British and American "troops'' staged the first reenactment of the Attack on Washington on the grounds of the Maritime Museum.

Led by the"Admiral'' Bryan Darby, the British ships manned by youngsters stormed the Keep Pond area of the museum to attack the Americans.

After fierce canon fire -- tennis balls hurling across the pond -- the battle culminated with a stirring rendition of The Star Spangled Banner.

Mr. Darby, a marketing consultant for the West End Development Company, said as of June 3, the reenactments will be held every Thursday morning.

"Tourism asked us to put on something for the kids,'' he explained. "And this is what we came up with.'' And Mr. Darby promised future battles will be more realistic.

"We're going to have smoke and sound effects and the balls will be dyed black,'' he said.

With the admission price of $3 for children and $6 for adults, participants will receive their "cannon balls'' and hat, a ride on the train, a ten percent discount at restaurants and 50 percent discount to the Snorkle Park.

Yesterday's warfare was part of an Open Day at the Museum which also saw the launch of a new children's attraction.

The Bermuda Children's Museum Society officially opened the Children's Room on the Museum's Parade Ground level near the Boat Loft entrance.

Community and Cultural Affairs Minister Yvette Swan cut the ribbon to the room which boasts an "interactive hands-on discovery area with a nautical theme''.

Society spokesperson Catalina Gambra Sposato said the room, complete with a boat, computer, and a canon donated by the Museum, will be a place where families can discover various aspects of the Island's maritime heritage.

"We have information of fishing, paintings and even costumes that the children can try on,'' Mrs. Ganbra Sposato said.

Founded in June 1996, The Bermuda Children's Museum Society also plans to establish an interactive play and learning facility in Bermuda.

And with yesterday's opening of the Children's Room, the society will now focus on creating the children's museum.

Society members said the museum will be a place where children and families can "interact together, learning, cooperating, exploring, laughing and creating''.

Although plans are in the early stages, organisers hope the new museum will be up and running by the fall of 1998.

Yesterday's Open Day at the Maritime Museum also featuring an antique boat exhibit, the official opening of the Rampart Exhibit in the Queen's Exhibition Hall and an afternoon parade by the Bermuda Sea Cadets.