Free Family Activities at South Street Seaport Museum This June

The South Street Seaport Museum is always a fun destination for families with its mix of history, hands-on learning, and fun along the waterfront. This June, there’s even more to enjoy because every Saturday and Sunday, the Museum will host Family Activity Weekends, a series of interactive programs designed especially for kids and their families. Best of all, the activities are completely free, making it a perfect way to spend a family weekend together without spending a dime.

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Fun With Cyanotype Printing

June’s activity is a unique one: cyanotype printing. If you’ve never heard of it, cyanotype is an early photographic printing process that produces beautiful, blue-tinted images using sunlight and specially treated paper. It’s the same technique used in 19th-century photography, and it’s surprisingly fun (and satisfying) for kids and adults. It’s a bit of a cross between a science experiment and an art project, with a built-in history lesson.

The activity is based on the Museum’s collection of glass plate negatives, which are historic photos that document New York City’s maritime history. While there, you can also check out the new Maritime City exhibition. It features both antique and modern photographs of the city, including works from the Thomas W. Kennedy and George P. Hall & Son collections.

The cyanotype activity runs from 11 am to 4:30 pm on the cobblestone street outside 207 Water Street in the Seaport District. If it rains, the event will move indoors. No registration is required, and you can drop in any time during open hours.

Tip for Parents: Consider bringing a folder, large envelope, or flat bag to help protect the cyanotype print during the trip home. These prints can be a bit delicate, especially if they end up stuffed in a bag with snacks or jackets. Keeping it flat will help preserve the artwork, which makes a nice memento of the day. Plus, with Father’s Day just around the corner, it could easily be a thoughtful, handmade gift for Dad.

More Family Fun

The South Street Seaport Museum is a great spot any day for kids interested in ships and history, and there’s a reason why their tagline is “Where New York Begins”. Since 1967, the Museum has been sharing the city’s story as a major port through hands-on exhibits, historic ships, a maritime library, and even working 19th-century print shops. With galleries, interactive spaces, and all kinds of artifacts, kids and adults can explore where New York really got its start.

While the cyanotype printing is free and open to all, there’s even more to explore if you’re up for it. The Museum’s admission ticket gives you access to the 1885 tall ship Wavertree, the 1908 lightship Ambrose at Pier 16, a range of rotating exhibitions inside Schermerhorn Row at 12 Fulton Street and the Maritime City exhibition at 213 Water Street.

Family Activity Weekends every Saturday and Sunday from June 7 to June 30, 2025. The Seaport Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm. Admission is $18 for adults, $15 for seniors and students, and $5 for children under 18. Museum members get in free. Tickets can be purchased online or at the door.