:00 | Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center, 322 Front Street, Beaufort, NC, 28516, United States
Designed for children but with adult participation, each team will assemble and decorate a model boat under the supervision of experienced boat builders and model makers.
Teams are limited to a maximum of 4 people, at least one of whom must be an adult. Minimum age is 8 years old. Course size is limited, and advance registration is required. Register below or by calling 252-504-7758.

North Carolina’s State Navy
2026-09-24 12:00 - 13:00 | North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort, 315 Front St., Beaufort, NC, 28516, United States
From 1776 to 1779, North Carolina established and maintained a small state navy. It also partnered with Virginia to finance and man two galleys to protect Ocracoke Inlet from British privateers. Join Maritime History Curator David Bennett to learn about how these projects started, what they accomplished, and why they ended halfway through the American War of Independence.
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.

This Collection Will Kill You: Identifying and Addressing Hazardous Materials in Your Collection
2026-10-01 12:00 - 13:00 | 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.

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.

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
