About
Based on ten years of historical research, A Sailor’s Life for Me is a dynamic online game and educator resource that allows people of all ages to step into the shoes of an 1812 sailor and take on the tasks and challenges of life at sea, including scrubbing the deck, whacking rats in the hold, and sailing the ship.
A Sailor’s Life for Me is a project of the USS Constitution Museum.
MUSE Award Winner!
A Sailor’s Life for Me! won a Bronze MUSE Award from the American Association of Museums. The judges said, “This entry is an excellent research-based educational website. It’s a great game site without the limit of age and fun to play and learn from.”
Credits
The USS Constitution Museum Team
Artist
Stephen Biesty became internationally successful in the 1990s for his best-selling Incredible Cross-Section books published by Dorling Kindersley which have sold over 3.5 million copies world-wide and have been printed in 16 languages. He has won several prestigious awards including ‘The New York Times Best Illustrated Book Award’ in 1993, and ‘The UK Literary Association Children’s Book Award’ 2004. His illustrations have appeared in important exhibitions including ‘The Magic Pencil’ at the British Library in 2003 selected by Quentin Blake, and the ‘You Are Here’ exhibition of information design at the Design Museum in 2005.
Writer
Richard Platt has been writing for children and adults since 1983. He has completed more than 90 titles, five of them with illustrator Stephen Biesty. The first of these collaborations, Incredible Cross Sections, was chosen by The Guardian newspaper as one of the three greatest children’s books of the 1990s. Richard has also written restaurant reviews, screenplays and museum interpretation and has appeared on TV and radio, talking about his children’s writing, or drawing on his expert maritime knowledge.
Initial Website, Game Design, and Development
Eduweb – Eduweb develops innovative digital learning games and interactives about art, history, science and technology for the web, museum exhibits, and mobile devices.
2020 Website Redesign and Game Enhancements
Green Door Labs – Green Door Labs uses environment, story, objects and technology to create magical interactive experiences.
Crew Journals
Created by the USS Constitution Museum, Tom DiCesare, and Melissa Sherrin
2020 Redesign and enhancements by the USS Constitution Museum Team and Green Door Labs
Artifact and Historic Illustration Sources
The USS Constitution Museum gratefully acknowledges the support of the following collections and institutions:
Anne S.K. Brown Military Collection, John Hay Library, Brown University, Providence, RI
Mr. Hull P. Fulweiler Collection
The Marblehead Museum & Historical Society, Marblehead, MA
The Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston, MA
National Museum of the Marine Corps, Quantico, VA
Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA
Funding
Institute of Museum & Library Services
This website has been made possible, in part, by a Museums for America grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
National Maritime Heritage Grant Funding
The activity that is the subject of asailorslifeforme.org has been financed in part with Federal funds from the National Maritime Heritage Grant program, administered by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, through the Massachusetts Historical Commission, Secretary of the Commonwealth William Francis Galvin, Chairman. However, the contents and opinions do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of the Interior, or the Massachusetts Historical Commission, nor does the mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation by the Department of the Interior, or the Massachusetts Historical Commission.
United States Navy Office of Commemorations, Navy History & Heritage Command
This website has received additional support from the United States Navy Office of Commemorations, Navy History & Heritage Command.
National Endowment for the Humanities
This website has received additional support from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Ruby W. & LaVon P. Linn Foundation
This website has received additional support from the Ruby W. & LaVon P. Linn Foundation.
