The Mariners’ Museum and Park seeks to unite people. Now through Labor Day, admission to the Museum will be reduced to $1 per person to engage as many people as possible because, through our shared maritime heritage, we are one community.
Through the stories told in the Museum’s world-class collection, guests will explore their own history,
discover their story, and learn along the way how we are all connected to the water and, through the
water, each other. Staff and volunteers will bring the exhibitions to life through interpretation, stories,
and conversations with guests. The Museum team will bring out special artifacts to enhance the visitor
experience and foster a deeper connection with each of our guests.
Last August, the Museum experimented with $1 admission and saw over 39,000 visitors, which is a
significant increase from the average August visitation. The $1 admission promotion served the
community by breaking down barriers, financially and culturally, and by allowing people of all
backgrounds to come and experience the Museum’s collection.
Howard Hoege, President and CEO of The Mariners’ Museum and Park, stated, “The fabric of our
community—our shared connection to the water—is all bound up in our world-class collection and the
stories that these amazing objects tell. Our Museum team really believes we are stewards of this
collection and these stories on behalf of the entire community. Dollar admission reflects our
commitment to making sure that every single person in our community has access to their history... to
their stories... and we are incredibly excited to share them with folks this summer.”
To further enhance the guest experience, the Museum will offer numerous family-friendly programs and
events throughout the summer. A few highlights include programming related to the Museum's newest
exhibition Speed and Innovation in the America’s Cup . Families will be able to build and race their own
catamarans at the Boat Design Family Workshop on June 10 after seeing drone demonstrations of
hydrofoiling. Families can also get a glimpse of what it takes physically to be an America’s Cup sailor at
Train Like an America's Cup Sailor on July 1 by trying the exercises that these premier athletes use to
build muscle and endurance.
The Museum will commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the Noland Trail with an outdoor celebration
Celebrate the Park! on June 24. This community event will feature bluegrass and folk music, food trucks,
family activities, games, raffles, and more.
Back for its second year, #FindtheBoat will run from June 16 through August 4. This weekly Instagram
adventure contest gives guests the opportunity to win weekly prizes worth $100 and grand prizes
including a 7-day Caribbean cruise for two from Carnival. Every Friday, a clue to a particular boat in the
Museum is posted on Instagram. Visitors decipher the clue to find the location of the boat, snap a selfie
with it, and share using #FindtheBoat. The photo serves as the entry for all of the prizes.
For more information about summer activities and programming, please visit MarinersMuseum.org .
The Mariners' Museum and Park connects people to the world's waters because through the water –
through our shared maritime heritage - we are connected to one another . The organization is an
educational, non-profit institution accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and preserves and
interprets maritime history through an international collection of ship models, figureheads, paintings,
and other maritime artifacts. The Mariners’ Museum is home to the USS Monitor Center, and is
surrounded by the 550-acre Mariners’ Museum Park, the largest privately maintained park open to the
public in North America. The Mariners’ Museum Library is the largest maritime library in the Western
hemisphere. Because of the Museum’s world-class collection and its reputation for high-level exhibits
and programs, in 1999, the U.S. Congress designated The Mariners’ Museum as one of only two
maritime museums that comprise America’s National Maritime Museum. For hours and information,
visit MarinersMuseum.org, call (757) 596-2222 or write to The Mariners' Museum, 100 Museum Drive,
Newport News, VA 23606.
