For the past nine years The Mariners’ Museum has hosted the annual Battle of Hampton Roads Weekend to commemorate the epic first meeting of the ironclads Monitor and Virginia. This past weekend, we commemorated the 150^th anniversary of the battle, and we were thrilled to introduce an entirely new way to experience the weekend – Ironclad BattleQuest! This interactive family adventure game immersed you in the Civil War experience. Participants chose to enlist in the Union or Confederate navy, collected their Ditty-Bag and began their adventure as a navy spy! Tasks included infiltrating the enemy camp, holding audience with Abraham Lincoln, discovering secrets of the Monitor, playing period games and even eating a maggot!

If you missed the Battle of Hampton Roads Weekend this year, be sure to come out and participate in some of these other upcoming events and activities hosted right here at the Museum! We promise a good time!

LAST DINNER ON THE TITANIC, Saturday, April 14, 2012

Your boarding pass awaits! Transport yourself back to time of grace, culture and indulgence as you board the White Star Line R.M.S. Titanic. Choose a First Class experience that includes a five course meal, beautiful music and famous characters including Captain Smith. Or choose the Third Class “The Real Party” and enjoy hearty fare and rousing Irish tunes. First Class: $250 per person, Third Class: $125 per person. For more information go to www.marinersmuseum.org/TitanicDinner. For reservations call 757-591-7715.

THURSDAYS BY THE LAKE, Every Thursday in June-August, 6pm-10pm

Bring a blanket or favorite chair and enjoy our 9th annual free summer concert series at The Mariners’ Museum Park. Experience live music by some of the area’s hottest bands on the banks of Lake Maury every Thursday in summer. The Deloreans, Slapwater, Butter, and Rhondels are just a few of the bands on this year’s line up! Adult beverages, soft drinks, and a variety of summer foods will be available for sale.

It’s that time of year again; time for food, laughter, and the warmth of friends and family. With Thanksgiving behind us, we are excited to light up the Museum with holiday cheer and celebratory events of all sizes! From 50 to 500, we welcome all groups to come spend the holidays with us!

With all the food you will stock up on and all the secret Santas you will attend, we realize that these times are tight. In light of this, we wanted to help relieve some of that stress while making that holiday party you want to hold just a tad more accessible. The Mariners’ Museum is now offering a 10% discount on your special event rental in any of our spaces on any available date scheduled before March 15, 2012. That’s right; we invite you to enjoy beauty, elegance, and history by hosting your holiday event or formal at The Mariners’ Museum at a discounted price. We have several locations available, each offering a truly unique atmosphere and experience. Although the price is discounted, your experience will be anything but reduced, as our dedicated staff will ensure your event will create life long memories! Consider it our way of saying, “happy holidays”— from our family here at The Mariners’ Museum, to yours!

To set-up your holiday event consultation to view all of the Museum’s event spaces and possibilities, contact our special events office at events@marinersmuseum.org or by phone at (757) 591-5124.

When it comes to planning your wedding, we add a little more simplicity to your hectic schedule by taking one of your many choices, and making it the obvious choice. With the multitude of event spaces we have to offer, The Mariners’ Museum says, “look no further!” Even if you have already booked your big day elsewhere, we invite you to round up your guests for an evening rehearsal dinner under the stars, or an afternoon delight!

When considering your rehearsal dinner, Elegala.com makes it simple! With plenty of tips and advice on how to organize your next gala, your event is sure to be a hit! One of the many suggestions they offer in their All About Rehearsal Dinners article is that the dinner should be a “contrast to the wedding…reception…” What better way to stray away from the comparable than to let us host it right here at the Museum? With optional Museum tours for your guests to enjoy and maritime replicas creating one of a kind event spaces, your event will be anything but ordinary. Invite your guests to an outdoor dinner party on the deck of the USS Monitor Replica for an intimate seated banquet of 120, or a cocktail reception of 150. For an intimate indoor gathering, the Great Hall of Steam allows guests to meet and greet among an exhibition of artifacts, accommodating a seated banquet of 70 and a cocktail reception of 150.

In addition to these, The Mariners’ Museum offers event spaces anywhere from small and intimate to large and elaborate indoor or outdoor parties. The Mariners’ Museum is just the thing you need to take your dinner from ordinary to extraordinary.

The Mariners’ Museum is proud to host some of Hampton Road’s finest company’s events, and what better time to celebrate your employees and valued customers than in fall’s crisp, breathtaking air? ‘Tis the season to give thanks and the events department cannot think of a better way than for your company to organize a corporate function for all the people that help make your business a success! Fortunately, we are no strangers to such events and we have the space you need to create the perfect affair for your group! 

Thursday, October 27^th we had the pleasure of hosting an employee and valued customer appreciation dinner for Hatchett Home Improvement, a local reputable home improvement company located on Jefferson Avenue in Newport News, Virginia. Returning for their second year with us, Margie Smith—the Office Manager at Hatchett—commented on the event:

“Once again the staff at The Mariners’ Museum helped us create a wonderful event – everyone was kind and considerate. Greatly appreciate everything!”

 The fall function was catered by one of the Museum’s preferred caterers, B.S. Barbeque and Catering. 150 coworkers and patrons chatted over southern-style cuisine, a variety of drinks, and an impressive oyster roast (a local fall favorite) in the South Courtyard—a space holding anywhere from 50-250 people at a standing reception like that of the Hatchett event. The evening affair complimented the autumn air with tasteful fall décor and good friends. In our opinion, Hatchett Home Improvement coordinated an excellent event that was enjoyed by all!

Take advantage of this beautiful weather while it’s still here and let us host your next group event—after all, ‘tis the season to be merry in the company of good friends, family, and all the staff here at The Mariners’ Museum!

Each year, The Mariners’ Museum is delighted to welcome new members to its diverse and enthusiastic membership. Support from both renewing and new members allows the Museum to provide the programs, events, and other activities that both members and visitors enjoy throughout the year. In light of this, the Museum takes as many opportunities as possible to show our thanks.

This past Saturday, October 29^th the Membership, Development, and Events Departments invited all of our members to a Members Appreciation Party and Trivia Night held in the Main Lobby right here at the Museum. Each member was sent an invitation designed like fortune origami—consisting of four flaps, each illustrating a question/answer trivia. When all four flaps open, the invitation details are revealed in the center. Many thanks goes to our Donor and Membership Relations Coordinator, Ashley Jefferson, as the invitations were creative, fun, and engaging, thus setting the Museum up for a successful evening!

In addition to the 100 members in attendance, the night was casual and fun—filled with good food from Creative Catering, drinks from the great bar set-up, and lots of prizes! Team trivia derived from Museum and maritime facts was displayed on our very own AV unit and kept members on their toes, offering new knowledge of the history behind The Mariners’ Museum and its collection. Furthermore, the trivia teams created opportunities to meet other members of the Museum, ultimately creating new friendships. We hope that all of our members enjoyed the event as much as we enjoyed hosting it, and that it accomplished the portrayal of our immense appreciation for them.

If you would like to join The Mariners’ Museum on a voyage of discovery, please visit our membership page and get involved today! No matter which membership package you choose, your support will keep the excitement on course for new generations of adventurers.

If you would like to give the gift of a Museum membership, please contact Ashley Jefferson at (757) 591-7715.

Looking for fun this fall? With summer behind us, our calendar is already filled with fabulous fall occasions! In fact, there is not a weekend in October that is not popping with events!

One of our favorite fall events was held Saturday, October 15th. Thanks to the help of our staff and the community, our 11th Annual 10K on the Noland Trail and 5K at the Park at The Mariners’ Museum Park was a true success. All of our volunteers received a staff t-shirt and were ready to lend a hand as they helped along both routes to direct and cheer on runners, set-up event spaces, and assist with day-of registrations. Additionally, all of our runners received a medal and a bag full of goodies in celebration of their accomplishments! Between the gorgeous weather and one hundred more participants than last year, the event surpassed our expectations, and as we start the new work week, the office is in good spirits!

With that busy weekend behind us, we are welcomed back at the office with the phone ringing off the hook as clients express their interest in booking proms, formals, weddings, conferences, and much more for the upcoming year! Our latest project was reaching out to local high schools and colleges or universities with information for hosting their next prom or formal right here at the Museum, so we are excited to announce that we have already heard back from four local high schools requesting a reservation for next spring! So while you are busy in preparation for fall, the events department at The Mariners’ Museum is already taking on next year!

For more information on any of our internal affairs this month, feel free to check out the events calendar located on the events homepage!

 Summer is quickly coming to an end, and in the last couple of months the events department has been busy!

 One of our many highlights of the summer took place on Sunday, August 21^st when we had the opportunity to host the “Maritime Elegance Bridal Expo.” The bridal show, put on by Show Bride, was held in the Museum’s Huntington and Anna Rooms. With an impressive 204 people in attendance, the success of the event speaks for itself! Needless to say, we loved showing off our rental space to all of the beautiful brides that came out, many of whom have already decided to book their wedding at The Mariners’ Museum! So as we say so long to summer, the events department is only getting started, and we are excited to see what the upcoming year has in store!  

If you missed out on this experience and would like a tour of our rental facilities, give us a call and book your appointment today! We look forward to hosting your next daytime or evening event!

To learn more about Show Bride, check out their YouTube videos!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pcV-nfqTss

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRkSE-69RX0

Hello readers!

 My name is Holly Julian and I am a new intern here at The Mariners’ Museum. I am currently a senior at Christopher Newport University. Currently I am studying to recieve a Bachelor of Arts in Communication. I have the pleasure of working under the special events department and, from here on out, will be taking over the blog. In doing so, I am eager to share with you all of the wonderful events I will be helping to coordinate in the near future. I hope this blog will serve as a way to explore the Museum as more than just an institution of education, but also as a place for family-bonding and special occasions. I look forward to making your next event a homerun and would love to take you on a tour of the multitude of spaces we have to offer you!

With summer now on us and the sun shining down, The Mariners’ Museum offers many opportunities to kick back and relax under the stars.

Our 8^th Annual Thursdays by the Lake has kicked into high gear. Every Thursday in June and July the front lawn of The Mariners’ Museum comes alive with the music and dancing. Free and open to the public, the concerts are at great way for families to come outside and enjoy The Mariners’ Museum Park. Guests can bring chairs or blankets to sit on the surrounding front lawn. Food is sold inside the Museum at the Compass Café and beer and wine are sold next to the stage. You can also buy a mug with the Museum’s logo for $10. Each mug comes with a coupon for $1 off 10 beers! The mug is reusable and the coupon is good throughout the entire summer. All beer,wine, and mug sales go to support The Mariners’ Museum Park! This week’s performance features musical guest Rare Mixx.

Another summer highlight is Celebrate the Bay! Held on Saturday, June 18, 2011, this is a fundraiser for both the museum and The Bronze Doors Society. Celebrate the Bay features many exciting options that are sure to please the entire family. The event kicks off with a wine tasting in Concourse of the Museum. Light music will be presented by Lewis McGehee. Following the wine tasting, guests will meander over to the front lawn for a seafood and barbeque buffet overlooking Lake Maury. A cash bar and a margarita bar helps the fun continue on through the evening. Mike Proffitt Duo will entertain guests as they feast away on some of the Chesapeake Bay’s greatest treasures. Finally, the featured entertainment provided by Party Fins will have people kicking off their shoes and dancing the night away.  Various options of tickets allow you to experience the event the way you want to. Tickets are sold separately for the wine tasting and the buffet or you can buy a combonation ticket and save! Tickets are available for purchase in The Mariners’ Museum gift shop or through phone by calling: 757-591-7754.

Information for all of the above events is available on our website.

At The Mariners’ Museum just because it’s hot doesn’t mean you can’t have fun. Come out and support The Mariners’ Museum this summer. It is a great way to unwind and beat the heat.

Things are beginning to heat up with the start of summer. The air becomes heavy and people begin to melt in their tank tops. Many people decide against having an outside wedding due to the threat of heat and bugs. However, with a few simple additions, outdoor summer weddings can be a huge hit!

This past weekend, The Mariners’ Museum was host to the picture perfect summer wedding. Vintage themed furniture filled the South Courtyard. This addition allowed guests to relax under the shade.  Linens were simple and light in hues of white and yellow. Too much color, the weight of busy patterns or heavy fabrics can make a warm event seem sweltering.

Ways you can bring some fun to an event without splurging can be as easy as adding non-traditional bars to the event. The client had a little extra money at the end of the planning and thought of adding a lemonade bar and a flip flop bar. The lemonade was set up in glass containers and set at various heights on the table. Handmade paper straws in the bride’s colors of silver and yellow were added to a large vase. This addition added a nice, whimsical touch while still keeping the event laid back, and classic.

The flip flops were a huge hit for all of the female guests. Simple flip flops in the bride’s colors were placed in an unadorned crate next to the dance area. The pairs were tied together with yellow ribbon to match the yellow around the reception space. Next to the crate were signs on chalkboards telling people to kick off their shoes and to enjoy the dancing.

Outdoor summer events can be a daunting thought at first approach. Remember to think of your guests first. Provide them with plenty of water and refreshments, keep fans handy, and always have a backup plan in case things get too hot.  There are ways to have a fabulous wedding without sacrificing your wishes of having an outdoor celebration outdoors. A little imagination mixed with some common sense can make any wedding soar.!