Saturday and Sunday | 11am–4:30pm | Free with General Admission
Weekends bring fun activities for the whole family to the South Street Seaport Museum. Hands-on activities and engagement stations for visitors of all ages provide creative opportunities that illuminate history and life at sea while enhancing your visit to the Museum’s galleries, the tall ship Wavertree, and the lightship Ambrose.
No additional registration needed, these activities are free with your General Admission tickets. Engagement stations may be located indoors in the Seaport Museum galleries at 12 Fulton Street, or on the tall ship Wavertree at Pier 16. Museum staff will be happy to point you in the direction of the weekend’s activity when you check in.
July 2024: Raise the Sails Aboard Wavertree
Every weekend in July, step into the fascinating world of 19th century sailors with a special, hands-on experience, perfect for visitors of all ages!
In each mini-workshop, you’ll learn how to raise the sails on the 1885 tall ship Wavertree, just like the sailors of old, and dive into the nautical vocabulary and terms used for different parts of the tall ship, making your visit even more immersive and fun. Before or after your workshop with Seaport Museum educators, you are invited to take a self-guided tour to discover the daily life on a 19th century cargo sailing ship, from the captain to the ship’s officers, cooks, and crew.
These family-friendly mini-workshops will be offered Saturdays and Sundays. Ask Museum staff for the day’s schedule at check in.
This family activity is free with Pay What You Wish General Admission and will be offered July 6–28. No additional registration required. Stop by anytime from 11am–4:30pm to participate in this enjoyable experience. Access to Wavertree involves climbing a few stairs, walking up an angled gangway, and descending a few stairs onto the deck. The lower decks are accessible via stairs, while the upper deck requires navigating steep ladder-like stairs.
August 2024: Sailors’ Olympics Aboard Wavertree
Families and guests of all ages can celebrate the 2024 Summer Olympics all month long at the Seaport Museum! Each weekend, come aboard the 1885 tall ship Wavertree and learn maritime skills that sailors have honed throughout history and continue to develop today in their time at sea and at port. Then, put your newfound skills to the test in fun-filled challenges on the main deck of this historic ship. You can even make it a friendly competition among your group if you’d like!
Activities include: learning how to coil a line, just as sailors do to keep the deck safe and ropes tangle-free; following 3D models to master tying a common knot used by sailors when they need a strong, secure loop that is easy to untie; and lassoing a bitt, a crucial skill sailors use to secure a ship to the dock in port.
Join us for a month of maritime fun and Olympic spirit! This family activity is free with Pay What You Wish General Admission and will be offered from August 3 to September 1. No additional registration required. Stop by anytime from 11am–4:30pm to participate in this enjoyable experience. Access to Wavertree involves climbing a few stairs, walking up an angled gangway, and descending a few stairs onto the deck. The lower decks are accessible via stairs, while the upper deck requires navigating steep ladder-like stairs.
South Street Seaport Museum
By subway: Take the A, C, 2, 3, J, Z, 4, or 5 train to Fulton Street.
By bus: Take the M-15 SBS or M-15 to Fulton Street.
By water: The NYC Ferry, and New York Waterway provide service to Pier 11. The Staten Island Ferry provides services to Whitehall Terminal.
Parking: Parking lots can be found at Front and John Streets, as well as 294 Pearl Street.