NYC needs more #piers4boats! PortSide’s blog covers our WaterStories programs, urban waterways issues, the BLUEspace, development plans for the NYC waterfront, our ship MARY A. WHALEN, other historic vessels, and boats and ships of all sizes.
PortSide’s WaterStories education programs reflect our interdisciplinary sensibility and creativity in deploying our ship, our location and our harbor to teach many topics - often many at once!
Read More4th graders from Washington Heights in New York City prompted PortSide NewYork to create a new educational program: tankers and oil spill prevention. The kids are part of an after-school program "First Lego League" designed to grow interest in STEM topics. It's working!
Read MorePhoto by Chris Zoupaniotis
PortSide NewYork is now in a position to expand educational programs! Literally! On May 29, 2015, we moved our historic ship, the tanker MARY A. WHALEN, to a publicly-accessible location for our first long term permit (3 years) after 10 years of looking for such a home. Our first program commitment is to reach out to educators to discuss educational programs we can create together.
PortSide NewYork invites educators (K-12 and college) to visit our historic ship, the tanker MARY A. WHALEN, to discuss program ideas. This will enable PortSide to provide some of these programs to you and others by the next academic year.
Looking for a new field trip? An educational enrichment activity? A hands-on experience in marine biology? New ways to make STEM topics exciting or to bring historical topics to life? Want to learn about NYC's working waterfront or superstorm Sandy, marine weather and preparing for floods? Let's talk! We want to brainstorm with you. Some wonderful ideas have been brought to us by teachers and professors in the past, and we have also created content on our own.
All PortSide programs relate to water, waterfront or maritime themes in some way. They do not have to focus on the ship itself. Examples of some of the educational programs we have created in the past on our webpage Youth +Education.
Sunday, June 7, 1-6pm
Wed, June 10, 1-6pm
Thurs, June 11, 1-6pm.
Educators are encouraged to make an appointment. Call 917-414-0565 or email portsidenewyork@gmail.com.
Flat soled shoes recommended while on the ship.
The tanker MARY A. WHALEN is docked at Pier 11, Atlantic Basin, Red Hook, next to the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, Brooklyn, NY 11231. Vehicle access at Bowne Street and Imlay Street gate. Bikes and pedestrians can also enter at Pioneer and Conover Street gate. Plenty of free parking on site. (NB: on Sunday, June 7, the Tour de Brooklyn will block many local streets in the morning, but they should be cleared by 1pm.)
Public transportation: take B6 bus to Red Hook and get off the Pioneer Street stop on Van Brunt Street. There is no subway stop in Red Hook. Closest subway is F/G stop at Smith & 9th Street. Here are walking directions from the subway to the Pioneer and Conover street gate from hopstop.
