Museum To You Program

Let us come to you! Our extensive outreach programs reach 5,000 children, teens, and adults a year all over Long Island.

Virtual Programs for Summer 2020
These live programs are booked on-demand. Please contact us for queries about recorded sessions. New Sessions are being continually adapted - check back soon!

Play
Participants test their knowledge against others in a virtual live setting.

Participants will need a secondary device with strong wifi connection to participate (such as a smartphone or tablet).

KIDS TRIVIA
Compete virtually in topics about the ocean, history, TV, art, and lots more! Come play and test your knowledge. Winner earns 2 admission tickets to the Whaling Museum. 45 min, Gr 2-5

FAMILY TRIVIA
Join an interactive and educational question game for the whole family in a variety of topics, including science, history, movies, and geography. Winning family earns 4 admission tickets to the Whaling Museum. 45 min - 1 hour.

TRIVIA FOR ADULTS
Work out your brain and compete virtually against others with diverse topics in history, science, literature, film, art, music, and maritime themes. Winner earns 2 admission tickets to the Whaling Museum. 1 hour.

Programs for Fall

Backpacks & Humpbacks: Back to school and back to learning! Discover these super-huge mammals and learn about where they go every autumn. Design a whale pencil holder for your new supplies! 30 min. Pre-K/K, or Gr. 1-5
Ocean Lotions: We’ve come a long way from our whaling days on Long Island! Learn about the many weird ways whales were used historically in cosmetics and discover how to create animal-friendly sugar and salt scrubs at home. 30 min. Gr. 3-6
Pretzel-Making Workshop: Did you know October is Pretzel Month? Learn about the history of pretzels and find out how yeast and molds work. Mix up a batch of pretzel dough and shape it into an ocean animal to bake at home! 30 min. Gr. 3-6
Skull Designer - As we explore whalers’ international journeys, discover the traditional Mexican holiday Day of the Dead and design some colorful decorations to help you celebrate. 30 min. Gr. 3-6, or teens/tweens
Spooky Sea Creatures: During this spooky month, find out what unusual creatures lurk in the deep. Explore the ocean’s midnight zone and its unusual inhabitants! Create a sensory “ocean zones in a bottle” craft. 30 min. Gr. 3-6
Viking Invasion!: Explore the lives of feisty, early whalers including their journeys to North America! Design a viking helmet to wear on your own adventures. 30 min. Gr. 1-5
Native American Celebration: Did you know that Native Americans used to hunt whales? Learn about the original inhabitants of Long Island and how they lived. Discover traditional Native American crafts and make a children’s game to play at home. 30 min. Gr. 1-5
Build-a-Boat!: From pilgrims on the Mayflower to whalers on whaleships, find out about life at sea. Learn about the parts of a ship before designing your very own paper boat craft. 30 min. Pre-K/K ,or Gr. 1-5
A Whaler’s Feast: How did Long Island whalers celebrate Thanksgiving at sea? Learn about some of the foods the whalers would enjoy for the holiday. Make a thankful turkey craft for your Thanksgiving celebration! 30 min. Pre-K/K

Explore & Create
Participants join a Museum Educator in a live session exploring new worlds and create a craft using general household supplies. These sessions complement the 2020 Summer Reading Theme.

BEWARE THE KRAKEN: What has an eye the size of a dinner plate? The giant squid of course! Tales of giant squid terrorized mariners for centuries. Discover interesting facts about this mysterious creature and create a fun giant squid craft. 30 min. Gr-1-5
MARITIME MYTHS: Explore sailors’ special folklore, myths, and traditions inspired by life at sea. Learn how to create your own paper ship craft. 30 min. Gr-1-5
MYSTERIES OF THE DEEP: Find out how the mysteries of the deep sea inspired tall tales. Discover weird facts about viperfish and goblin sharks and learn how to recreate the ocean zones in a bottle with a fun activity. 30 min. Gr-1-5
NARWHAL, UNICORN OF THE SEA: Explore the mysterious whale that fueled one of the greatest myths of all - the narwhal! Learn all about these elusive creatures and how their tusks inspired legends of unicorns. Transform a paper plate into a narwhal friend of your very own! 30 min. Pre-K/K, or Gr 1-5
PIRATE LEGENDS: Sail the Seven Seas and discover pirate tales of yore - including some about pirates who were women! Create and decorate your own fearsome pirate hat. (Pre-K/K groups will make a paper plate pirate) 30 min. Pre-K/K, or Gr 1-5
SEA A SEA MONSTER: Discover tales of mythical sea monsters, from Scylla & Charybdis to Monstero the whale, and learn about some of the very real dangers lurking in the ocean’s depths. Create a whirlpool experiment using items from home. 30 min. Gr 1-5

SHARK STORIES: What makes sharks such excellent predators? Discover incredible facts about these creatures, including how they hunt using special senses. Roll up your sleeves to conduct a fun experiment to figure out why sharks float. 30 min. Gr 1-5
SHELL MAGIC: Discover how seashells have been used for magical and meaningful uses over the years. Learn to identify different seashells, and design a special shell-inspired charm of your own. 30 min. Gr-1-5
SIRENS OF THE SEA: Uncover the myth of the mermaid! Discover how merpeople legends started and explore stories of these creatures from around the world. Create a mermaid of your own out of recycled materials and a little imagination. 30 min. Pre-K/K, or Gr 1-5
STORIES IN THE STARS: Many civilizations in history have used the stars to tell their stories. Learn about how constellations tell many tales and how they are connected to navigating the seas. Create your own telescope craft. 30 min. Gr-1-5

TALL TALES & BLUE WHALES: There are as many tall tales about whales as blue whales are big! Discover some facts about the blue whale and hear myths about whales from around the world. Create a new story with Whale Mad Libs and make a whale craft. 30 min. Gr-1-5
VIKINGS & UNICORNS: Discover how the whaling & seafaring Vikings tricked a continent into believing in unicorn legends. Explore the history of these ferocious mariners and create Viking-inspired crafts. 30 min. Gr-1-5

Lectures To You
For Adult Audiences

Whaling on Long Island: Did you know that after farming, whaling was Long Island’s first and most important industry? Explore the rise and fall of whaling through local fleets which traveled to the far corners of the world. Be transported to a time when whalers roamed the streets between journeys, shipbuilders worked in the harbors, captains charted their expeditions, and whaleship masts seemed to pierce the clouds in Long Island’s pursuit of the largest creatures in the world!
Heroines at the Helm: Be inspired by the little-known and fascinating experiences of whaling wives. By the 1850’s, one out of six whaleships carried the captain’s wife aboard. Find out how trailblazing women broke boundaries in a male-defined era and sailed the world. Explore what life was like for these women at sea, including where they gave birth, what they ate for dinner, how they looked after their children, how they celebrated holidays, and how they passed the time.
Inside the Mind of a Whale: Whales rank among the most intelligent species on the planet. Marvel at the depth and complexity that sets whale behavior apart from other species, including sophisticated memory skills, advanced societal structures, and unique dialects. Find out what researchers have uncovered about whales’ thinking and their amazing behaviors in the wild – including tool use!
Whalers Wanted: Did you know that in Antebellum America, whaling was one of the few racially integrated industries? Discover the inspiring and too long overlooked stories of African-American whalers. Learn how these pioneering sailors used their work to fight for social change, push for innovation, and secure their freedom – ultimately changing their profession and the country.

Bookings

Cost:

Live Session: $200 per program (20% discount from our regular program cost of $250). Sessions can be conducted via screen-sharing with host Library, or the museum's Zoom account (if using museum's Zoom account, max 100 participants per program). These sessions, if recorded by the Library, may be posted as a resource for library patrons for up to three weeks.
Recorded Session: $125 per program. These sessions may be posted as a resource for library patrons for up to three weeks.

Bookings:

Please contact Katie Kelly, Business Manager. Please specify at least available 2 dates/times.

Outreach for Schools:

Enrich your curriculum with a visit from a museum educator and hands-on, exploratory classes. Save on busing costs! Most of our school programs are adapted to hit the road.

Outreach for Libraries and Community Events:

The museum's programs are a terrific resource for the community. Interdisciplinary programs that run throughout the year for library patrons that spark curiosity, ranging from pre-K to adults. Our summer programs are designed to reflect the annual summer reading theme.

Check out our many specialized outreach offerings: