Open hearth cooking is demonstrated throughout the year in the Buckingham Hall House kitchen. Handbills are printed on a 19th century press, which is operated daily. At specified times staff, roleplaying in one of the village exhibits, bring to life 19th century characters. More than 130 programs and activities take place at Mystic Seaport each year. In December, there are Christmas tours the daytime Yuletide Tours and the evening Lantern Light Tours .
Special weeks emphasizing activities for children are schedule during school vacation periods.
The Planetarium Since early times navigators have used the heavenly bodies to determine their ship's position at sea. Even in this electronic age mariners rely on celestial navigation for position finding. A permanent exhibit in the entry of the Planetarium presents the basics of celestial navigation and includes an interactive computer program. Daily programs in the Planetarium illustrate the night sky for visitors. Groups of children or adults may, by arrange ment with the Education Department, have special presentations in the Planetarium.