But, don’t 
take our word for it. Our members, volunteers and our staff are, after all, a wee bit biased. But, this year, we have received two really great awards that highlight what the public thinks of us. Today, we were notified that we have been selected as the Best Small Museum by Chesapeake Bay Magazine. We’re floored! Because that really says a lot.
There are a lot of great museums along the Chesapeake Bay, ranging from maritime to land-based history, from art to music, and so much more.
We have really tried over the past few years to better tell the story of the commercial watermen, the hard-working fishermen, oysters, crabbers and others that ‘bring home the bac’n of the bay’ for area residents and visiting tourists, and for people all across the United States. At the same time, we have striven to expand how we have told the story of the Virginia Indians, early colonists, military and professional civilian sailors, and the major battles and time periods when the Watermen have truly influenced how a small settlement emerged and grew to become the birthplace of the best nation in the world. But, we haven’t stopped at boats, models, and tools.
We have included art, music, storytelling, and dance programs and events to help show how the people of the water have lived in the past and how they continue to live and have fun together. We offer fifteen field trip topics for area school children and for children visiting from states as far away as Florida and the Midwest. And, we’re not bragging when we tell you that we are consistently told by teachers and students that their visits to our field trips are ‘the best ever’ or the ‘most fun.’
And, we offer seven Summer Camps that provide fun, learning experiences for children pre-K through 12th grade. In fact, in case you missed it, Virginia Coastal Living Magazine readers voted us as Peninsula Gold for having the top Summer Camps in our area. Camps range from our Pirate Camp for pre-K through grade 5 where we teach about environmental stewardship, creatures of the Bay, history, and life aboard ship…all wrapped up in a pirate flag so jewels of learning shine forth as if from within a treasure chest. Beyond pirate camp, we offer fun camps for grades 3 and up, such as Archaeology, Boatbuilding, Nature Explorer, Marine Explorer, All-About-Boats, and Maritime Trades.
If that wasn’t enough, join us as members and receive emails about all the great things that are going on at the museum, tour our exhibits for free as often as you would like, attend member-only events, sunbath or play on our private beach, or fish from our pier (with
a valid VA license).
So, come join us for learning, sun, and lots of fun. We promise you’ll have a great time!
