Exciting New Exhibits and Family-Friendly Programs at Museum
Celebrating rescues and heroism at sea, the Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum is now open following an extensive $3 million renovation. Drawing on its collection of more than 5,000 objects – including period surfboats, beach carts, vintage photographs, and more – the museum features new exhibits and family-friendly programs appealing to all ages.
Marshall, a friendly Newfoundland dog who was rescued by life-savers at the island’s Surfside Life-Saving Station in 1877, serves as the museum’s mascot. His real-life tale of animal rescue unfolds through captivating displays designed for younger visitors.
Marshall’s heroic rescue also has inspired a new children’s book, Marshall: A Nantucket Sea Rescue, by Whitney Stewart. The book is available at the museum’s gift shop.
This Sunday, July 6, the museum will host Family Fun Day from 10 am to 4 pm as part of its grand re-opening celebration. Events will include storytelling, a lightship basket weaving demonstration, hands-on activities, and a book signing by Stewart. Admission is free.
Interestingly, Stewart’s personal lifesaving adventure led her to Nantucket. In August 2005, she was trapped in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. After a helicopter evacuation, she lived on the island for five months.
Located next to important shipping lanes when maritime travel was in its heyday, Nantucket once saw hundreds of boats passing by each day – all navigating without the advantages of modern technology. Treacherous shoals and inclement weather led to over 700 shipwrecks in the surrounding waters, causing the area to be dubbed a “graveyard of the Atlantic.”
An affiliate of the Egan Maritime Institute, the Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum is located at 158 Polpis Road, just 3.5 miles from Nantucket Town. The museum and gift shop will be open through Columbus Day, Monday, October 13, from 10 am to 4 pm daily. Admission is free to members, $5 for adults, $3 for children 5 – 18, and free to children under 5, and includes admission to Egan Maritime Institute exhibits at the historic Coffin School, located at 4 Winter Street in Nantucket Town. For more information please call (508) 228-2505, or visit online at www.nantucketshipwreck.org.
