The interactive exhibit “Wayfinding on the Water in the Pre-Modern Age" will open Thursday at the Connecticut River Museum in Essex.

It’s about the ingenuity and bravery of mariners who dared to explore the world before GPS and compasses. It examines the celestial navigation techniques, tool-making ingenuity, and reliance on natural phenomena that guided explorers across the globe.

The exhibit, which ends Oct. 13, will have games and hands-on activities for children and families.

“Navigation by water has always involved risk. Today, we are accustomed to having instant directions at our fingertips. This exhibit explores the motivations and methods of water travel before modern wayfinding aids were invented,” said Amy Trout, curator at Connecticut River Museum. “It took a combination of art and science – observing nature and developing tools to better measure the world – in order for mariners to find their way.”

The museum at 67 Main St., Essex, is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sun. Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and per person for military and immediate family, $9 for students, $8 for ages 6-12, $2 for kids under 6, and free for museum members.

Visit ctrivermuseum.org for more information.