From sea shanties to treasure hunts to sword-fighting, it's all things pirate at the N.C. Museum of History on Saturday.

The downtown Raleigh museum is offering free admission all day to its popular exhibit Knights of the Black Flag, which explores the history of pirates from ancient times to present. The exhibit includes plenty of hands-on activities for kids, including a 25-foot-long pirate ship to climb on, dress-up clothes and a computer game where players can try shooting cannon balls at a ship.

From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., the museum also will host a variety of special free activities for kids and families, including pirate games, crafts and more. Boisterous pirate re-enactors will roam around.

“They'll be uproarious and breaking into song,” says Nancy Pennington, associate curator of programming at the museum.

The family day focuses on how pirates have been a part of North Carolina's legends and history. Visitors can learn all about the lives of Stede Bonnet, Anne Bonny, Mary Read, and, of course, Blackbeard himself.

Kids and families can participate in a treasure hunt throughout the exhibit and pick a prize from the pirate booty if they answer all the questions correctly.

Artist Jim Goodwin will demonstrate how he creates a ship in a bottle. Connie Mason will tell sea stories and sing songs about the pirate life. And Wes Caudill, a certified fencing instructor and local fencing teacher, and his students will demonstrate swordfighting throughout the day.

Sea Scouts, a co-ed program organized by the Boy Scouts that teachers nautical skills, will be on hand to teach knot making and tying.

Be sure to check the schedule of events, which will be posted around the museum.

Also ...

Clover Garden United Methodist Church in Chapel Hill will host Music in the Meadow, a family outdoor live music event featuring bluegrass, country, classic rock and contemporary Christian rock, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday.

The Dog Days of June is at Fred G. Bond Metro Park in Cary, from 9 a.m .to 1 p.m. Saturday. The event includes a dog disc competition, along with local dog rescue groups and other vendors. Visitors can adopt a new pet or get their dogs vaccinated and microchipped. Friendly, leashed dogs are welcome.

Kids Together Playground at Marla Dorrel Park, 111 Thurston Dr., Cary will celebrate the anniversary of its opening with an old-fashioned birthday party from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Gather at the picnic shelter to make homemade noisemakers and march in a kids parade. Hear the Kids Together story told in the style of Dr. Seuss, help make fruit slushies and enjoy other refreshments. The event is free.

The Lake Wheeler Fishing Derby is 8 p.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the lake just south of Raleigh.

As always, there's more on the Mom2Mom calendar.