A Day at the Mariner's Museum

I'm tired! Rather than spending my Friday after Thanksgiving hunting, shopping (I hope someone would have shot me to put me out of my misery if I did go shopping ) or enjoying other pursuits, I decided to help out the folks at the Mariner's Museum by filling in as an Monitor Center interpreter (paid no less!). After talking with my friend, Al Mitchell, who is one of the regular interpreters, we figured it would be a slow day with most folks out doing the shopping day. Boy were we wrong! Even though I wasn't supposed to go on duty until 11am, I went ahead in the exhibit area and began work early as I noticed that there were a lot of people already in the Monitor Center. That flow of people never stopped until 5pm and even then we had to escort people out. By 3pm, over 800 people had been admitted to the museum and while the flow wasn't as brisk, folks kept coming in. I don't know what the final count was but I suspect in was close to 900 people. As for guests I engaged, they came from all walks of life. I met retired Navy captains and their wives, Master Chiefs on vacation, history teachers enjoying time away from their students, Sub commander's wives amazed at the size of Worden's cabin. As part of my duties, I was supposed to give a twenty minute talk on a related subject (I chose Ericsson and the construction of the Monitor) but very few folks slowed down long enough to listen. As I left, I felt tired but also renewed and reinvigorated. Sometimes, I get the feeling that most people don't appreciate history and what's being done to preserve it for future generations. However, Friday renewed my belief that what musuems, historic sites and living historians do actually matters. If you haven't been to the Mariner's Museum, take a day out of your busy life and visit them. You'll not only get to visit one of the greatest exhibits in terms of the Monitor Center by also a wonderful tribute to Lord Nelson, boats of various points in time as sell as other fun displays. I had a truly rewarding experience and I hope to get to help out again some day soon!