South Street Seaport Museum announces a robust schedule of Halloween offerings beginning October 1, 2025. Activities include many dates of the Sinister Secrets of the Seaport walking tour, family activities including thedrop-in workshops Halloween Paper Crafts & Letterpress Printing on October 12 from 12pm to 2pm, and the Sailors’ Superstitions spooky scavenger hunt on October 25 from 11 am to 5pm, and the engaging and unique presentation Maritime Monsters of New York on October 30 at 6:30pm.
Sinister Secrets of the Seaport
October 1–30, 2025 | $30–$40
Join this 90-minute walking tour that takes you on a winding journey to unravel the darker past of the South Street Seaport Historic District and Lower Manhattan.
This entertaining tour, perfect for spooky season, tells the scandalous, dubious, and sinister tales lurking in the cobblestone streets, historic buildings, and waterfront. Throughout the tour, your guide shares historical stories ripped from the headlines of newspapers and publications from the 1790s to the 1990s that provide a new perspective on the history of the area that helped to make New York a global metropolis. You can also test your “Ear for Crime” in an interactive game throughout the walk, which even has a prize for the winner at the end of the tour.
Meet your tour guide at Ryan Maguire’s Bar & Restaurant, at 28 Cliff Street, where one happy hour drink or soft drink is included in your registration for the tour. Registration is required. Learn more and get your tickets at seaportmuseum.org/sinister-secrets
October Schedule
Saturday, October 4, 2:30–4pm
Sunday, October 5, 2:30–4pm
Monday, October 6, 6–7:30pm
Saturday, October 11, 2:30–4pm
Wednesday, October 15, 6–7:30pm
Friday, October 17, 6–7:30pm
Saturday, October 18, 2:30–4pm
Wednesday, October 22, 6–7:30pm
Monday, October 27, 6–7:30pm
Wednesday, October 29, 6–7:30pm
Halloween Paper Crafts and Letterpress Printing
October 12 | 12–2PM | 207 Water Street | Free
Embrace spooky season and unleash your creativity at Bowne & Co.’s Halloween-inspired drop-in workshop.
Visit anytime between 12PM and 2PM for a free hands-on experience crafting Halloween paper decorations, paper chains, and folded-paper bats. For an extra thrill, our skilled Bowne designers will be on hand to guide you through crafting your own letterpress-printed broadside posters using a 19th century printing press from the Seaport Museum’s working collection.
Don’t miss this opportunity to add a touch of spookiness to your seasonal decorations and learn more about the art of traditional letterpress printing.
Pre-registration is encouraged for this free seasonal workshop. Walkups will be accommodated as possible. Anyone age 5 and up is welcome. All participants get to take home the items they create during the afternoon. Learn more and get your tickets at seaportmuseum.org/halloween-crafts
Halloweekend at the Seaport Museum
October 25 | 11AM–5PM | Free Museum Admission
Get ready for all treats and no tricks as the Seaport Museum comes alive with Halloween fun! From 11am to 5pm on Saturday, enjoy free Museum admission, and take part in the Sailors’ Superstitions spooky scavenger hunt throughout the 1885 tall ship Wavertree. If you can collect all of the superstitions you’ll get a special treat.
Free Museum admission for this special day grants access to the 1885 tall ship Wavertree and 1908 lightship Ambrose at Pier 16, as well as all current exhibitions on view in the introduction galleries inside Schermerhorn Row located at 12 Fulton Street and the new exhibition Maritime City in A.A. Thomson & Co. located at 213 Water Street. And, make sure to check out the temporary outdoor exhibition Signs of Origins while it is on view!
Don’t miss out on this frightfully fun day! While we encourage preregistration for Museum admission, we warmly welcome walkups to join in the Halloween fun. Learn more and get your tickets at seaportmuseum.org/halloweekend
Maritime Monsters of New York
October 30 | 6:30pm | 213 Water Street | $5
Get into the spirit of All Hallows’ Eve with a spine-tingling dive into the histories and mysteries of mythical creatures said to haunt New York’s waterways. Led by the Seaport Museum’s Director of Engagement and Public Programs, Zak Risinger, this spooky program will take you from the eerie depths of the Great Lakes to the winding canals and the Hudson River—places long rumored to be home to serpents, monsters, and other strange beings lurking just beneath the surface.
During this fun and light-hearted evening, you’ll meet ten maritime monsters who have terrified, fascinated, and entertained New Yorkers for centuries. But beware—among the monsters is a trickster! A “fake” creature, complete with an AI-generated image and fabricated lore, will be hidden in the lineup. Will you be able to spot the imposter?
Join us for a night of mystery, maritime monsters, and campfire vibes at the Seaport Museum. Preregistration is encouraged. Walkups will be accommodated as possible. Learn more and get your tickets at seaportmuseum.org/maritime-monsters
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