Post #694033 by tikilongbeach on Thu, Sep 19, 2013 11:53 AM

http://www.sdnhm.org/exhibitions/upcoming-exhibitions/real-pirates/

In honor of Talk Like a Pirate Day:

Get ready. Pirates will drop anchor in Southern California on February 8, 2014 when National Geographic’s Real Pirates: The Untold Story of the Whydah from Slave Ship to Pirate Ship opens at the San Diego Natural History Museum, featuring more than 200 artifacts recovered from the ocean floor.

Real Pirates tells the true story of the Whydah—a real pirate ship that sank off the coast of Cape Cod nearly 300 years ago—and showcases treasure chests of coins and gold, jewelry, weaponry such as cannons, pistols, and knives and a replica of the actual ship that visitors can board.

Real Pirates offers an unprecedented glimpse into the unique economic, political and social circumstances of the early 18th-century Caribbean. The exhibition is highlighted by the compelling stories of the diverse people whose lives converged on the vessel before it sank in a fierce storm off the coast of Cape Cod, Mass. on April 26, 1717.

When the Whydah was located by underwater explorer Barry Clifford in 1984, it became the first fully authenticated pirate ship to be discovered in American waters. Clifford is still actively excavating the wreck site and continues to bring treasures to the surface every year.

Enjoy an audio tour, or try your hand at raising a pirate flag, tying real sailors' knots, and looking through a telescope to find ships with treasure on board.

Tickets will go on sale to the general public on January 2, 2014.