The Long Island Children’s Museum unveils its latest permanent exhibit, Saltwater Stories: We Need the Sea and the Sea Needs Me. This immersive, hands-on experience honors Long Island's rich coastal identity and highlights the need to protect it.

The 1,900-square-foot exhibit is the culmination of years of collaboration and connection with a collection of advisors from NOAA scientists, baymen, conservationists, indigenous tribal members, clammers, offshore wind engineers, and more.

Explore a walk-in replica of a LI bay house, a classic fish market, a genuine hand-carved indigenous mishoon, an interactive 20-foot story map, and so much more.

All activities during the exhibit's opening weekend are included with museum admission. Stop by anytime between 11am and 4pm to participate:

• Baymen Adventures: Life by the Water: Hear real stories from baymen, clammers, decoy carvers and others who work on Long Island’s waters. 
• The Happy Clam Band: Long Island family musicians Brian Smith and Lena Pennino-Smith, favorites at the Museum for years, will perform at 12:30 and 1:30pm.  
• Make Saltwater Stories Hats and Decorate Under-the-Sea Cookies: Families can design and decorate ocean-themed hats and use icing and sprinkles to make a coastal-inspired cookie.  
• Mishoon Design: Shinnecock Nation member John Boyd will explain the importance of the mishoon dugout canoe, talk about the boats’ carvings and stories of his ancestors. Create a paper mishoon to take home!  
• Meet the Illustrator: Exhibit illustrator Susanna Chapman will talk about her watercolor murals, to which she added salt for texture and to represent the ocean. Use paints, paper and salt to create your own saltwater story.