It's NOT talk like a pirate day, but ARRRRRGGGGGGH!

Yesterday, Jenny and I finally made it to the
Pirate exhibit at the Minnesota Science Museum.

I'm so glad we did.

It's ending this month, but it was truly and exhibit worth seeing.

This is the sculpture at the entrance to the Pirate exhibit.

Arrrrggggggghhh!!

Inside, we got to meet "real" pirates!

The bell to the ship was run just before the ship sank off the coast of Massachusetts.

It is preserved in salt water because

"concretion" has occurred.

When concretion happens, the sediment at the bottom of the ocean has had a chemical reaction with the sea water and the object.

If the object is removed from the sea water, it will deteriorate.

This bell was on a real pirate ship.

Some of the objects rescued from the bottom of the ocean where the ship was buried include this hand forged slave collar.

We met Captain John Smalley.  I told him I'd like to sail with him.  He told me no because women were not allowed on the ship.

There were too many men and too much rum for him to allow women.

Hendrique.

He lived the pirate life and died like a pirate.

He didn't like the artist's rendition of him in the poster.

The youngest pirate ever here with his friend.

He was a nasty child.

At age 8, he was determined to be a pirate, so when he and his mother were captured by the pirates, 

he threatened his mother.

He was allowed to become a pirate.

He thanked me when I called him a nasty young man.

He died in the wreck of his ship at age 11.

The pirate ship was restored.

It was called the Whydah.

It sunk to the bottom of the sea.

This is a photo of the ONLY real pirate treasure EVER found.  

Silver!

We were not allowed to touch it.

I have to tell you, I really enjoyed this exhibit.  I wasn't sure that I would, but it was great!!!

Stay tuned for the dinosaur exhibit!