Activities, Tours, and Materials for Virtual Learning
Browse digital resources, virtual tours, programs and materials for teachers, families, or anyone interested in learning more about Where New York Begins.
Activities + Lessons
Watch and learn with free video lessons, teacher’s guides, and at-home activities for teachers, families, or anyone who wants to learn more about the history and world of the Seaport.
Explore the Collections
Through the new and improved Collections Online Portal, you can explore highlights from the various collections within the Museum. Whether items are preserved in storage, displayed in Museum galleries, or on loan to fellow institutions, you can digitally discover some of these special objects in digital format.
Virtual Tours
Visit the galleries, printers, and ships of the Seaport Museum from the comfort of home.
Self-Guided Tour of Architecture in the Seaport District
Buildings in the South Street Seaport Historic District are among the oldest structures in Manhattan. From taverns to warehouses built by the most famous American architects of the 19th century, the buildings of the Seaport have stories to tell. Take a slideshow tour from home, or download the Urban Archive app and take a walk to experience this and other virtual stories and tours.
MUSEUM BLOG
Read rich articles and multimedia features about the Seaport Museum’s collections and archives, current exhibitions, programs, and more! Here are some samples of particular interest to K-12 teachers and parents:
Connecting History to Current Events
Learn about our Revolutionary War Walking Tour and the ways that it explores important themes around the identity of New Yorkers, how they respond to and participate in the events of their times, and how the Seaport is critical to New York life and history. Our Education Department staff discusses how they updated this program to help students make connections between the uprisings of the past and the protests we see today, creating our Civil Unrest for Change virtual lesson.
Wavertree Plimsoll Mark
Our Fleet Captain explains the meaning of the symbol on the side of our 1885 cargo ship Wavertree. What is the purpose and history of the marking seen on ships? How does this symbol help keep sailors and vessels safe, and how has it changed over time? Physics and history come together in this exploration of a feature that has piqued the curiosity of many visitors to our Street of Ships. Want to learn even more about buoyancy and how saltwater affects the way ships float? Grades K-5 can try this experiment using simple items from the kitchen.
Anchors of the Seaport
If you’ve visited the Seaport Museum, you may have noticed our two large mid-19th century anchors on Water Street. Learn about each of these anchors as well as the history of ships’ anchors. Our Director of Collections also takes you through the challenges and opportunities that come with displaying Museum objects in outdoor public spaces.
Labor on the Waterfront
The story of the Seaport is a story of people, especially the workers who helped the Port of New York develop into a vibrant center for trade and immigration. One of our Collections and Archives Interns uses historic images and objects from the Museum’s collections to illustrate the diversity of lives that intersected at the Seaport, from sailors to printers, waitresses, divers, and more.
Past Programs
Access past Seaport Museum virtual programs on demand for free, including video presentations and additional materials.