Hands-On

Maritime Adventure Days

Maritime Adventure Free Days at Custom House Maritime Museum Newburyport Massachusetts

Maritime Adventure Free Days offers families and kids a unique opportunity to explore maritime history through interactive activities, guided tours, and hands-on workshops. A day of fun and discovery at the Custom House Maritime Museum for the family. These free Saturday events include experiencing a traditional Wampanoag dugout canoe being made by a team of craftsmen. Part of Trails & Sails

When: 
Saturday, September 13, 2025 9am-1pm
Saturday, September 20, 2025 9am-1pm
Saturday, September 27, 2025 9am-1pm
Location: 
Custom House Maritime Museum
Newburyport
Trails & Sails 2025
History
Open House
Activities
Guided Tour
Museum
Hands-On
Workshop

Brookwood School Sustainable Future Fest

Brookwood School Future Fest sustainability festival in Manchester Massachusetts

Join Brookwood School in Manchester, MA, for the Sustainable Future Fest—an event bringing together North Shore families, eco-advocates, and local businesses in the spirit of sustainability and community fun! Designed for families and kids aged 3-14, the festival will feature:

When: 
Saturday, November 23, 2024 from 10am-1pm
Location: 
Brookwood School
Manchester
Fair
Sustainability
Science
Technology
Ecology
Environment
Workshops
Hands-On
Live Music
Story Walk

Plankton Safari

Join the team at Maritime Gloucester Massachusetts for a Plankton Safari every Monday and Thursday

Come to Maritime Gloucester and discover what lives near the bottom of the oceanic food chain using digital microscopes! Join Maritime Gloucester’s education and aquarium staff as we take a deep dive into some of the ocean’s smallest, yet most important, organisms. Learn about plankton’s vital role in the marine ecosystem, and look under our microscopes to see what local species you can identify!. Recommended for ages 7 and up.

When: 
Tuesdays & Thursdays through August 22, 2024 10:30-3:30pm
Location: 
Maritime Gloucester
Gloucester
Science
Ecology
Marine
Biology
Environment
Hands-On

Snowy Owl Whooooo?

Teens are invited to come craft amigurumi snowy owls at Parker River National Wildlife Refuge in Newbury Massachusetts

Teens are invited to the Parker River Wildlife Refuge to learn about owls! Join Parker River Staff to crochet a snowy owl. Using amigurumi, the Japanese practice of crocheting small stuffed yarn, we will crochet a small stuffed snowy owl that's great for desk decoration, keychain, or dangle. Beginners welcome!

When: 
Saturday, January 13, 2024 10am-12:30pm
Location: 
Parker River National Wildlife Refuge
Newbury
Ecology
Conservation
Instruction
Class
Demonstration
Activity
Hands-On
Craft

Hands on History

Every weekend there's hands-on history programs at The House of the Seven Gables in Salem Massachusetts

Each weekend in July and August the House of 7 Gables invites young (and young at heart!) guests to explore different elements of colonial life through hands-on activities. These drop-in programs will run 11 A.M. to 3 P.M. Saturdays and Sundays and are free with the purchase of admission. This summer, we will be exploring traditional children’s games and the art of calligraphy. Stop in for some hands-on fun!

When: 
Weekends through August 2023 11am-3pm
Location: 
House of Seven Gables
Salem
History
Hands-On
Museum
Craft

Broom Decorating for Kids at the Witchery

The Witchery is hosting a ‘Broom Decorating for Kids’ class each Saturday in Salem Massachusetts

Kids are invited to decorate their own  broom with pendants, charms, plants, ribbons & more. Our 20" kids' brooms are assembled by The Witchery and ready for your little ones to customize!  Broom decorating is a hands-on, friendly activity in a relaxed setting. Kids will browse our tables to select their items and then customize your broom. Parents may need to assist with tying and fastening, etc. Appropriate for ages 3-10. Activity will be outdoors whenever possible. Kits to go also available.

When: 
Saturdays through August 6, 2022 9am
Location: 
The Witchery
Salem
Craft
Art
Hands-On

Art in the Shipyard!

Kids will create art at the Essex Shipbuilding Musem each Wednesday afternoon!

See, learn, find, create! Young artists are invited to enjoy drawing, painting, print making, and sculpture using the Museum's shipyard and artifacts for inspiration. All materials are provided for projects. All ages are welcome. Those seven and younger must be accompanied by an adult. A public exhibit of the art work produced will take place at the museum. This program is supported in part by the Essex Cultural Council, a local agency, through the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

When: 
Wednesdays, April 17 to June 5, 2013 3:30-5pm
Location: 
Essex Shipbuilding Museum
Essex
Museum
Outdoor Activity
Instruction
Indoor Activity
Art
Crafts
Hands-On

Pages

Adirondack Leadership Program at Gordon College’s La Vida Center

Trails & Sails
Explore the North Shore with over 150 Free Events in Essex National Heritage Area's Trails & Sails celebration in Massachusetts.
Essex National Heritage Area sites will offer over 150 free family fun events from September 14-29, 2024 for the annual celebration of TRAILS & SAILS. Discover special places in your backyard and be guided through unique landscapes on land and sea, explore historic properties, and take in...
7:00 am to 10:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Saugus Iron Works Park Grounds & Estuary Walk

Take a hike along the Saugus River Estuary ande explore the Saugus Iron Works Park grounds in Massachusetts
Learn about the natural world in Saugus while ecploring the park ground ast the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site in Massachusetts.
Where: Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site
7:00 am to 7:00 pm
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Maudslay in Bloom Self-Guided Walk
Maudslay in Bloom self guided walk at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport Massachusetts.
Maudslay State Park in Newburyport, Massachusetts, offers a delightful self-guided walk that is perfect for families with children. The park's 480-acre expanse, once the Moseley Estate, is rich with historical charm and natural beauty. Families can embark on a self-guided tour through lush...
Where: Maudslay State Park
7:00 am to 7:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point
Kids will enjoy this tour of the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry with a focus on its stone-cutting history!
Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!
Where: Halibut Point State Park
7:00 am to 6:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit at Pingree School

Pingree School in Hmailton Massachusetts hosts their annual Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture exhibit each Fall. Sculpture: Phoenix by Robin Tost.
Pingree School hosts the 16th annual Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit on their campus in South Hamilton, Massachusetts .
Where: Pingree School
8:00 am to 6:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Salem Witch Hunt Walking Tour
Learn about the true reality of the Salem Massachusetts Witch Trials Salem Massachusetts on a self guided walking tour with Essex Heritage
This self-guided walking tour is designed to help explain the true history behind the Salem Witch Trials. After more than three centuries of storytelling through countless books, movies, and television shows, the line between historical fact and dramatic fiction has become increasingly blurred....
Where: Downtown Salem
9:00 am to 5:00 pm
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Crescent Farm Corn Maze
Crescent Farm corn maze in Haverhill Massachusetts
Imagine the biggest puzzle you’ve ever seen. Now imagine a day in the sunshine with your friends or family. Now add an adventure that takes teamwork and memory skills. All these things and more can be found at Crescent Farms Corn Maze. Crescent Farm Corn Maze trails cut into 9 acres of corn. Inside...
Where: Crescent Farm
9:00 am to 9:00 pm
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Step Inside the Historic Custom House
Take in the views of this prominent building where Nathaniel Hawthorne once worked and the U.S. Custom Service operated. This Custom House was built in 1819 and housed offices for the officers of the U.S. Customs Service, as well as an attached warehouse, the Public Stores, used for the storage of...
Where: Salem Maritime National Historic Site
9:30 am to 4:30 pm
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Touch Tank Time
You can look at and touch the creatures in Joppa Flats Educations Center touch tank in Newburyport, Massachusetts
Spend some quality time at our touch tank where you can see and hold hermit crabs, moon snails, sea urchins and more!
Where: Joppa Flats Education Center
10:00 am to 4:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Lowell's Boat Shop: Boatbuilding in the New Nation
Learn about Lowell's Boat Shop in Amesbury Massachusetts on this guided Trails and Sails Tour
Step back in time with a visit to Lowell’s Boat Shop  in Amesbury Massachusetts during Trails & Sails! Established in 1793, Lowell’s was one of The New Nation’s many boat shops, and is the oldest continuously operating boat shop in the country. Simeon Lowell founded his own business after...
Where: Lowell’s Boat Shop
11:00 am to 2:00 pm
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Saugus Iron Works House Tours

Free Ranger guided tours of the Saugus Iron Works House in Massachusetts
Join National Park staff at Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site for a 30-minute tour of The Iron Works House.
Where: Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site
11:00 am
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Step Aboard the Friendship of Salem

Permission to come aboard the Friendship of Salem is granted at Derby Wharf in Salem Massachusetts!
Explore the FRIENDSHIP OF SALEM, a replica tall ship based on a 1796 Salem vessel at Salem Maritime National Historic Site.
Where: Salem Maritime National Historic Site
1:30 pm to 4:30 pm
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Saugus Iron Works Tours
Free Ranger guided tours at Saugus Iron Works Colonial Industrial Site in Massachusetts
Join the National Park staff at Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site for a tour of the colonial industrial site. On select days, you may be able to stick around and witness pop-up molten iron pour, blacksmithing, waterwheel demonstrations, and take part in hands-on river stewardship activities.
Where: Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site
2:00 pm
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“The Ghosts We Work With” Exhibit Opening and Ghost Story Open Mic
An evening of local ghost stories in Historic Salem Massachusetts. “The Ghosts We Work With: Preservation in the Historic Witch City”
Join Salem Maritime National Historical Park at the Salem Armory Regional Visitor Center for an evening of local ghost stories to celebrate the opening of our newest exhibit, “The Ghosts We Work With: Preservation in the Historic Witch City”.  The new photography exhibit is a celebration of the...
Where: Salem Maritime National Historic Visitor Center
6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
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A Spiritual Quest Weekend at Hilldale Cemetery
Hilldale Cemetary in Haverhill Massachusetts is one of the North Shore's most active paranormal spots!
Do you believe in Ghosts? If you do then join the Essex County Ghost Project and Witches Wonder fort a spooktacular evening of haunts and fun . The gates open at 6:30 pm and hunt starts at 7pm . We are exploring one of New England’s most Haunted historical sites . There have been reports of full...
Where: Hilldale Cemetary
7:00 pm to 9:30 pm
♦ Read More →

Star Party with the North Shore Amateur Astronomy Club
Join the North Shore Amateur Astronomy Club in a free star party at Battis Farm as part of Trails and Sails!
Come see the night skies through one of our volunteer’s telescopes! In addition to the moon (9/14 only) and Saturn we’ll be showing off an assortment of binary and multi-star systems (imagine having 4 suns in your sky!), nebula, clusters, and galaxies, some of which are millions of light years away...
Where: Battis Farm
7:30 pm to 9:30 pm
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Paddle Around Historic Rockport Harbor
Paddle around Rockport Massachusetts Harbor for FREE as part of Trails and Sails
Come join North Shore Adventures and Outdoor Center for some fun on the water! No experience necessary. Depart from our private beach in one of our safe, stable kayaks or paddle boards and paddle around the historic Rockport Harbor for 30 mins. See lobster boats, Motif #1, the Rockport Break water...
Where: Downtown Rockport
10:30 pm
♦ Read More →

Saturday, September 20

Trails & Sails
Explore the North Shore with over 150 Free Events in Essex National Heritage Area's Trails & Sails celebration in Massachusetts.
Essex National Heritage Area sites will offer over 150 free family fun events from September 14-29, 2024 for the annual celebration of TRAILS & SAILS. Discover special places in your backyard and be guided through unique landscapes on land and sea, explore historic properties, and take in...
7:00 am to 10:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Saugus Iron Works Park Grounds & Estuary Walk

Take a hike along the Saugus River Estuary ande explore the Saugus Iron Works Park grounds in Massachusetts
Learn about the natural world in Saugus while ecploring the park ground ast the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site in Massachusetts.
Where: Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site
7:00 am to 7:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Maudslay in Bloom Self-Guided Walk
Maudslay in Bloom self guided walk at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport Massachusetts.
Maudslay State Park in Newburyport, Massachusetts, offers a delightful self-guided walk that is perfect for families with children. The park's 480-acre expanse, once the Moseley Estate, is rich with historical charm and natural beauty. Families can embark on a self-guided tour through lush...
Where: Maudslay State Park
7:00 am to 7:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point
Kids will enjoy this tour of the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry with a focus on its stone-cutting history!
Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!
Where: Halibut Point State Park
7:00 am to 6:00 pm
♦ Read More →

The Lady of Salem: Maritime Art

Learn about the history of Salem Massachusetts through this unique public art installation self-guided tour!
Discover Salem’s Golden Age of Sail as you uncover clues! Celebrate America’s Maritime History! The Ladies of Salem will have you looking up at whimsical and beautifully designed figureheads gracing lampposts downtown. “What is a figurehead ?” you may ask? It’s a large carved wooden decorative...
Where: Destination Salem Visitors Center, Where: Downtown Salem
8:00 am to 10:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit at Pingree School

Pingree School in Hmailton Massachusetts hosts their annual Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture exhibit each Fall. Sculpture: Phoenix by Robin Tost.
Pingree School hosts the 16th annual Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit on their campus in South Hamilton, Massachusetts .
Where: Pingree School
8:00 am to 6:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Haverhill Farmers' Market
Haverhill Farmers Market, North Shore Farmers Market, Cape Ann Farmers Marke
The vibrant, colorful Haverhill Farmers Market is where local farmers and food producers meet to sell directly to the community. Established in 1978, the Haverhill Farmers Market mission is to provide access to farm-fresh products and promote local agriculture, as well as serve as a social...
Where: Haverhill Farmers' Market
9:00 am to 1:00 pm
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Marblehead Farmers' Market
Find fresh local produce and other foods at the Marblehead Farmer's Market!
The Marblehead Farmer's Market boasts 15+ local farms, and booths with an educational spin nutrition, vendors and farms selling homemade prepared goods and craft vendors that are switched up in a rotation basis week to week. Additionally there are entertainers and exhibits by environmentally...
Where: Marblehead Farmers' Market
9:00 am to 12:00 pm
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Andover Farmers' Market
Find Fresh Local Produce at the Andover Massachusetts Farmers Market North of Boston
The Andover Farmers Market is a vibrant hub connecting local farmers, artisans and the community through the joy of local food. Whether you come for carrots or conversation, it is a place to nourish the body, mind and spirit.
Where: South Church in Andover
9:00 am to 1:00 pm
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Rockport Farmers' Market
The Rockport Farmers' Market runs every Saturday at Rockport Music in Downtown Rockport!
The Rockport Farmers Market offers a variety of locally-grown produce, hand-crafted products, baked goods, and live music. It provides a community space to support local farmers and artisans.
Where: Harvey Park - Rockport
9:00 am to 1:00 pm
♦ Read More →
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