Sail the seas from the English Channel to the Chesapeake Bay!

Night Kitchen Interactive and the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum produced a digital shipbuilding game based on the construction methods of the Maryland Dove. This game allows visitors to create and customize their own 3D ship model in the style of 17th-century colonial settlers and share an image of it online.

Visitors design their ship, choosing a size, appropriate materials, number of masts, and sail configuration to be successful. Learn More popups provide info about shipwright’s tools, terminology, and clues.

After the build is complete, the ship sets sail through the English Channel, across the Atlantic Ocean, and navigates the shallow and perilous Chesapeake Bay. Many ships succeed, but some become stranded on an oyster bed or stall out early in the voyage. Visitors finish their experience by naming their ship, selecting a color scheme and sharing it online.

The touchscreens are installed right over the boatshop, where the actual Maryland Dove reconstruction is taking place. The activity allows visitors to learn about the tools, methods and challenges of traditional shipbuilding while watching the experts bring a real ship to life. To build your own ship, visit the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and check out the boatshop.

We also produced a tablet version that is available at the boatshop for visitors who cannot access the touchscreens or would like to engage with the digital resources as they explore the boatshop.