Nantucket Shipwreck and Lifesaving Museum By Cynthia Kirkeby Jan 21, 2009, 08:43 PST

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Off the coast of Maine, is a beautiful island situated alongside important shipping lanes. Hundreds of ships passed by each day during maritime's heyday, according to the Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum, and because of the dangerous shoals along the island, hundreds of those crashed along the island over the years. All told, more than 700 ship met their fate in the "Atlantic Graveyard" near Nantucket Island.

The new Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum will open its doors on May 15, 2009 for its first full season, showcasing its collection of over 5,000 objects – including period surfboats, beach carts, vintage photographs, and more. Each piece telling a story of loss or survival in the cold Atlantic Ocean. In 2009, the museum will debut a historical retrospective exhibit on “Madaket Millie,” a colorful local character, who personally took over Coast Guard patrols of nearby, Madaket Harbor.

If you happen to be in the area during the summer, check to see when their Family Fun Days will be running. Their first guest will be Whitney Stewart, author of Marshall, A Nantucket Sea Rescue, inspired by the real-life tale of a Newfoundland dog that was rescued by life-savers at the island’s Surfside Life-Saving Station in 1877. She has also recently authored Coffin’s Ghost, a new treasure hunt book for children.

For all of you lighthouse enthusiasts, the museum will be adding guided Sunday tours to the Coskata-Coatue Wildlife Refuge and Great Point Lighthouse in collaboration with The Trustees of Reservations.

The Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum
Address: 158 Polpis Road
Nantucket, MA 02554
(just 3.5 miles from Nantucket Town)
Season: May 15 - Columbus Day
Hours of operation: 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. daily.
Admission: $5 for adults, $3 for children 5 – 18, and free to children under 5.
Includes admission to Egan Maritime Institute exhibits at the historic Coffin School, located at 4 Winter Street in Nantucket Town.

For more information call (508) 228-1885, or visit online at www.nantucketshipwreck.org.

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Keywords: Nantucket Shipwreck and Lifesaving Museum, Nantucket Island, Maine, places of interest, tourism in Maine, Madaket Harbor, Madaket Millie, Whitney Stewart, Coskata-Coatue Wildlife Refuge, Great Point Lighthouse, ClassBrain, state reports,

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