Ahoy! Celebrate your child’s birthday at the Seaport Museum!
Please Note: You are viewing an archived page, in most cases these pages are no longer actively maintained and because of that may contain inaccurate or out-of-date information. These pages are left publicly viewable to preserve institutional memory and to allow the public to learn more about the types of programs, activities, and content created and made available by the South Street Seaport Museum throughout its history.
Come celebrate your child’s birthday at the South Street Seaport Museum with an interactive experience they won’t forget! Our birthdays are generally designed to be age appropriate for the birthday child, but guests of all ages will enjoy the fun.
- For children aged 1-5, we host our parties in our miniMates play-space.
- Children 6 and up can board the South Street Seaport Museum’s largest artifact, the tall ship Wavertree and have a party on her main deck.
- For children 9 and up, charter our historic schooner Pioneer for a celebratory sail of New York’s Harbor!
Birthday parties in the miniMates play-space and on Wavertree run from either 11:30-1:30 or 2:00-4:00 on Saturdays and Sundays.
Members at the Family level and above save 10% off all birthday party bookings.
For more information about chartering Pioneer, email charters@seany.org or call (212) 748-8568
Check out the Museum’s birthday themes below!
Parties in the miniMATES Play-Space
The South Street Seaport Museum is excited to announce two new themed parties based on two of Macmillan Publishing’s most beloved children’s books characters.
- NEW! Little Tug Birthday Party (for children ages 1-3) – This fun-filled birthday party features 5 interactive stations for children and their caregivers to enjoy. Meet live sea critters from the East River, play sink or float at our water table, color in your own Little Tug and hear the story of Little Tug who helps in a big way.
- NEW! Pout-Pout Fish Birthday Party (for children ages 4-5) – Discover some of the sea creatures who live in New York Harbor! This underwater-friends party features the chance to hold some of East River sea life, the story of a small town fish and her dreams to make it in the big city, a fun and active game, plus the opportunity to create a group Pout-Pout Fish birthday banner for the guest of honor.
- Float Your Boat (for children 4-5) – Ahoy sailors! This boat themed party features the chance for kids to build their own boats, play sink or float, race sailboats at our water tables, a puppet show telling the story of a small tug boat who wanted to race up the Hudson River, and play a nautical navigation game where participants must find safe harbor.
All parties allow a maximum of 24 children. Party guest numbers are for total number of attending adults and children, including the birthday party family.
South Street Seaport Museum Birthday Parties:
- Up to 30 guests: $650
- Up to 40 guests: $750
- Up to 50 guests: $850
PLEASE NOTE: The miniMates playspace is on the 3rd floor of the 12 Fulton Street building at South Street Seaport Museum. Due to residual damage from Hurricane Sandy, there is no elevator available, so you and your guests will need to walk upstairs to the third floor. Stroller parking is available inside the lobby. The miniMates play space is unavailable for parties in the summer months.
The party price includes:
- Two hours of exclusive use of our miniMATES play-space, including child-sized chairs and tables, plus a few adult-sized tables
- Two museum educators to host the party
- A fun and engaging party program
- Set-up and clean-up assistance (family may come 30 minutes before the party, and stay 30 minutes after)
- One drop-off of party materials in advance, if you wish, to be scheduled during museum hours
- Ability to purchase Little Tug or The Pout-Pout Fish books for attendees at a discount
ADD-ON OPTIONS:
A Private tour of the 1885 tall ship Wavertree
We will take your party on a private 30-minute guided tour of the South Street Seaport Museum’s 1885 tall ship Wavertree in addition to your two-hour party at the Museum. Cost: $150
The South Street Seaport Museum
You will receive a Museum admission card for two for each child that will allow two adult/senior/student guests to explore New York’s interactive historical experience—whenever they want. Cost: $150 (a savings of up to $470, does not include sails on W.O. Decker or Pioneer)
Parties on the tall ship Wavertree:
Birthday Sail-ebration: 6 and up
Welcome aboard the party of a lifetime! Have your special day on the one-of-a-kind Wavertree, the last existing three-masted, iron-hulled cargo ship in the world. Raise the sail*, experience the power of the capstan with a game of tug o’ war, take photos at the helm, learn to navigate and tie knots, and earn your sea legs with this fun and interactive party aboard a real sailing ship that once transported cargo around the world. *Weather permitting
PLEASE NOTE: Wavertree is accessible via a gangway ramp whose slope varies with the tide. The quarterdeck is accessible via a narrow and steep set of stairs. There is no elevator available, so you and your guests will need to walk up the gangway to board the ship. Stroller parking is available inside the main museum lobby. For safety, children’s parties on Wavertree are for ages 6+.
Wavertree parties allow a maximum of 24 children. Party guest numbers are for total number of attending adults and children, including the birthday party family.
The party price includes:
- Two hours on our tall ship Wavertree*
- Two museum educators to host the party
- A fun and engaging party program
- Set-up and clean-up assistance (family may come 30 min before the party, and stay 30 minutes after)
Wavertree Birthday Party Pricing:
Up to 30 people (kids and adults) $800
Up to 40 people (kids and adults) $900
Up to 50 people (kids and adults) $1000
ADD- ON OPTION
The South Street Seaport Museum
You will receive a Museum admission card for two for each child that will allow two adult/senior/student guests to explore New York’s interactive historical experience—whenever they want. Cost: $150 (a savings of up to $470, does not include sails on W.O. Decker or Pioneer)
*Note: Wavertree is open and accessible to Museum guests and Wavertree crew during party times. However, the birthday party space will be sectioned off on the main deck to accommodate party guests. Party space on the deck includes: 4 folding tables, 8 folding benches, two tents, and a trash bin.
Parties on schooner Pioneer:
Two hour private charter aboard the historic schooner Pioneer*
Amazing views of New York Harbor including the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
Two museum educators to host the party
The chance to raise sails with the crew
Two hands on stations: navigation and knot tying
Pricing for Pioneer Charters
For a maximum of 36 people (kids and adults) $2,500
*Available during Pioneer’s operating calendar, typically May-September
The South Street Seaport Museum does not provide food, drink, paper goods, or decorations. Please note that balloons are not permitted on Wavertree or Pioneer for environmental concerns.