After 18 months the Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum will once again open its doors to visitors starting at 10am today, Friday, May 28, 2021.
This year’s special exhibition is “Duty and Diligence: Station Life in the U.S. Life-Saving Service.” Visitors will step back in time for an immersive experience recreating a Lifesaving Station’s environment from the turn of the 20th century. Who were the men who joined the Service, and how were they trained to endure the fury of storms, hours of strenuous rowing, and putting their lives at risk saving strangers? The exhibit tries to answer the question by showcasing artifacts used in drills and rescues by the island’s surfmen. We preserve and present them in honor of the self-sacrifice shown by ordinary men doing extraordinary things. The exhibition is dedicated to the memory of Robert Taylor and sponsored by Novation Media.
In addition to all the great things families and visitors will find inside the museum, we will be running outdoor programs daily for the months of July and August, morning and afternoon. Educators/Interpreters will be on hand from 10:30am-12pm and from 2:30pm-4pm to guide a set educational program for the day. The schedule is as follows:
Monday: Breeches Buoy demonstration
Tuesday: Heaving lines and life ring tosses
Wednesday: Rain Gutter Regatta: Boat Building Design and Race
Thursday: Marlinspike Seamanship: Basic knots – Bracelets/Monkeyfists
Friday: Marlinspike Seamanship: Ropemaking
Saturday Morning: Advanced Marlinspike Seamanship – Splicing (Attendees can make their own dog leashes!)
Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum is located at 158 Polpis Road. Hours are Monday-Saturday, 10am- 5pm, Sundays 10am-4pm., May 28-October 11. Admission is $10 adults, $5 children, members free.
Egan Maritime Institute is located at 3 Freedom Square, Nantucket, MA 02554. For more information call (508) 228-2505 or visit www.eganmaritime.org.