Summer at the Museum! Public Programs in August, 2010

Throughout this summer, the National Heritage Museum is offering public programs to help families beat the heat while spending some time together. In August, we have three events to chose from:

Come to the Museum bright and early on Tuesday, August 10 for "Clothing, Fashion, and Homespun Politics" from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. This special program features Carrie Midura, historic interpreter and expert seamstress, who will demonstrate colonial fashion and explain the role it played in Lexington's revolutionary politics. For families with children ages 6 and up. $5/family (non-members); $3/family (members). Meet us in the "Sowing the Seeds of Liberty" gallery. Pre-registration is not necessary.

On Wednesday, August 18, we have an offering for the very young. The "Mornings at the Museum" program will explore "Kids in Colonial Times." We'll read a story about how children lived in the 1700s, visit the exhibition "Sowing the Seeds of Liberty," and make a familiar colonial object. This program starts promptly at 10:30 a.m., please arrive by 10:15. The program is designed for children ages 2 - 5 with accompanying adult. $5/participating child (non-members); $3/participating child (members). Pre-registration is not necessary.

We invite everyone to join us on Wednesday, August 24 for Game Day! From 1 to 4 p.m., families can play classic board games for a range of ages in our (Farr Conference Center. You can also explore the toys and games in our galleries. Make a day of it with lunch in the Courtyard Cafe. For all ages. Free.

Don't forget to check out our website to learn more about current shows in our galleries. If you'd like more information, call our front desk at 781 861-6559 or write to [email protected]. We look forward to seeing you soon.

Photo credits:

King George III, Museum Purchase, 95.011.1

"Meeting Billy," Illustration by Sheli Peterson, 2007

Uncle Wiggly Game, Gift of Dorothy A. and Albert H. Richardson, 84.18.22

You Sank My Battleship!

The phrase above is familiar to anyone who played the game Battleship as a child.  But, did you know that the Battleship game dates back to the World War I era? 

Recently, the National Heritage Museum was given “Salvo: The Game of Wits,” an early precursor to the now-familiar Battleship game with its plastic boats and electronic sound effects.  While the exact origin of the game is uncertain, some sources suggest that Russian soldiers invented it shortly after World War I.  The Starex Novelty Company, Inc., of New York, first produced the version known as “Salvo” in 1931.  The Museum’s copy of the game is marked with the retail price of $1.

The game was played on paper – the game sheets have printed grids and are tucked into a folder; you can see the front cover here.  Two people would face off head-to-head by marking their ships on the gridded game sheet.  Then, the players would take turns calling out the number of one of the grid squares, which would be considered “hit” by that player’s salvo.  Whoever sank the opponent’s boats with the fewest number of salvos won the game. 

Salvo Game, 1931, Starex Novelty Company, Inc., New York, NY.  National Heritage Museum, gift of Mrs. John Willey, 2006.026.4.