Children's Group Tours

Tour fees:
Museum tour, play loft, $5 per child, with breeches buoy, $6 per child, chaperones free

Groups are invited to picnic on the museum lawn or seawall, or in the loft in case of rain. No food is available for purchase within walking distance of the museum, although there are many eateries along nearby Nantasket Beach.

The museum is located at 1117 Nantasket Avenue, Hull, MA. Ample parking is available for cars, vans, and school buses. Directions and pre-tour materials will be mailed with your tour confirmation form.

The museum offers the following tours that fall within the Massachusetts State Curriculum Frameworks. Teachers are welcome to contact the museum for more specialized tours.

The 1888 surfboat Nantasket

The tour begins with a brief history of organized lifesaving, emphasizing the contributions of volunteer lifesavers, continues on to the Galley where children learn about daily life at the station, then, on to the Boat Room to see the treasure of the museum collection- the storied surfboat Nantasket. Children will have the chance to view first hand the lifesavers’ surfboat and rescue equipment, while hearing true tales of am azing courage and heroic rescues.

A group explores the mus eum

Hands-on Fun
Museum educators engage children through interactive, hands-on tours. Magnifying lenses and binoculars keep young hands active, while helping young minds to focus on views of Boston Harbor and details in the museum exhibits. In the Galley, children can take turns grinding the coffee beans, smelling the surfmens’ pine tar soap, or working the water pump.

The hands-on fun culminates in the museum’s Loft where children of all ages enjoy “setting sail” on the climb-on boat, dressing up in period clothes, learning to tie a new knot, and standing watch in the museum cupola, with stunning views of Boston Light, Boston Harbor, and Fort Revere Park.

"Rescued” by breeches buoy

The Breeches Buoy
The Breeches Buoy rescue allowed lifesaving crews to carry shipwreck survivors safely to shore without the danger of launching the surfboat in treacherous conditions. A line firing gun sent a lifeline to the wrecked ship. Through this ingenious system lifesaving crews were able to send the breeches buoy (pictured at left) to the ship. On shore, the lifesavers worked as a crew to haul the “whip line,” pulling the breeches buoy along the hawser, and the survivors, one by one, back to safety. Children’s groups can participate in breeches buoy reenactments from May through September, with children playing the roles of lifesaving crew and shipwreck survivors.

Massachusetts State Curriculum Frameworks
Our museum tours meet the following Massachusetts State Learning Standards for History and Social Science, PreK-5.

PreK-K.5 Retell stories that illustrate honesty, courage, friendship, respect, responsibility, and the wise or judicious exercise of authority, and explain how the characters in the stories show these qualities. (C)
1.8 After reading or listening to stories about famous Americans of different ethnic groups, faiths, and historical periods (e.g., Neil Armstrong, Cesar Chavez, Roberto Clemente, Thomas Edison, Bill Gates, Daniel Inouye, Thurgood Marshall, Rosa Parks, Colin Powell, Sacagawea, Jonas Salk, Harriett Beecher Stowe, Clarence Thomas, Booker T. Washington, and the Wright Brothers) describe their qualities or distinctive traits. (H, C)

Teachers are free to choose whatever biographies they wish.
2.10 After reading or listening to a variety of true stories about individuals recognized for their achievements, describe and compare different ways people have achieved great distinction (e.g. scientific, professional, political, religious, commercial, military, athletic, or artistic). (H)

3.8 On a map of Massachusetts, locate the class’s home town or city and its local geographic features and landmarks. (G)

3.9 Identify historic buildings, monuments, or sites in the area and explain their purpose and significance. (H, C)

3.12 Explain how objects or artifacts of everyday life in the past tell us how ordinary people lived and how everyday life has changed. Draw on the services of the local historical society and local museums as needed. (H, G, E)

4.11 Describe the climate, major physical features, and major natural resources in each region (New England coastal geography and climate)

5.11 Explain the importance of maritime commerce in the development of the economy of colonial Massachusetts, using the services of historical societies and museums as needed.
(H, E)
A. the fishing and shipbuilding industries
B. trans-Atlantic trade
C. the port cities of New Bedford, Newburyport, Gloucester, Salem, and Boston