At the turn of the 20th century, North Carolina historian and journalist Fredrick A. Olds established Sunshine Clubs to entertain and educate children. During the summers, Olds took underprivileged youth from the Raleigh Sunshine Club to Carteret County to experience and learn about the seacoast....
The legend of the mermaid, or half-human/half-fish creature, appears around the world throughout time. Join Associate Education Curator Christine Brin in the museum auditorium for a presentation that will look at some of the better-known legends of mermaids and their interesting evolution from grotesque sea...
Who would ever have known that the sport of surfing has been taking place in North Carolina for more than a hundred years? Join Education Curator Benjamin Wunderly in the museum auditorium for a look at the state’s role in the history of the sport...
Ranked amongst the fiercest pirates from the “Golden age of Piracy,” Anne Bonny and Mary Read have stories that daytime TV series could only aspire to. This presentation by Associate Education Curator Christine Brin may not be appropriate for younger children as topics of adultery...
Also known as Old Cook’s Storm, the Great Beaufort Hurricane of August 1879 wreaked havoc along the coast, devastating the Beaufort waterfront. Join Education Curator Benjamin Wunderly for a program that will reveal some of the accounts of one of the area’s worst storms. The...
When nature calls, you have to go! But the question is, where do you go while at sea? Though the answer for some might seem simple, you may be surprised by some methods. Join Associate Education Curator Christine Brin in the museum auditorium for a...
Meet the families who have carried out the tradition of commercial fishing for three centuries in Eastern Carteret County. Follow their struggles as their secluded communities slowly change into subdivisions and marinas and their way of life is no longer viable. This film was produced...
Lead is a soft and malleable metal that has been used for thousands of years as a writing surface for stamps, seals, and inscriptions, as well as an unintentional repository for tool marks and other signs of human workmanship. Like any other metal, lead can...
Museum Natural Science Curator Keith Rittmaster will present on “Echo”, the Museum’s 33.5-foot-long sperm whale skeleton. When the adolescent 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,...
Join Maritime History Curator David Bennett in the museum auditorium as he traces the development of North Carolina's crab fishery over the years. From being one of the state's least profitable fisheries to one of its leading, blue crabs have played a big role in...
Most ferry operations in the North Carolina started as private enterprises but, eventually, were turned over to the state. Some date back to the late 1700s, well before the automobile. The basic form has remained somewhat the same; they just got bigger to accommodate bigger...
Explore the wild seascape of Cape Lookout, one of the world’s last natural barrier islands and a little-known, remote section of the famed Outer Banks of North Carolina. Now a National Seashore, Cape Lookout and neighboring islands North Core Banks and Shackleford Banks are home...
Registration and Refund Policy:
Registration costs, less a 10% fee, are refunded when the museum receives cancellation notice at least 48 hours before the start of a program. There is no refund within 48 hours of the start of a program, and tickets cannot be transferred to a later program date within that 48 hour timeframe. Due to material costs and supply, Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center Courses require a 2-week notification for cancellations; only the course fee is refunded if cancellation occurs prior to 2 weeks. The Museum reserves the right to cancel any program that does not meet the minimum participant requirement up to one week before the program is scheduled. In the event of cancellation due to low enrollment, participants who have submitted a fee will receive a full refund. If a program is canceled due to inclement weather and unable to be rescheduled for another date, the participants will receive a full refund.