Holiday Bakes
Experience the magic of a 19th-century New England holiday season! Learn how to prepare traditional yuletide treats on our hearth and then snuggle up with a hot beverage to learn about how the holidays would have been celebrated in an 1830s home.
Eating from the Sea
Cook locally and sustainably harvested seafood over the open hearth while exploring how Mystic’s maritime heritage shaped its cuisine. Then, enjoy a shared meal in the historic Buckingham-Hall house dining room.
Dinner in Greenmanville
Step into 19th-century Mystic and experience the contrasting cuisines of shipyard owners, like the Greenmans, and the families of their workers, like mill girl Annie Burrows. Prepare and enjoy a meal inspired by the families who once lived in Greenmanville, all by the warmth of the open hearth in Buckingham-Hall house.
Valentine’s Day Tea
Celebrate Valentine’s Day the old-fashioned way. Bake festive treats over the open hearth, then sit down for a cozy afternoon tea in the parlor of the Buckingham-Hall House.
Food and the Immigrant Experience: Ireland
Discover the flavors and traditions Irish immigrants brought to 19th-century America. Cook traditional recipes over the open hearth, explore their cultural significance, and enjoy a taste of history in honor of St. Patrick’s Day.
Fish Fry
Follow the story of New England’s cod fishery from sea to table. Learn about the life of fishermen, then prepare codfish cakes over the open hearth in the Buckingham-Hall house using traditional techniques—served hot and fresh from the pan.
Letterpress Greeting Card Workshop
Create your own greeting cards using our 19th-century hand press. Learn to set type, arrange your design, and print a custom card—perfect for birthdays, thank-yous, or any special occasion. No experience required—just bring your creativity!
Letterpress Valentine’s Day Card Workshop
Say it with style this Valentine’s Day. Design and hand-print your own heartfelt cards on our 19th-century press using traditional type and imagery. Learn the basics of letterpress printing and take home your own custom creations. No experience required—feel free to bring your favorite quote!
Letterpress Coaster Workshop
Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day! Design and print your own drink coasters on our 19th-century hand press while learning the art of letterpress printing. Perfect for adding a historic touch to your next gathering—just in time for St. Patrick’s Day! No experience required.
High Relief Wood Carving
Advance your skills with high relief carving. Building on introductory techniques, you’ll learn to shape figures with depth and dimension while completing a project of your choosing under expert instruction.
Carve Tool Sharpening
Keep your tools in top form with essential sharpening techniques. Learn how to maintain and sharpen your carving tools—a vital skill for any woodcarver, whether hobbyist or professional.
Gold Leaf Gilding
Add brilliance to your work by mastering gold leaf application. In this class, learn to prepare surfaces and apply real gold leaf to bring luminous detail and maritime tradition to your carvings.
Coopering for Beginners
Join our master cooper and learn the techniques, terminology, and processes necessary to fashion round containers made of wood. Plan your design, understand the different types of woods used by coopers, and identify the direction of the grain to give you the best results. You will work with traditional tools, such as draw knives, a croze, a cooper’s anvil, and a jointer to shape staves which are the basic pieces of every cask, barrel, and pail. Then assemble your own handcrafted bucket—just like those once used aboard the 1841 whaleship Charles W. Morgan and in homes throughout the world for centuries.
Introducing SeaClass: Digital Learning, the digital series that will inspire curious minds, near and far, through episodes specially curated by our museum experts. This season immerses us in the 19th-century whaling industry through stories, artifacts, and expert-led sessions that explore the impact of whaling then and now.
All episodes now streaming on YouTube.
Why did people hunt whales—and what impact did it have? Join Michael Dyer, Curator of Maritime History, for a deep dive into the motivations and legacy of the whaling industry.
Discover the often-overlooked stories of women in whaling history—their roles, contributions, and challenges. Featuring Maria Petrillo, Director of Interpretation.
What parts of a whale were used—and how? Join Professor Jim Carlton of Williams College as we examine whale anatomy and its many historical applications.
How did sailors find their way at sea? Learn about the tools and techniques of maritime navigation with Brian Koehler, Associate Director of the Treworgy Planetarium.
Get an up-close look at the tools used by whalers at sea. Michael Dyer, Curator of Maritime History, breaks down how these tools worked—and what they tell us today.
Step aboard as we explore large-scale artifacts from the whaling era—ship parts, tools, and more—with Michael Dyer, Curator of Maritime History.
