Exhibits & Special Events

EXHIBIT

SENTINEL BY THE SEA: The Old Coast Guard Station in Art

March 1 - May 22, 2016

Many artists have depicted the Virginia Beach Life-Saving/Coast Guard Station over the years. This exhibit collects drawings, paintings, and photographs of the iconic oceanfront structure.

This exhibit is made possible by a gift from Fielding Lewis Tyler.

SPYGLASS SPEAKER SERIES *

"The Finest Hours": The True Story of the USCG's Most Daring Rescue
Guest Speaker: Michael Tougias

Tuesday, March 22, 2016
7:00 PM
Location: Virginia MOCA Auditorium, 2200 Parks Avenue, Va Beach, VA 23451

In a 1952 nor'easter, the distress of two ships off Cape Cod initiated a dramatic Coast Guard operation recounted here. Both vessels were World War II surplus, cheaply built, unwisely kept in service, and broken in two by the storm. All four halves floated and the narrative tracks four separate search-and-rescue efforts. The most prominent, in the press at the time and in official honors conferred afterward, concerned one motorized lifeboat, a puny 36 feet long and manned by four men, dispatched to do battle with the maelstrom's towering waves. This is how real heroes are made.

Michael Tougias, co-author of "The Finest Hours", will share his insight to this fascinating story of heroism. Click HERE for more information on the author.

See "The Finest Hours" movie trailer here!

$5 general admission
FREE for MUSEUM MEMBERS

Spyglass Speaker Series is funded in part by the citizens of Virginia Beach through a grant from the City of Virginia Beach Arts and Humanities Commission.

Comfort Suites Beachfront is a proud sponsor of Spyglass Speaker Series.

SPYGLASS SPEAKER SERIES *

Battle of the Atlantic Off the Outer Banks of North Carolina
Guest Speaker: Joe Hoyt

Tuesday, April 26, 2016
7:00 PM
Location: Virginia MOCA Auditorium, 2200 Parks Avenue, Va Beach, VA 23451

$5 general admission
FREE for MUSEUM MEMBERS

This program is made possible in part by a gift from Bruce Sedel.

Spyglass Speaker Series is funded in part by the citizens of Virginia Beach through a grant from the City of Virginia Beach Arts and Humanities Commission.

Comfort Suites Beachfront is a proud sponsor of Spyglass Speaker Series.

PROGRAM

SHIPWRECKS & GHOST LORE:
A Virginia Beach Ghostwalk

May - October
Tuesday & Friday evenings @ 7:00 pm

or year-round by appointment (2 weeks notice) ~ call 757.422.1587

Evening walking program

Join a costumed interpreter as they bring to life true accounts and local legends of shipwrecks, ghosts, pirates and witches. Tours last 60-90 minutes. Tickets $12 Adult, $5 Child (ages 6-12). Reservations appreciated. Contact the museum Program Director at 757.422.1587 or send an email.

This program is funded in part by the citizens of Virginia Beach through a grant from the City of Virginia Beach Arts and Humanities Commission.

Shipwrecks & Ghost Lore Expansion Map
Use this map as a guide to sites related to our tales of the eerie and tragic.

SPYGLASS SPEAKER SERIES *

After the Shipwreck - A History of Norfolk Wrecking Companies
Guest Speaker: Anna Holloway

Tuesday, May 24, 2016
7:00 PM
Location: Virginia MOCA Auditorium, 2200 Parks Avenue, Va Beach, VA 23451

$5 general admission
FREE for MUSEUM MEMBERS

Spyglass Speaker Series is funded in part by the citizens of Virginia Beach through a grant from the City of Virginia Beach Arts and Humanities Commission.

Comfort Suites Beachfront is a proud sponsor of Spyglass Speaker Series.

EXHIBIT

SUFFICIENT FOR LIFE-SAVING

May 24 - August 14, 2016

The United States Life-Saving Service was responsible for saving over 177,000 lives during its 44-year existence. Inventors continually canvassed the organization to present their ideas and inventions, with hopes that the government would adopt them. This traveling exhibit, presented by the United States Life-Saving Service Heritage Association, explores some of the more outlandish inventions submitted to the Board on Appliances for consideration.

This exhibit is made possible by a gift from Fielding Lewis Tyler.

EXHIBIT

THE TEMPEST: Storms, Shipwrecks & Shakespeare

August 16 - October 23, 2016

In 1609, the ship "Sea Venture" wrecked near Bermuda on its way to Jamestown. It is believed William Shakespeare was inspired by this event when he wrote "The Tempest". Over the following four centuries, hurricanes and savage storms continued to wreck ships along the coast of Virginia (and vicinity). Accentuated with passages from various plays by Shakespeare describing saving storms and shipwrecks such as "The Tempest", "Twelfth Night", and "The Comedy of Errors", the exhibit chronicles selected wrecks, some famous like the sinking of the Bounty replica in 2012 and others less known.

This exhibit is presented in conjunction with the Virginia Shakespeare Initiative, a statewide celebration of Shakespeare's genius and impact.

This exhibit is made possible by a gift from Fielding Lewis Tyler.

EVENT

ANNUAL PIG & OYSTER FEST

Sunday, October 16, 2016
1 - 5 pm
at the Old Coast Guard Station & 24th Street Park

Join us for the best party on the beach and support the museum at our annual fund-raiser.

Tickets go on sale in July 2016.

EXHIBIT

BY THE SEASIDE: The Cronk Family at Cape Henry, 1901 - 1903

October 25, 2016 - January 15, 2017

Dr. Corydon Pirnie Cronk was stationed at the US Weather Bureau at Cape Henry, Virginia at the turn of the 20^th century. An avid photographer, Dr. Cronk documented life with his family along this remote stretch of coastline from exploring giant sand dunes to walking on the ice-covered ocean.

This exhibit is made possible by a gift from Fielding Lewis Tyler.

EXHIBIT

AFRICAN-AMERICANS IN THE COAST GUARD

January 17, 2017 - February 28, 2017

A pictorial exhibit honoring the history of the lives and service of African- Americans in the United States Coast Guard and its predecessor organizations.