Think & Drink Programs
Our Thursday Think & Drink programs feature a range of historical and maritime experts. It is the first Thursday evening of every month, starting at 6:30 pm. Admission is free in person and online, and there is a limited cash bar that features a specialty cocktail and non-alcoholic alternative related to the theme of the talk. Doors and bar open at 6:00 pm.
This year we are celebrating the women, both historical and modern, who shaped the maritime world with this year’s theme: Great Women of the Great Lakes and Beyond.
August 1st – Think & Drink at Sub Pub: The Wreck of RMS Titanic
Drink Pairing: The Iceberg
As the most famous shipwreck in the world, the story of the Titanic has inspired a fascination and love of maritime archaeology in millions. Caitlin Zant, maritime archaeologist for the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary, is one of those people. Take a deep dive with her as she talks about the shipwreck that shocked the world twice; first when RMS Titanic sank on April 14, 1912 and second when it was discovered 73 years later.
September 5th – From the Sea to the Stars: The Life and Death of Astronaut Laurel Clark
Drink Pairing: Sea of Tranquility Fizz
Astronaut Laurel Clark, from Racine, WI, was an accomplished doctor, U.S. Navy captain, and NASA astronaut who died aboard the space shuttle Columbia in 2003. Before she worked in space, Clark was the medical department head for a submarine squadron and preformed numerous dives to evacuate submarines in medical emergencies.
October 3rd – The History of Female Pirates
Drink Pairing: Grog
Despite pirates being a perennially popular topic, female swashbucklers are often overlooked. Yet there have been numerous female pirates who have terrorized the seven seas. Learn about these women who sought their freedom in the sea and found infamy.
November 7th– Ladies of the Light: Georgia Stebbins and Female Lighthouse Keepers
Drink Pairing: Dark & Stormy
In 1873, forty-six years before women were allowed to vote in America, a lady named by the name of Georgia Green Stebbins managed the North Point Lighthouse in Milwaukee. She became the longest-serving lighthouse keeper in North Point history, never missing a night for 26 years.
December 5th – Women on Submarines
Drink Pairing: Torpedo Juice
In 2010, the ban on women serving on submarines was lifted. In 2022, two women made history: Lt. Cmdr. Amber Cowan became the first female Executive Officer on a submarine and Master Chief Information Systems Technician (Submarine) Angela Koogler became the first female Chief of the Boat.
Past Topics
- The Music of Victory at Sea
- We Do This for the Water
- Spooky Lakes: Environmental Education Through Art
- WAVES and SPARS: Women of the US Navy and Coast Guard in WWII
- Keeping Girls Afloat: Black Girls Dive Foundation
- Historic Housewives of Manitowoc
- Wounded Veterans in Parks: Underwater Archaeology and USS Arizona
- Native Americans in World War II
- The Ghost Army
- Prohibition, Propaganda, & War
- King Neptune’s Court – Gender Expression in the US Navy
- Wheels of Courage- How Paralyzed WWII Veterans Invented Wheelchair Sports
- The Belles of Baseball – Racine’s Champion AAGPBL Team
- 125, 284 – Japanese Internment, Racism, and Americanism
- Eating for Victory – Food Stories from World War II and Beyond
- Underground Resistance – The Story of Mildred Fish-Harnack
- Disney & Dolphins – Insignia that Defined the Silent Service
Sponsorship Opportunities
Help us to continue offering these programs for free! Program Sponsorships are available! Visit our Sponsorship page for more information.