Will and Allison Smith present Ghosts of Ocean Isle Beach at 6 PM on October 12 at the Museum of Coastal Carolina. Brunswick County has 500 years of recorded history. With history comes great ghost stories. Learn how apparitions sighted on our beaches have preceded text book explanations of German Sailors, Ladies of the Manor, and Spanish Conquistadors. Also, be prepared to hear about some spooky local haunts in this family-friendly presentation.
Will and his wife, Allison, were approached years ago by Fred David and Vern Bender and asked to write a ghost story chapter for their History of Ocean Isle Beach book. Will Smith majored in history during his undergraduate work at the Citadel and Allison loves scary stories. It turned into a wonderful hobby and the two began volunteering their program for museums, POA’s, Wounded Warriors, and school groups. As Will and Allison told their stories, people related their own ghost stories to them, and their collection, combined with research, grew over time. They decided to lead ghost tours in the summer months and also published their own book titled The Dead Don’t Like to be Forgotten; Tales from the South Brunswick Islands. Will and Allison reside in Ocean Isle Beach where they are enjoying a slower pace of life and raising two children.
This fall, on Thursdays at 11:00, the Museum of Coastal Carolina invites preschoolers to a fun, educational series of programs called Budding Scientists. Do you know a child who loves to explore outside, collect bugs and plants, or dig for shells at the beach? Bring him or her to the museum where young science lovers can learn all about our local environment through fun science experiments.
Each month, the program focuses on a different theme:
September – Budding Scientists become Super Earth Protectors by learning about different types of pollution and how to help protect the environment.
October – Budding Scientists learn Spooky Science by making a ghoulish potion, learning all about pumpkins, and performing some creepy chemistry experiments.
November – Budding Scientists learn about Backyard Science by investigating different types of soil, birds, and bugs.
December – Budding Scientists become Budding Meteorologists by learning how thunderstorms form, how to make snow, and how the ocean affects weather.
These programs will be hosted by Jamie Justice, the Education Coordinator for the Museum of Coastal Carolina and Ingram Planetarium. She received her Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology from Bowling Green State University and her Master of Science in Environmental Science with concentrations in Marine and Coastal Education and Coastal Management from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Jamie is originally from Portsmouth, Ohio and moved to Wilmington, North Carolina for graduate school in 2017. Before coming to the Museum, she worked in a variety of educational positions at summer camps and schools.
Witness the seven ancient wonders of the world examine the theories of how these wonders were created. Explore the universe’s greatest wonders. This film is narrated by British actor Sean Bean, who played Boromir in the feature film trilogy Lord of the Rings. The film is followed by a live star show.
Follow Mike Brown and his team at CalTech as they uncover dwarf worlds like the remarkably bright Eris; Haumea, an egg-shaped object rotating incredibly fast; and Sedna, whose orbit takes it deep into the far reaches of the Solar System. Is there a new planet beyond these distant objects? Tag along on Mike Brown’s first night searching for the ninth planet at the Subaru Telescope in Hawaii. This film is followed by a live star show.
This film takes a detailed look at how Neal Armstrong made history as the first human to walk on the surface of the moon. Look back on that historic day and the events leading up to it. The film is followed by a live star show.
This is a live star show. The presenter will display the night sky on the planetarium’s dome ceiling and take you on a tour, pointing out the stars, planets, and constellations that are visible in our area. Later, as you are walking along the beach on a clear night, you will be able to recognize by name the celestial sights you see.
Due to the NC Oyster Fest at the OIB Town Center Park, the Museum of Coastal Carolina is closed.
If you plan on attending NC Oyster Fest on October 16-17, please visit the museum’s booth.
You’re invited to get up close with some of the more familiar creatures found in our ocean.
Our touch tank pool allows you to gently touch marine animals such as sea stars, sea urchins, whelks, horseshoe crabs, and hermit crabs. These animals live in a variety of habitats and have developed many ways to survive the waves and predators. Volunteers are on hand to assist and teach you about these incredible animals.
Did you know, when a sea urchin “hugs” your finger if you gently touch its spines, it’s actually checking you out: Are you food or predator? If you’re neither, the animal will just gradually release you.