The Watermen's Museum

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The Watermens Museum

The Watermen's Museum is dedicated to interpreting, promoting, and preserving the rich heritage of Chesapeake Bay watermen, celebrating their craftsmanship and resilience through engaging exhibits and community events.

Watermen&#39;s Museum annual Oyster Roast....All you can eat!!&nbsp; Your ticket supports our hands-on programs&mdash;boatbuilding, children&rsquo;s environmental learning, and field trips that teach local maritime history. Enjoy fresh oysters, hot dogs, chowder, drinks, and good company. 🎉

Oyster Roast 2026

A crime Scene has been discovered along the shoreline. Campers become coastal investigators, using scientific tools and evidence analysis to determine what happened and who is responsible.&nbsp; This Program blends science, critical thinking and teamwork into an engaging investigative experience by allowing Campers to conduct environmental testing, analyze clues, and present their findings in a final investigative broadcast.&nbsp; Activities Include:&nbsp;&nbsp;+Crime Scene and Map Analysis+Forensic and Environmental Testing+Water Quality and Watershed Evidence+Field Investigation and evidence gathering+Final News broadcast Presentation.&nbsp;&nbsp;Our programs blend outdoor exploration, science investigation, creative problem solving, and collaborative learning for grades 3-8. Programs are led by instructors with 15+ years of experience and are supported by a structured team to ensure safety, engagement, and meaningful learning throughout the week whilst never forgetting the fun. &nbsp;The outcome is that students will leave with a deeper understanding of Maritime engineering, teamwork, and Yorktown&#39;s working waterfront heritage.&nbsp;&nbsp;Cost per student is $350&nbsp;Five day program from 9am - 3pm with option to extend until 5:30 for easy pick up at a low cost of $25 per day per student.&nbsp;&nbsp;Daily Plan:&nbsp;&nbsp;9:00 AM- Drop off9:15-11:30AM &nbsp;Morning Activities11:30AM Lunch12PM-2PM Afternoon Activities2PM-3PM Swim time. &nbsp;3:00PM Pick Up.&nbsp;3:15PM- 5:30PM reading, crafts and games in the Carriage house. *Separate fee. &nbsp; *Early bird tickets are only available until April 13th please be careful to choose this ticket at check-out as your reservation cannot be adjusted to include this discount after purchase. *Please note that the minimum Membership level of (Skeleton Crew) must be met before you will have access to the membership discount code if you are already have the &quot;mates&quot; or above membership then please email: <a fr-original-style="" href="mailto:admin@watermens.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="text-decoration-color: initial; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">admin@watermens.org</a> to receive discount code before booking.&nbsp; *The museum holds the right to cancel at will all camps that do not make the minimum camper limits two weeks prior to start date at which time a refund will be processed for the full amount.&nbsp;*Any cancellation by patron within two weeks of camp start will not qualify for refund. &nbsp;

CSI Chesapeake: Coastal Investigators Summer Day Camp

Who lives in our ecosystem? Join us for an exploration of the four major habitats along the York River and discover how lants, animals and environmental systems interact.&nbsp;Campers investigate Forest, Marsh, dune and Shoreline habitats while building observation and scientific inquiry skills. &nbsp;Thereby building environmental awareness and encourages curiosity about the natural world.&nbsp; Activities Include:&nbsp;&nbsp;+Tree and forest habitat exploration+Marsh ecosystem studies and food webs+Dune and shoreline environmental science+Seining and aquatic observation+Comparitve habitat Presentation.&nbsp;&nbsp;Our programs blend outdoor exploration, science investigation, creative problem solving, and collaborative learning for grades 2-5. Programs are led by instructors with 15+ years of experience and are supported by a structured team to ensure safety, engagement, and meaningful learning throughout the week whilst never forgetting the fun. &nbsp;The outcome is that students will leave with a deeper understanding of Maritime engineering, teamwork, and Yorktown&#39;s working waterfront heritage.&nbsp;&nbsp;Cost per camper is $350&nbsp;Five day program from 9am - 3pm with option to extend until 5:30 for easy pick up at a low cost of $25 per day per student.&nbsp;&nbsp;Daily Plan:&nbsp;&nbsp;9:00 AM- Drop off9:15-11:30AM &nbsp;Morning Activities11:30AM Lunch12PM-2PM Afternoon Activities2PM-3PM Swim time. &nbsp;3:00PM Pick Up.&nbsp;3:15PM- 5:30PM reading, crafts and games in the Carriage house. *Separate fee. &nbsp; *Early bird tickets are only available until April 13th please be careful to choose this ticket at check-out as your reservation cannot be adjusted to include this discount after purchase. *Please note that the minimum Membership level of (Skeleton Crew) must be met before you will have access to the membership discount code if you are already have the &quot;mates&quot; or above membership then please email: admin@watermens.org to receive discount code before booking.&nbsp; *The museum holds the right to cancel at will all camps that do not make the minimum camper limits two weeks prior to start date at which time a refund will be processed for the full amount.&nbsp;*Any cancellation by patron within two weeks of camp start will not qualify for refund. &nbsp;

Nature Explorer Summer Day Camp

Join the team at the Watermen&rsquo;s Museum and take part in the construction of a traditional working boat while learning the tools, skills, and maritime traditions of the York River. &nbsp;Campers Explore how historic boats were designed and built, then work together to help construct a 14-foot crabbing skiff while learning knot tying, lofting, and basic rowing skills.&nbsp; Our programs blend outdoor exploration, science investigation, creative problem solving, and collaborative learning for grades 3-8. Programs are led by instructors with 15+ years of experience and are supported by a structured team to ensure safety, engagement, and meaningful learning throughout the week whilst never forgetting the fun. &nbsp;The outcome is that students will leave with a deeper understanding of Maritime engineering, teamwork, and Yorktown&#39;s working waterfront heritage.&nbsp; Activities Include:&nbsp; +Museum and Maritime history tour&nbsp;+Lofting and mold work using traditional tools+Collaborative boat construction+Basic Rowing instruction+End-of-week Presentation and demonstration.&nbsp; Cost per student is $350&nbsp;Five day program from 9am - 3pm with option to extend until 5:30 for easy pick up.&nbsp; Daily Plan:&nbsp; 9:00 AM- Drop off9:15-11:30AM &nbsp;Morning Activities11:30AM Lunch12PM-2PM Afternoon Activities2PM-3PM Swim time. &nbsp;3:00PM Pick Up.&nbsp;3:15PM- 5:30PM reading, crafts and games in the Carriage house. *separate fee. &nbsp; *Early bird tickets are only available until April 13th please be careful to choose this ticket at check-out as your reservation cannot be adjusted to include this discount after purchase. *Please note that the minimum Membership level of (Skeleton Crew) must be met before you will have access to the membership discount code if you are already have the &quot;mates&quot; or above membership then please email: admin@watermens.org to receive discount code before booking.&nbsp; *The museum holds the right to cancel at will all camps that do not make the minimum camper limits two weeks prior to start date at which time a refund will be processed for the full amount.&nbsp;*Any cancellation by patron within two weeks of camp start will not qualify for refund. &nbsp;

Boat Building Summer Day Camp

&nbsp;Explore the marine life and ecosystems of the York River and Chesapeake Bay. Through hand-s on experience with the living systems of the Chesapeake Bay and learning how scientists monitor and protect coastal environments day campers will take on their own investigations of the animals, habitats, and environmental systems that shape our coastal environment. Students can use museum fishing gear or bring their own to study fish, crabs, oysters, and other species while learning about conservation and stewardship.&nbsp; Activities Include:&nbsp;&nbsp;+Shoreline seining and species identification+Crabbing and fishing from the pier+Aquaculture and watershed science+Fly fishing (based on instructor availability)+Environmental stewardship and presentation. &nbsp;&nbsp;Our programs blend outdoor exploration, science investigation, creative problem solving, and collaborative learning for grades 3-8. Programs are led by instructors with 15+ years of experience and are supported by a structured team to ensure safety, engagement, and meaningful learning throughout the week whilst never forgetting the fun. &nbsp;The outcome is that students will leave with a deeper understanding of Maritime engineering, teamwork, and Yorktown&#39;s working waterfront heritage.&nbsp;&nbsp;Cost per student is $350&nbsp;Five day program from 9am - 3pm with option to extend until 5:30 for easy pick up at a low cost of $25 per day per student.&nbsp;&nbsp;Daily Plan:&nbsp;&nbsp;9:00 AM- Drop off9:15-11:30AM &nbsp;Morning Activities11:30AM Lunch12PM-2PM Afternoon Activities2PM-3PM Swim time. &nbsp;3:00PM Pick Up.&nbsp;3:15PM- 5:30PM reading, crafts and games in the Carriage house. *separate fee. &nbsp; *Early bird tickets are only available until April 13th please be careful to choose this ticket at check-out as your reservation cannot be adjusted to include this discount after purchase. *Please note that the minimum Membership level of (Skeleton Crew) must be met before you will have access to the membership discount code if you are already have the &quot;mates&quot; or above membership then please email: admin@watermens.org to receive discount code before booking.&nbsp; *The museum holds the right to cancel at will all camps that do not make the minimum camper limits two weeks prior to start date at which time a refund will be processed for the full amount.&nbsp;*Any cancellation by patron within two weeks of camp start will not qualify for refund. &nbsp;

Bay Resources and Coastal Science Summer Day Camp

Please Join the Watermen&#39;s Museum Board of Directors and Staff for a Special Invitation-Only Evening Friday, June 19 - 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. This special gathering celebrates the legacy, resilience, and craftsmanship of the region&rsquo;s watermen.<p fr-original-style='color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; margin: 0px 0px 12px; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; min-height: 13.8px;' style='color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; margin: 0px 0px 12px; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; min-height: 13.8px; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit;'> Explore the new exhibits while enjoying curated light fare, refreshments and fellowship. The Watermen&rsquo;s Museum mission is to interpret, promote, and preserve the heritage of the watermen of the Chesapeake Bay.

Tour and Cocktail Reception in Honor of Our Newest Exhibits

The Watermen&#39;s Museum warmly invites you to an evening of celebration at our Annual Gala and Grand Re-opening. This special event offers guests an exclusive first look at the museum&#39;s newly redesigned exhibitions before we open to the public.&nbsp;Explore refreshed gallery spaces that bring the story of the Chesapeake Bay watermen to life through new displays, artifacts, and interpretation highlighting the enduring traditions of life and work on the Bay.&nbsp; The evening will provide an opportunity to meet the museum team responsible for this exciting transformation and to celebrate the community whose support sustains our mission to preserve and share the heritage of the Chesapeake&#39;s watermen.&nbsp; Museum members receive complimentary admission to the gala. (Non-Members welcome to purchase membership at the door starting at $12). We look forward to welcoming you for this special evening along the York River as we celebrate a new chapter for The Watermen&#39;s Museum. &nbsp; Sincerely,&nbsp; The Watermen&#39;s Museum Team

Annual Gala & Grand Re-opening.

Become a member of The Watermens Museum and help preserve the stories, skills, and traditions of those who work the waters of the Chesapeake Bay.&nbsp;We are a privately supported, non-profit &nbsp;museum focused on the Watermen of the Chesapeake Bay; their history, stories, skills and cultural traditions for the historical past, present and future. &nbsp;We rely on Members to help us in our mission to create and delivery diverse hands-on education, boat-building workshops, living-history programs, the care of maritime artifacts, &nbsp;and community events that connect our working-waterfront heritage. Join today&nbsp; and become a part of the success story toward keeping this important cultural history alive and active for students, families, and visitors&mdash;on the shore and on the water. Thank you for being a part of the Museum family.&nbsp;

Become a member of The Watermens Museum and help preserve the stories, skills, and traditions of those who work the waters of the Chesapeake Bay. We are a privately supported, non-profit museum focused on the Watermen of the Chesapeake Bay; their history, stories, skills and cultural traditions for the historical past, present and future. We rely on Members to help us in our mission to create and delivery diverse hands-on education, boat-building workshops, living-history programs, the care of maritime artifacts, and community events that connect our working-waterfront heritage.Join today and become a part of the success story toward keeping this important cultural history alive and active for students, families, and visitors—on the shore and on the water.Thank you for being a part of the Museum family.

The Watermens Museum

Past events

Past events

Oyster Roast 2026

CSI Chesapeake: Coastal Investigators Summer Day Camp

Nature Explorer Summer Day Camp

Boat Building Summer Day Camp

Bay Resources and Coastal Science Summer Day Camp

Tour and Cocktail Reception in Honor of Our Newest Exhibits

Annual Gala & Grand Re-opening.

More ways to support us

The Watermen's Museum Memberships

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