What's Up at the

Custom House

February 1, 2026

#StandUpForScience #Museums4Science

Come on in. It's Open Mic tonight

We're also part of the Hygienic Lobster Crawl!

RESCHEDULED for TONIGHT!

Sunday, February 1, 6-9 PM

Open Mic at the Museum

With two Open Mic dates in February, (Feb 1 & 22) you've no excuses not to put yourself out there.

Our monthly open mic is friendly & supportive. Hosted by Kenny 'Doc' Frasier, Open Mic welcomes music, poetry, prose, stand-up, or the opportunity to just state what's on your mind.

Open to all ages and abilities for fun & camaraderie. It's a friendly, supportive crowd! $5.

Photos: Dec. 2025 Open Mic.

This Week at the Custom House

Don't be put off by the cold.

Come on, visit the Custom House!

See the new Seals and Society exhibition, find something special for your Valentine in the museum gift shop, and don't forget to get your Hygienic Lobster Crawl card stamped (but first you have to spy the hidden lobster, see photo at right).

Duck out for a bite at 5 then come back to the museum at 6 for Open Mic. You know what they say: Hot people melt ICE.

Tomorrow, Monday, February 2, is Groundhog Day. Fingers crossed...

It's also World Wetlands Day.

Wetlands are critical ecosystems that provide essential services including water filtration, flood control, climate regulation, and support for biodiversity. More than one billion people across the world depend on wetlands for their livelihoods.

This year's theme recognizes the timeless role of traditional knowledge in sustaining wetland ecosystems and preserving cultural identity, highlighting the deep-rooted connections between wetlands and the cultural traditions and practices of communities around the world.

-- Susan

Exhibition Opening Saturday, February 13

Artist's Talk, February 13 at 6:30 PM

Lasting Light: Contemporary Tintypes by Greg Shea

Greg Shea is an award-winning artist and craftsman whose work spans drawing and painting, contemporary tintype photography, illustration, printmaking, sculpture, and fine woodworking, among many other disciplines.

At the Custom House Greg will exhibit a selection of tintype portraits. Greg started

working with tintypes in 2020. His technique is nearly identical to that invented in England by Frederick Scott Archer in 1851.

The image first appears as a negative and is transformed into a positive during fixing, then rinsed, dried, and sealed with a protective varnish. Each tintype is entirely handmade and one of a kind, and with proper care can last for hundreds of years.

Saturday, February 14, 10am-5pm

Valentine’s Day Tintype Portraits by Greg Shea

Celebrate Valentine’s Day by having a portrait made of yourself, your partner, your family, or just the two of you together—an unforgettable Valentine’s Day memento.

Schedule a tintype portrait session with Greg on February 14. Book your session today -- 7 of 14 appointments already are taken. Greg and his portable photo studio will be at the Custom House Maritime Museum on February 14 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. If you would like to schedule a 20-minute session in this historic art form, please sign up at https://events.humanitix.com/tintype-portrait. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the museum.

Now in the SHOP - February is Black History Month.

Celebrate Black history at the 3rd annual Letting Our Voices Be Heard.

Blackout: Harlem Renaissance

Sunday, February 8, noon to 4 pm at Mitchell College.