This past weekend we were invited to be a part of testing the idea of a water taxi ride from the Tuckerton Seaport to Beach Haven. We were thrilled for this opportunity because we knew doing so would give our family our first chance to explore Long Beach Island. LBI isn’t an area we’ve often talked about on Jersey Family Fun, but that’s about to change. When we traveled across the bay, we discovered that Long Beach Island has a lot to offer families. The New Jersey Maritime Museum, a Beach Haven museum is one of those areas we explored and encourage families to visit.
New Jersey Maritime Museum
New Jersey Maritime Museum is one of the museums on our list of free family attractions in New Jersey. But until this past Sunday, we had never explored this Beach Haven family attraction. Now, we’re excited to share with you through our pictures and details all you can learn at this local museum.
The Museum offers two floors of historical exhibits, displays, and more. It is located at the corner of Dock Road and West Avenue. Limited street parking is available. We’d suggest parking for free at the nearby marina.
11 Things to do at the New Jersey Maritime Museum
- Examine a variety of boat models made from different materials and in a variety of sizes.
- Be awed by the collection of artifacts from ships that sailed along the Jersey Shore or swimmers visiting New Jersey beaches.
- Observe the different uniforms worn by members of the Coast Guard and Navy and even what swimmers used to wear to the beach.
Just one of several Coast Guard uniforms on display at the New Jersey Maritime Museum.
- Research more about maritime history. There are binders, files, and more to help you learn more about the ships, shipwrecks, and other maritime history stories of New Jersey.
What would your kids like to research more about at the New Jersey Maritime Museum?
- Read about the whale explosion in LBI during the late 1950’s.
- Search for pirates throughout the exhibits.
You found the pirate flag. But can you find the pirates at the New Jersey Maritime Museum?
- View different film negatives showing maritime scenes.
- Look through a porthole from a sunken ship.
Find a porthole. Then research more about that ship in the New Jersey Maritime Museum archives.
- Imagine what it would have been like to wear a diver’s mask from the 1960’s or if you had been a Russian diver.
- Understand more about the different coastal storms that have hit the Jersey Shore over the years and the impact they have had.
- Make a donation to help support the museum’s efforts.
While admission is free at the New Jersey Maritime Museum, your donations help support the museum.
Depending on your child’s level of interest in boats, ships, and maritime history your family should plan to spend anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour or two at this museum.
See more of our pictures from the New Jersey Maritime Museum in this Facebook photo album.
The New Jersey Maritime Museum in Beach Haven New Jersey has free admission. The museum is open daily from 10 am to 4 pm from June through August. You can learn more at their website, njmaritimemuseum.org.