Whales in North Carolina
2026-11-05 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | 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.

Bonehenge Family Friendly Tour
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: Turkey
2026-11-11 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.

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.

Introduction to Wooden Boatbuilding
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.

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
