Herman Melville Family Day
Thank you to all presenters and participants who came to celebrate Herman Melville's 193rd birthday on Saturday, July 28th, 2012! It was a day of crafts and activities, ending with a whale of a birthday cake. Join us again next year!
Family Activities
All aboard the Lagoda with Captain C. Weade: Climb aboard the world's largest model ship and experience adventure on the high seas! Captain C. Weade will lead you on a daring voyage around the world in search of whales. Encounter foreign cultures, learn the ropes of the ship, and receive compensation for three years of labor and hardship.
Harpoon Challenge: Do you possess the strength and accuracy to harpoon a target from a distance? Succeed, and win a prize!
Sea Chanteys: How did the whalemen synchronize their movements as they furled the sails and raised the anchor? They sang, of course! Learn these sea chanteys as you weigh anchor and take in sheets on our replica fo'c'sle. Free with regular admission.
Poetry Workshop: Join Melville Scholar Laurie Robertson Lorant and write your own poetry.
Children must be accompanied by an adult. All activities in the Plaza and Jacobs Family Gallery are free to the public. Regular admission rates apply to all other Museum galleries.
Family Crafts
Scrimshaw: Learn about the traditional whaler's art and create a piece of your own to take home!
Sailors' Valentines: After many years at sea, whalemen would bring gifts home to their loved ones, including these beautiful artworks made from seashells. Create your own as a gift or keepsake.
Pequod: Create your own toy whaleship. They float!
Other crafts include whale bookmarks, hats and magnets, flip books, and chalk art.
All family crafts are free while supplies last.
Schedule
All day activities (10:00am - 1:30pm)
Make and sail your own Pequod
Create your own scrimshaw and sailors' valentines, as well as whale hats, bookmarks and magnets
Special Activities
10:00-11:00 Moby-Dick Tour*
10:30-12:30 Harpoon throwing contest - hit the target, win a prize
11:00-1:00 Kid's poetry workshop with Melville scholar Laurie Robertson-Lorant
11:30-12:00 Special reading of Moby-Dick (pop-up version)
11:30-12:30 Learn sea chanteys while weighing anchor*
11:30-12:30 Go below deck on the Lagoda
11:30-1:00 Blubber tossing contest - land the blubber in the trypot and win a prize
12:30-1:30 Take your photo next to the sperm whale in our plaza
12:30-1:30 Go on a whaling voyage around the world with Captain C. Weade*
1;30-2:00 Join us for a special happy birthday sing-along and birthday cake!
*regular admission rates apply