We welcome NYSCA panelists to get a visual taste of our programs, activities, and exhibitions.
Recent Exhibitions
Special Exhibit - Shinnecock Artists: Long Island’s First Whalers
This 2-year exhibition celebrates the deep cultural significance of whales for the Shinnecock people.
- View the online exhibit, which includes informational content along with visual components.
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Public Programming
The Museum hosts diverse programs all year for all ages. Below is an example of a program highlighting an indigenous artist, "Virtual Artist Talk with Jeremy Dennis." Dennis discussed his body of photography exploring his Shinnecock heritage.
Museum Visits
Below are photos of local youth exploring the museum through activities included with admission.
Museum Scavenger Hunt
Visitors use this scavenger hunt to explore the museum.
Learning through Play in the "If I Were a Whaler" Exhibit
In this interactive exhibit, our youngest guests can imagine what it was like being a whaler and shopping for supplies in the general store. Visitors can also explore artifacts and museum signage here about preparing for a voyage.
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Seasonal Crafts
The museum workshop is open with seasonal crafts for visitors. This picture shows two children engaged in our "Stars & Stripes" crafts that were set up for the July 4th holiday.
Seasonal Scavenger Hunts
Two young visitors are using the code they uncovered in the museum's seasonal scavenger hunt, "Scrimshaw Detectives". When they open the chest they will find the craft items they need to make their own scrimshaw.
The museum offers a different scavenger hunt and craft every season. |
"Silhouette Station" in the museum's gallery
Visitor drawing her sibling's silhouette. This station highlights the art of silhouette portraits which was popular in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Free Crafts for Museum Visitors Daily
Self-Serve materials are provided in the workshop.
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Art-Based Workshops at the Museum
Wampum Workshop
Museum educators taught about the cultural background of wampum beads and its importance to Indigenous Long Islanders. Attendees of the workshop created their own wampum style beaded accessory.
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Seashell Celebration & Ornament Workshop
Participants learned about creatures who spend their lives in shells. They learned about animals from sea snails to hermit crabs. They decorated a shell ornament to take home.
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Snow Globe Family Workshop
Visitors learned about arctic whales in this drop in workshop. Participants created a wintry whale scene using clay glitter and other materials.
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Build-a-Boat Workshop
Both adults and children celebrated Maritimes Heritage Day on 5/22/22 at the museum by designing and crafting their own boat to take home.
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Adult History and Craft Workshops
Sailor's Valentine Workshop for Adults
Museum Educator talks about the history of whaling.
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Adults us shells, glue and other materials to craft their own sailor's valentines after a short demonstration from a museum educator.
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Adult attendee showing off her completed Sailor's Valentine.
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Special Event - "Antiques & More"
The Whaling Museum holds an annual spring and fall Antique Sale bringing together the local community to shop with local antique vendors, enjoy tours, and try activities such as candle-dipping.
Free admission to the museum is offered as part of the event.
Free admission to the museum is offered as part of the event.
Visitors shopped with local vendors outdoors and explored the exhibits and candle-making indoors.
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Museum educators assisted visitors in making straight, curvy and rainbow colored candles.
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Walking Tours
Historic Walking Tour
Educators bring both locals and visitors from afar into the historic district of Cold Spring Harbor and explore its time as a 19th century whaling village.
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Women's History Walking Tour
Museum Docent is about to take visitors on a historic walking tour through town that focuses on the stories of 19th century whaling wives.
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Harbor Haunts Walking Tour
In these seasonally themed tours, visitors explore Cold Spring Harbor’s history as well as tales about ghost ships and 'witches chimneys'.
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Special Event - "Whales, Ales & Salty Tales"
This annual, well-attended event -- the last held on June 8, 2022 -- brings together the local adult community for craft beer tastings, museum tours, live sea shanty music and presentations from the brewers on their brewing processes.
Local brewer shares his experience and answers questions in this session of "Ale Tales".
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Attendees listen to live sea shanties performed by The Royal Yard.
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Museum Docent, Joan Lowenthal, tells about the "Nantucket Sleigh Ride" in this whale boat tour.
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Short Term Traveling Exhibit - "Sea This Glass"
This short term exhibit was created as a traveling display in Long island libraries, such as Huntington Public Library in Suffolk County and North Bellmore Public Library in Nassau County. The exhibit invites the public to celebrate the museum's cultural connections to sea glass and glass art. This exhibit also promotes the museum's "Suffolk County Sea Glass Festival."
Glass bottles on display in a variety of colors and shapes.
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Oil lamps from the museum's collection on display as well as a reprint of artwork from the early 1900's showing a man delivering oil.
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Glass inkwells and a printed version of a whaling wife's journal entry are on display on the far end o f this case. As well as whale bone, whale teeth and scrimshaw to show other items from the museum's collection.
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Camp Examples: Huntington Adventure Camp (New)
Huntington Adventure Camp is a new cross-disciplinary collaboration with 3 other local cultural institutions; Heckscher Museum of Art, Huntington Historical Society, and Vanderbilt Museum & Planetarium. In 2022, each institution hosted one day for campers. On the last day of the week, all of the art projects created that week were displayed at the Heckscher Museum of Art for a family viewing and celebration.
The below photos are from the camp day at The Whaling Museum.
The below photos are from the camp day at The Whaling Museum.
Camper practices the folk art of "scrimshaw" by carving a design into her box with a pick wick.
Campers exploring artifacts.
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Campers learn through play while exploring the "If I Were a Whaler" exhibit.
Camper's learning through play on the ship's wheel.
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Campers view and touch the museum's biofacts to learn more about them.
Camper trying out the look out hoops where whaler's would watch for whales just like the picture shows behind the hoops.
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Ocean Science Camp
Campers express their newfound knowledge through a variety of art projects.
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Global Adventure Camp
Taking inspiration from how whalers were global explorers, campers 'visit' a different country each day and create themed crafts depending on the region.
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Other Programming: Schools, Scouts, Museum-to-You
Schools
Virtual Whales & Whaler's Program
Students show their completed scrimshaw after learning about whalers and whaling through this virtual classroom program.
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In-Person Whales & Whaling School Program - 1/2
Museum educators talk about the history of whaling before students explore the museum through a structured small group scavenger hunt.
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In-Person Whales & Whaling School Program - 2/2
Students explore "station 6" of the scavenger hunt and answer questions on paper about the exhibit together.
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Outreach Programs - "Museum-to-You"
Educators travel far and wide to bring programs to children, teen and adults. All programs incorporate items from the Museum's collection, and culminate in an art-based activity.
Piratology Workshop at Sachem Public Library
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Narwhal Program at Kings Park Library - 1
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Narwhal Program at Kings Park Library - 2
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Scout Programs
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