Ice didn’t work out so well for the members of the ill-fated 1800s Franklin expedition to the Arctic, as examined in the exhibition “Death in the Ice: The Mystery of the Franklin Expedition” that’s on view now at the Mystic Seaport Museum.

But ice can be fun! Consider this: The museum is offering, in conjunction with that show, its first Ice Festival that is celebrating all things wintery this weekend.

Activities include a chance for people to use an indoor sock skating rink and participate in the winter games on the green. They can watch demonstrations by working dogs (New England Saint Bernard Club, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sat.; Connecticut Valley Siberian Husky Club, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sun.; Newfoundland Club of New England, 1-4 p.m. Sun.). They can learn about the northern lights at a planetarium show or about survival food pemmican.

Steve Lancia, owner of Northcamp Wilderness Survival School, will teach a workshop about survival skills.

And no ice festival is worth its salt without some ice sculpture carving, which happens here at 10:30 a.m. Saturday.

Ice Festival, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday-Monday, Mystic Seaport Museum, 75 Greenmanville Ave., Mystic; $28.95 adults, $26.95 ages 65 and up, $24.95 ages 13-17, $18.95 for ages 3-12; (860) 572-0711, www.mysticseaport.org.