Visiting a museum with young children can be a challenge. That’s why the Nantucket Historical Association (NHA) and the Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum have set aside special days for families to visit and enjoy their properties in a way that works for those with little ones.
The NHA will host Family Adventure Day on Sunday, July 13 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Oldest House, located at 16 Sunset Hill. Families can journey into Nantucket’s past through an interactive exploration of the historic 17th century property. Visitors will learn about colonial lifestyles by making aromatic herb sachets, painting their own faux wood-grain boxes, decorating flying discs, and more. There will also be delicious summer refreshments that the whole family can enjoy. Admission is $5 per child and free for accompanying adults. Additional adults are $5 each. All ages are welcome.
Family Day at the Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, July 16. Museum personnel will give special kid-friendly tours of the property. Children can participate in indoor and outdoor activities such as lighthouse crafts, a scavenger hunt, and maritime games and music. They can also play on the museum’s newly constructed play structure for kids, which includes rope rigging and a new breeches buoy swing. The swing lets riders know exactly what it would have felt like to be saved from a shipwreck via this oft-used rescue device. Admission is $6 for adults, $4 for ages 5-17, and free for those under age five. Retired and active duty military members’ families are always admitted free to the Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum. A second Family Day will be hosted by the Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum next month on Wednesday, August 13.
It’s not every day that a museum invites parents and kids to explore its space together. Take advantage of one or both of these great opportunities to enjoy a museum alongside your children. For more details on these and other programs offered at the Nantucket Historical Association or the Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum, visit nha.org or nantucketshipwreck.org.