Join Our Summer Kickoff!
See the full weekend lineup here!
We are kicking off summer in a big way here at Mystic Seaport Museum, and you’re invited! It’s opening weekend for the Boathouse, AND our newest exhibition, Story Boats. Whether you’re a landlubber or an avid sailor, there’s something for you. Get on the water with a rowboat, sailboat, or a captained boat ride, and enjoy live concerts at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday (New London Big Band) and Sunday (Mama Train).
Play some croquet, try a scavenger hunt, and check out the exciting new eateries, including outdoor dining at Spouter Tavern and Greenmans’ Landing. We’ve been working hard freshening up the buildings and grounds, so gather up your people and spend some time by the river enjoying the fresh air, sunshine, and expansive campus!
Additional special activities taking place all 3 days include:
- Antique truck rides (11:00-3:00; first-come, first-served)
- Story Boats-related tours and activities
- Visit the Watercraft Hall (1:00-3:00)
- Special guest storyteller Sue Dyde of Shoutdrama (various times; recommended for ages 8 and under)
- Games on the Village Green
- Decoration Day activities and wreath-laying ceremony on the waterfront (Monday only)
Most activities included with admission, and free for Members.
Opens May 28
One of the Museum’s greatest assets is its small watercraft collection, which is arguably the largest of its type and the best in the country. Mystic Seaport Museum has more than 450 small watercraft as well as a fleet of larger historic vessels tethered to our docks along the Mystic River, four of which are designated National Historic Landmarks. As a whole, these vessels represent an extraordinary array of design, purpose, and materials beginning in the early 19th century to the present, from dugout canoes to duck boats to Boston Whalers and everything in between and beyond. What ties these boats together thematically, and is the inspiration for the exhibition Story Boats: The Tales They Tell, is the remarkable richness of human interest stories behind them, which include themes of hope, exploration, survival, joy, adventure, sport, immigration, and many others.
