"Uh oh," I thought. "We may have made a mistake."

My family was seated in a darkened theater of the "Real Pirates"
exhibit at the Milwaukee Public Museum. The people in front of us were dressed as pirates for the occasion, and we could barely see over their furry tricorner hats. Our toddler was getting antsy, writhing in our laps and beginning to whine. We had purchased a $65 family four-pack to see this exhibit, which only runs through May 27.

"Should we just bail right now?" my husband whispered.

But then the movie began. We were transported from Milwaukee’s serene shore to the choppy, terrifying waves of the Atlantic 300 years back. We were introduced to the Golden Age of Piracy aboard the Whydah slave ship from London that was captured and plundered by the English pirate Sam Bellamy and his crew. Swimming in riches, these pirates headed for Maine to reap the rewards of their crimes on land. What became of Sam Bellamy and his mateys? Adults will be fascinated by this pirate history lesson!

For children, perhaps the best part of the museum’s Real Pirates exhibit is the re-creation of the Whydah. It’s complete with live pirate actors who engage the children in playful, pirate-accented banter. Kids can learn to tie nautical knots, touch actual coins that were discovered aboard the ship, and see a display of recovered pirate’s treasure overflowing with thousands of period coins. They’ll also enjoy seeing cannons and learning about John King, the spunky 10-year-old pirate who helped Sam Bellamy find wealth and infamy.

Adults who don’t know much about pirates – which is most of us, right? – will find themselves riveted by the politics and culture of a pirate ship. In a world plagued with widespread slavery and racial injustice, pirate ships were multicultural islands of equality and democracy. After signing or stamping an oath of loyalty, every ship member had an equal say and an equal claim to whatever riches were claimed.

Pirate ships were populated by runaway slaves looking to escape captivity, fierce Native Americans and pioneering women. Thousands of miles away from land, these very different people had one common goal and communal bottles of rum to pass the time. But lest life at sea be glorified too much, the exhibit also touches on the grim and gruesome realities of living aboard a pirate ship, including disease, amputations sans anesthesia, and, well, drowning.

"Real Pirates" is worth a visit for those who enjoy learning about world history, for people looking for a break from the ordinary, and, of course, for kids who like pirates. Visitors will leave with a better understanding of pirate fact versus pirate fiction (apparently, no one ever really walked the plank), and kids can leave with temporary tattoos!

Tip: Don’t miss the photo opportunity with a pirate statue! The pirate is seated on a bench in the museum’s main lobby.

For exhibit hours and more information, visit the Milwaukee Public Museum’s "Real Pirates" webpage.