The Egan Maritime Institute Announces 'Sea Dogs! Great Tails of the Sea'- An Exhibition Celebrating Seafaring Canines May 22- October 11 at the Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum and Historic Coffin School

NANTUCKET ISLAND, Mass., April 28 /PRNewswire/ -- The Egan Maritime Institute announces ''Sea Dogs! Great Tails of the Sea,'' an exhibition celebrating seafaring dogs, at the Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum and historic Coffin School from May 22 – October 11, 2010.  A traveling exhibition originally developed by Mystic Seaport®,  "Sea Dogs!" tells stories of lifesaving dogs, United States Coast Guard dogs, fishing dogs and Lighthouse dogs with a long maritime history of being valued companions on land and at sea.  Paintings, photographs, artifacts, children's books, family activities, and a partial replica of a wrecked ship will comprise this two-part exhibition.

U.S. Coast Guard Dogs, lifesaving dogs, and favorite mascots of the sea will be highlighted at the Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum with an emphasis on Sinbad, one of the most famous Coast Guard dogs of our times, from the USCG service. Stories of Nantucket dogs and Lighthouse dogs will be highlighted at the Coffin School where a collection of photographs and paintings coupled with stories from island dog owners showcase seafaring dogs who work and play on Nantucket's expansive beaches and coast.

This year, the Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum will enhance its collection of over 5,000 objects, including period surfboats, beach carts, vintage photographs, and more, with the newly acquired silver medal awarded to Marcus W. Dunham for his role in several rescues during the Great Gale of 1879; the incorporation of oral histories into their "Madaket Millie" retrospective; an interactive shipwreck map; and a whimsical Newfoundland dog chair created by 'Sconset artist, Clara Urbahn.

The Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum is located at 158 Polpis Road, 3.5 miles from Nantucket Town. The museum exhibition opens Saturday, May 22 and the Coffin School exhibition opens Friday, May 28. Both run through Columbus Day, Monday, October 11, 2010. Hours: 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. daily.  Admission: $5 adults,  $3 children ages 5 – 18, free for children under 5, includes admission to the museum and the historic Coffin School, located at 4 Winter Street. For more information, including a full calendar of special events and Family Fun Days for people and their pets, call (508) 228-1885, or visit www.nantucketshipwreck.org or www.eganmaritime.org.

SOURCE Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum