The North Carolina Maritime Museum in Southport is hosting a ceremony for a newly installed exhibit highlighting Cape Fear’s commercial fishing history and its redesigned display on hurricane history. And the Beaufort museum is also gearing up for the season with a spate of programs.
In Southport, the ribbon-cutting is set for 3 p.m. Wednesday, April 3, for the new “A Way of Life — Working the Water” and the updated “Storms that Shape Us” exhibits.
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This ceremony is just one of many activities and programs the state Maritime Museums Systems has in store for Southport and its Beaufort location. The Hatteras museum remains closed for renovation, so there are no public programs currently scheduled there.
The Maritime Museum System’s Maritime History Curator David Bennett and Exhibit Design Curator Rebecca Edwards will attend the April 3 ceremony in Southport.
“The exhibit has been very well-received since its conception,” Edwards said in a release. “I really appreciate the community support, and I am looking forward to having the chance to celebrate it.”
Edwards pointed out that many of the artifacts on display were donated specifically for the exhibit. “Having these items and sharing them in the context of how they were used can help give visitors insight and appreciation for the Cape Fear fishing communities.”
Museum Education Curator Shannon Walker said one part of the fishing exhibit has been particularly popular with the younger visitors.
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“The kids love playing in the wheelhouse,” Walker said in a statement about the space designed to mimic the helm of a shrimp trawler. “They have all of the captain’s tools at their command, including the wheel, throttle and even a radio.”
Last reimagined in 2019, the recent redesign of the “Storms that Shape Us” was out of necessity to accommodate the fishing exhibit and to update what was on display, officials said.
Edwards streamlined the layout and worked with Bennett and other Maritime Museum System staff to incorporate additional information on the community’s resilience in the face of the many hurricanes that have come ashore in the Cape Fear region.
The Southport museum also is offering for younger visitors SKIPPER’S CREW: Skipper’s Naturalists from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 6. This event features hands-on activities and crafts that combine arts and history. Lights will be dimmed and interactives muted during the first two hours to provide a calmer environment for those with sensory sensitivities. The program is being offered at no charge, but donations are accepted and appreciated.
As part of the museum’s Third Thursday lecture series, join Jim McKee, manager of the Brunswick Town Historic Site, for the presentation “Rice Culture in the Cape Fear” at noon April 16 in the Southport Community Building, 223 E. Bay St. Lectures are geared for ages 16 years and older. Open to the public at no charge, reservation are required since seating is limited. To register call 910-477-5151 or visit ncmaritimemuseumsouthport/events.
Beaufort events
A few hours up the coast is the Maritime Museum in Beaufort. Open to visitors from 10 a.m.to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, there’s no charge to visit the museum but donations are welcome.
The staff at this location are offering a variety of activities in April, including guided kayak trips and walking tours on Shackleford Banks and the Rachel Carson Reserve.
Most programs require registration, which can be done by calling 252-504-7758 or visiting ncmaritimemuseumbeaufort.com.
“Kayak the Salt Marsh” is scheduled for 9 a.m. to noon April 10. The education team will teach the basics of kayaking and safety on shore followed by a 1.5-mile paddle through the salt marsh in sit-in cockpit touring kayaks. The program is recommended for ages 12 and up, though those under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Participants must know how to swim and some kayak experience is recommended. Cost is $35, or $30 with own kayak. Registration is required by noon the day prior.
“Kids’ Cove” will be held from 9-11 a.m. April 10 and again 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 14. This free-play, screen-free program for birth up to age 5 and their caregivers is designed with a different maritime-themed craft and wiggle activity each month. Programs begin an hour before the museum opens to the public.
Take a look “Behind the scenes at the Whale Center” 10 a.m. April 12. The 40-minute program at the Bonehenge Whale Center is being offered at no charge. Learn about the marine mammals, including bottlenose dolphins, that live off the coast of North Carolina, and preparing the marine mammal skeletons for educational display. The Bonehenge Whale Center operates as a partnership between the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and the Carolina Cay Maritime Foundation. Registration required by noon the day prior.
During the program, “Exploring Coastal Habitats on the Rachel Carson Reserve” set for 9 a.m. to noon April 18, attendees will be able to discover the various plants and animals through Rachel Carson Reserve’s different habitats and the sandy, muddy, and wet terrain found on Town Marsh and Bird Shoal. The program is recommended for ages 12 and up, though all participants under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Cost is $25. Registration required by noon the day prior.
“Beaufort’s Dolphins, Getting to Know Them” is at 11 a.m. April 18 with Museum Natural Science Curator Keith Rittmaster in the museum’s auditorium. He’ll lead an informal discussion about the biology, behavior, and conservation issues affecting “Beaufort’s Dolphins.” Bottlenose dolphins occur in the waters off Beaufort year-round but they’re not the same individuals all year. The program being offered at no charge is part of the museum’s Maritime Heritage Series, an informal lectures focused on the state’s rich maritime history, coastal environment, and culture.
The education team will lead Hiking and History on Shackleford Banks, a part of Cape Lookout National Seashore, from 9 a.m. to noon April 24. Participants will take a ferry to the undeveloped barrier island for the 2.5-mile hike through sandy terrain. Recommended for ages 12 and up, all participants under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Cost is $35. Registration required by noon the day prior.
A program is being offered at no charge on the International Fishermen & Allied Workers of America in Eastern North Carolina starting at 11 a.m. April 25 in the museum’s auditorium. Following World War II, the Congress of Industrial Workers embarked on a campaign to unionize the South. As a part of that campaign, the International Fishermen and Allied Workers of America, a small Seattle-based labor union, attempted to unionize the state’s commercial fishing industry. The union found short-term success before failing. The program is part of the Maritime Heritage Series.
