BEAUFORT, NC – The Beaufort Pirate Invasion will be taking over more than the downtown streets again this year.
The N.C. Maritime Museum will host special activities that coincide with the annual event, which officially starts Friday evening and continues through Sunday. The museum, located at 315 Front St. in downtown Beaufort, will kick off the fun a little early, hosting a pirate movie, face painting, pirate discovery table and more throughout the day Friday and Saturday.
There will be three free showings of Disney’s Treasure Island (rated PG), which tells the story of young Jim Hawkins and Long John Silver. Attendees are welcome to bring refreshments for the movie showings, which will be at noon, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 9.
The museum will also be handing out “Most Wanted” cards on Friday, as well as on Saturday. Those who complete the scavenger hunt by finding a certain number of famous pirates depicted on the sheet will receive a prize from the museum treasure chest.
Other special activities — which will be held during the museum’s regular hours, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday — include free paper pirate hats, as well as face painting.
Volunteer Michael Aman Jr. will set up his pirate discovery table in the museum lobby both days. His interactive display includes replica weaponry, sample artifacts and costumes that can be tried on for pictures. Aman will also share his vast knowledge about piracy in general and some of the state’s most famous scallywags.
A conservator will also be on site in the Blackbeard Queen Anne’s Revenge Exhibit both days, working on artifacts from the ship and explaining the conservation process.
Admission to the museum is free, as are the special activities. However, donations are appreciated. For more information on museum activities, call 252-504-7740 or visit ncmaritimemuseumbeaufort.com. For more information on Beaufort Pirate Invasion, visit beaufortpirateinvasion.com.
About the N.C. Maritime Museum in Beaufort
The North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort reflects coastal life and interprets lighthouses and lifesaving stations, the seafood industry, motorboats, and more. Studies in marine life, science, and ecology are available for all ages. The Beaufort museum is the repository for artifacts from Blackbeard’s wrecked flagship, Queen Anne’s Revenge, among them cannons, grenades, belt buckles and beads. The Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center teaches boatbuilding for all ages.
The North Carolina Maritime Museum, located at 315 Front Street in Beaufort, is open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The museum is open to the public with free admission. Donations are always appreciated. For more information about the museum, call 252-728-7317 or visit www.ncmaritimemuseumbeaufort.com.
The North Carolina Maritime Museum system is comprised of the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum in Hatteras, the North Carolina Maritime Museum at Beaufort and the North Carolina Maritime Museum at Southport. All three museums are part of the Division of State History Museums in the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. The system website is www.ncmaritimemuseums.com.
About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (NCDNCR) is the state agency with a vision to be the leader in using the state’s natural and cultural resources to build the social, cultural, educational and economic future of North Carolina. NCDNCR’s mission is to improve the quality of life in our state by creating opportunities to experience excellence in the arts, history, libraries and nature in North Carolina by stimulating learning, inspiring creativity, preserving the state’s history, conserving the state’s natural heritage, encouraging recreation and cultural tourism, and promoting economic development.
NCDNCR includes 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, two science museums, three aquariums and Jennette’s Pier, 39 state parks and recreation areas, the N.C. Zoo, the nation’s first state-supported Symphony Orchestra, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, State Preservation Office and the Office of State Archaeology, along with the Division of Land and Water Stewardship. For more information, call 919-807-7300 or visit www.ncdcr.gov.
Submitted by: Cyndi Brown, Public Information Officer, NC Maritime Museum