Ahoy, mateys! Adventures of the high seas await you at Family Day: Pirates in Colonial Carolina on Saturday, June 6, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh. Meet pirate re-enactors, watch sword-fighting demonstrations and experience more during this free event. And, shiver me timbers, admission is free all day to the popular exhibit Knights of the Black Flag, which explores the legacy of pirates from ancient times to the present. Parking is free on weekends.
North Carolina has had its swashbuckling moments, and this fun and educational event will bring them to life. Learn how pirates have been a part of our state’s legends and history.
With a bounty of activities for all ages, the Family Day offers plenty to see and do. Hear about the exploits of sword-wielding characters such as Stede Bonnet, Anne Bonny, Mary Read and the most famous of all — Blackbeard. Go on a treasure hunt through the exhibit, watch artist George Goodwin create a ship in a bottle, and listen to sea shanties (songs). See objects recovered from the shipwreck believed to be Blackbeard’s flagship, Queen Anne’s Revenge.
Yo-ho-ho, here are more activities for ye landlubbers:
Find out about life aboard a sailing ship.
Learn some of the games pirates played.
Hear from someone who dives to the underwater site of the Queen Anne’s Revenge.
Tie a sailing knot or two, and learn about the Sea Scouts.
Find out about early colonial life in North Carolina.
Make your own model boat.
Learn about state historic sites and museums.
Enter a contest to win a ship in a bottle (featuring the Queen Anne’s Revenge) handmade by Goodwin, whose work will be featured in the upcoming DreamWorks movie “The Lovely Bones.” He has appeared as a guest artist on “The Woodwright’s Shop” with Roy Underhill and has exhibited his ship models at many festivals.
So, mateys, mark your calendar for this day of adventure. Event sponsorship is provided by Golden Corral, SunTrust Bank, Time Warner Cable and Y102.9 FM. For more information about the museum, call 919-807-7900 or access ncmuseumofhistory.org. The museum is located at 5 E. Edenton St., across from the State Capitol. Parking is available in the lot across Wilmington Street.
The N.C. Museum of History’s hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Admission is free. The museum is part of the Division of State History Museums, Office of Archives and History, an agency of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources. The department’s Web site is www.ncculture.com.