At the CHMM unless otherwise noted, please check the website for details.

Join us every Saturday through September for FREE outdoor and indoor activities for kids of all ages!

10 am - 1 pm, rain or shine  |  Free admission to the museum and the interactive Discovery Center during the event.

Jump all day in the bouncy castle

Sail the seas in a pirate ship

Get creative with nautical crafts

Explore in the sensory water tank

Steer a boat into port with a wheel from a real pirate ship

Dress up as a sailor in a kid-sized Custom House

Test your skills at a scavenger hunt

Play games and win prizes

Guide ships home with a working lighthouse

Sponsored by The Institution for Savings and Newburyport Cultural Council

Journalist-author Dyke Hendrickson will discuss the history of the Merrimack River, from the early days of the textile mills to today's efforts of cleaning the 117-mile waterway. His presentation will include color slides that portray the river from the mountains of New Hampshire to the sandy beaches of Plum Island, Massachusetts.

He is a resident of Newburyport and the author of seven books, five of which focus on the Merrimack River and Plum Island. His most recent publication is Reclaiming the Merrimack: An Action Plan for Cleaning the River (2023).

Once again you have a chance to win 2 tickets to the 2026 Masters Golf Tournament in Augusta, Georgia. As you well know, this is one of the most prestigious sporting events in the US.

• The Masters Package is worth over $10,000
• Only 400 tickets available (same as 2024 / better odds than hitting a hole in one!)
• The winner will be drawn on September 25, 2025 at the Museum Gala
• You do not have to be present to win
• Raffle tickets are $100 each!

Join us for a fundraising feast to celebrate the completion of Merrimack Mishoon dugout canoe project!

Master mishoon makers Darius Coombs and Jonathan Perry will craft the traditional dugout canoe behind the Custom House over a period of four weeks and host a meet and greet on October 4th. The mishoon will launch on the Merrimack River in recognition of Indigenous People's Day.

We are honored to welcome Chef Sherry Pocknett, winner of the James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Northeast, to the museum when she will create an intimate gastronomical experience with a unique indigenous flair and foods native to the Northeast. The meal will include a raw bar and cocktail hour with beer, wine, and a seasonal punch.

Tickets are $125 each and includes a complimentary membership to the Custom House.