Dockside Experiences

Visit Our Historic Vessels and Pier 16

The South Street Seaport Museum tells the story of how New York’s great natural harbor gave rise to the metropolis we know today: the story of the ships, the people who sailed them, the cargoes they carried, and the businesses that served them. Dockside programs combine indoor and outdoor hands-on activities to show how the stories and science of the harbor affect how we live. Students experience all this and more, without ever leaving the dock.

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Explorers, Crew and Cargo – Available Now!

90 minutes | Grades 9–12       

Board the cargo ship Wavertree and experience the world of transatlantic sailors through hands-on activities.

• Tour the ship from bow to stern.
• Haul on ropes to raise sail without leaving the dock, and walk the capstan ’round.
• Learn how sailors and officers slept, ate, worked, and played.
• Learn about the importance of ships, cargo, and commerce from the time of the European explorers until today.

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Haul Away: Simple Machines – Available Now!

90 minutes | Grades 9–12       

What makes a ship sail? Wind, muscle, and the mechanical advantage sailors get when they use pulleys, levers, and other simple machines.

• Climb aboard Wavertree and learn the physics and math behind a sailor’s tools.
• Experiment with different pulley rigs to discover mechanical advantage.
• Find out how the rudder, the ship’s wheel, and the capstan all use math and physics to help sailors do big jobs.
• Working together with your classmates, use these simple machines to raise sails and try a capstan tug-o’-war.

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Sailors’ Pi – Returning 2024

90 minutes | Grades 9–12       

Board the tall ship Wavertree and learn how circles are central to the work of a sailor.

• Learn how a circle’s geometry creates strength in marine architecture.
• Use pi to calculate the efficiency of a ship’s capstan.
• Use compasses and charts to navigate and calculate error.
• Working together with your classmates, use these simple machines to raise sails and try a capstan tug-o’-war.

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All programs are designed for groups of up to 34 students (40 people maximum including chaperones). We do not recommend combining small classes into a large group.

All programs are aligned with New York City and State Social Studies and Science Learning Standards. Programs can be customized to meet your curricular goals and the needs of your students.

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