The Museum has several outdoor exhibits on the property
A Ship’s Rudder
This solid oak ship’s ruder was found in July 1997 at the South Point of Ocracoke. National Park Service personnel and state officials documented and stabilized the artifact. Identity of the ship is unknown, but it is believed to have been from the early 20th century. Many ships have gone down off the coast of Ocracoke and other Outer Banks islands, an area often referred to as the Graveyard of the Atlantic. The remains of several shipwrecks are buried along Ocracoke’s beaches, and are sometimes uncovered by rough surf in storm. Others lie at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean and in the Ocracoke Inlet.
Late 19th Century Cistern donated by Lydia Freda Spencer.
Cisterns have tradionally been used on Ocracoke to collect rainwater runoff from island homes. Before public water was introduced in 1977, they were the only source of fresh water for drinking and household use on the island. Wooden gutters directed the water from the roof to the opening at the top. This cistern was built in the 1880’s by William Warren Williams for his house on Lighthouse road. Fred Garst orchestrated and financed its move to the museum in 2006.
Traditional Ocracoke Roundstern Fishing Boat. You can read more about her on our Projects page.