Students from La Puente visit the galleries on a scholarship made possible through donor support.
Thanks to your continued support, these 82 students from Villacorta Elementary School were able to tour the Museum free of charge last week. For many, this was their first introduction to the adventure and mystery the sea offers to each of us. Because of your membership and annual gifts, we are able to provide underserved schools with scholarships to visit the area and experience this living museum in our backyard.
For the students and classrooms everywhere unable to make it down to us, we've launched our new Educational Video Series available on our website. This program provides lesson plans, interactive activities and videos of local phenomena (think The Wedge, Tidepools and Chris Welsh's deep dive expedition to start).
Check out the first video - 'The Wedge' with Pro Skimboarder Paulo Prietto.
We're looking forward to an exciting summer - we hope to see you soon!
Warm regards,
Rita R. Stenlund
President
This Weekend:
Celebrate Memorial Day with Us
On Memorial Day, Monday, May 31, we will be open for extended hours from 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. A new educational exhibit is on display in the Steele Model Pavilion which commemorates the bicentennial anniversary of the War of 1812. Learn about this defining war in American and Naval history through select model ships in our collection. In the
A young visitor in the Extraordinary Explorers' Gallery memorializes her dreams on the sails in the Nick Scandone exhibit.
Extraordinary Explorers' Gallery learn about Nick Scandone, the local sailor and national hero who represented our country in the 2008 Paralympics in Beijing.
We are pleased to announce our participation again this year in theBlue Star Museum Program. The BSM program was started in 2010, by the National Endowment of the Arts, all participating museums agree to grant free admission to all active duty military members and their immediate families.
Volunteers ready with bubble guns and sailor hats!
Please join us for a fun community tradition to kick-off summer! March with ExplorOcean/Newport Harbor Nautical Museum and help us get the word out about our programs by carrying banners, playing with bubble guns and marching with us down Balboa Island. The Mater Dei Marching Band will be joining us again this year bringing with them great music and an incredible performance.
Please join us for the launch of our new summer family festival series, Family Fun Zone Fridays. Enjoy summer evenings on the waterfront complete with live entertainment, children's activities, and extended gallery hours.
Meet our sea stars and other touch tank inhabitants on World Ocean Day and every day.
Friday, June 8 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Celebrate the natural wonder and adventure the sea offers us through fun children's activities and special film presentations in the galleries in honor of World Ocean Day.
On Friday, May 18 we hosted Music by the Bay on our waterfront courtyard and inside the galleries with much success! Thank you to all of our members and friends who came out to enjoy the reception and wonderful live music by Valerie Ponzio.
Live music, dancing, face-painting and our popular wooden boat-building activity made for happy families all afternoon!
On Sunday, April 22 we hosted the Lexus Newport to Ensenada Race Launch event. It was a fun day full of family activities and entertainment. Some of the highlights included the vintage woody car display, the Mark Wood and the Parrot Head Band, and the children's wooden boat-building activity.
Now available for purchase are Fun Zone T-shirts for the entire family.These soft cotton shirts are available in a variety of sizes and colors. This is the perfect shirt to show local pride or give to family and friends as a souvenir from their visit.
Stop in the galleries or check out our online store to see the selection.
Spotlight on
The HMS Kent on display in the Steele Model Pavilion.
the
Collection:
The HMS KENT: A P.O.W Model
During the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars many naval and merchant seaman were captured and kept aboard prison hulks which were basically floating prisons. The prisoners lived in very spartan conditions and had access to very few materials and limited tools. Despite these challenges they were able to create very remarkable ship models. The HMS Kent's hulk was actually made from beef bones saved over time from daily rations. The rigging is believed to be human hair! Little is known about the prisoner who created this model but we know it is over 200 years old and exemplifies very fine craftsmanship especially considering the unlikely circumstances under which it was made.
A young visitor in the Steele Model Pavilion is mesmerized by the model of the USS Essex.
From Around the Oceanic Community:
Bicentennial of the
War of 1812
Two-hundred years ago the Americans and British were at war for the second time in 40 years. Despite the loss of the colonies during the American Revolution, Britain was still considered a major opponent and harnessed the world's mightiest naval power. There were several causes of the War including the British impressment of American seaman. Impressment was when sailors were forced into military service under a foreign flag. Many of the battles of the War of 1812 were fought at sea and man power was very valuable. To learn more about the 'Second War of Independence' visit our Steele Model Collection and learn about war ships that participated in the War like the USS Essex. During this bicentennial year you will also now see on display an exhibit about the War donated by our friends at the US Naval Museum.
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