Watermen's Museum Closed Until April

By Amber Lester Kennedy Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Riverwalk tourists will have to wait until April to learn more about the life and work of watermen.

The Watermen’s Museum has closed its doors until April 1. The museum is updating its Commercial Fishing Exhibit to include some new graphics and information. It is also expanding its gift shop to a space double its current size.

The museum seized the quiet winter months to make the changes, which will cost less than $10,000, because it’s only open on the weekends in the winter. Visitors can still watch the museum conduct its outdoor programming, such as boat-building, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

The upgraded museum will open its doors for a sneak peek on March 26. In the meantime, the museum still works with its school partners at the Lifeskills Learning Center, Point Option School and the Williamsburg Montessori School, which rents the museum’s Carriage House for its middle school program.

The changes at the museum haven’t just been physical. Executive Director David Niebuhr noted the museum has also worked to expand its programmatic offerings to include living history interpreters, boat-building, new school programs and Pirate Camp. “Now we want to put some effort into our static museum exhibits, to refresh the information, update the stories and better link them with our hands-on programs,” he said.

The Watermen’s Museum is a private non-profit museum founded in 1981. It explores the work and heritage of watermen and works to preserve and enhance the environment of the Chesapeake Bay. Learn more here.