First Sunday of the Month | May–October 2025 | 2–4pm | Wavertree | Free
Returning to the deck of the 1885 tall ship Wavertree in May, the monthly sea-song sing along, will be hosted by a local artist who will lead the group through a variety of traditional maritime work songs and ballads. Throughout the in-person only event, attendees of all skill levels are welcome to take the stage for this round-robin where you will be able to sing and share the chantey of your choice. Attendees will be encouraged to sing along with the chorus or just sit back and enjoy each performance. Singers of all levels, as well as listeners, will be welcome to participate in this free event where you will be able to lead or request a song during the round-robin or simply listen.
Advanced in-person registration is encouraged, but walkups will be accommodated as possible. Any attendee is welcome to lead a song during the round-robin; if you have a specific song in mind, please inform us of the song title when you register. This event will take place rain or shine. In the event of rain, the event will be moved from the main deck to an indoor place on the ship.
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.
About the 1885 Tall Ship Wavertree
Wavertree was built at Southampton, England, in 1885 and, after a 24-year sailing career and circumnavigating the globe at least three times, is now the last remaining iron-hulled three-masted full-rigged cargo ship. Today, Wavertree is visited by guests of all ages from around the globe and serves as the centerpiece of the “Street of Ships” at the Seaport Museum. She was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 13, 1978 and symbolizes the profound influence of sailing ships, their intrepid sailors, and the bustling waterfront in shaping New York City into a modern metropolis. As a historic vessel with a fascinating past, Wavertree embodies the rich maritime heritage that played a pivotal role in transforming South Street into the vibrant heart of “Where New York Begins.”
Enjoy More That the Museum Offers
Access to the 1885 tall ship Wavertree at Pier 16 is included with this event. Access to the additional historic ships and exhibitions on view is not included with this event. If you would like to explore more that the Museum has to offer, book in advance or ask Museum staff about admission tickets, available Wednesday through Sunday from 11am to 5pm when you check in.
Museum admission tickets grant access to the 1885 tall ship Wavertree and 1908 lightship Ambrose at Pier 16 as well as all current exhibitions on view in the introduction galleries inside Schermerhorn Row located at 12 Fulton Street.
Admission tickets also include entry to the new Maritime City exhibition in A.A. Thomson & Co. located at 213 Water Street.
What is a Chantey Sing?
Old-time sailors on long voyages spent months living together in close quarters with no outside entertainment, no new people to interact with, a monotonous diet, and each day pretty much just like the day before. How did they keep their spirits up? Singing together! Work songs and fun songs, story songs and nonsense songs, songs of nostalgia and songs of up-to-the-moment news—all were part of the repertoire onboard. At South Street Seaport Museum, the chantey tradition lives on.
“Sea chanteys fit in beautifully with the New York tradition,” says Laura Norwitz, Seaport Museum Senior Director of Program and Education. “Sailing ships were a melting pot of languages and cultures, and chanteys and forecastle songs, along with hard work and shared challenges, helped sailors merge into one community. When we sing these songs today—some old, and some updated with up-to-the-moment lyrics—we celebrate our connection with our maritime heritage and also with the community we create by enjoying home-made music together.”
WWFM On a Positive Note – An interview with Captain Boulware
Click below to visit WWFM and listen to an interview with Captain Jonathan Boulware about our virtual chantey sing
Sea Songs, Sea Lives
Join us for a webinar series that explores the lives of diverse groups of sailors today and in history through conversations with singers, sailors, historians, and more.