The Fall/Winter 2020 issue of the Museum’s magazine features articles on navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, the new figureheads exhibit, the restoration of the Friendship sloop Estella A., a farewell to Executive Vice President Susan Funk after 40 years of service, and an opportunity to meet the new president, Peter Armstrong, and the new senior vice president, Dr. Christina Connett Brophy.
Mystic, Conn. (November 12, 2020) — Mystic Seaport Museum invites the public to mark the holidays with a new event, Lantern Light Village, an outdoor, free-roaming experience designed to celebrate the best of both the contemporary and 19th-century holiday seasons.
The event replaces the Museum’s traditional Lantern Light Tours, which was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are combining the most popular elements of our Lantern Light Tours – the 19th century setting, the costumed role players, horse-and-carriage rides – with more contemporary features, such as light displays and live music to create a festive environment that families can take in at their own pace and in a safe manner,” said Erik Ingmundson, Director of Interpretation for the Museum.
The Lantern Light Village will seamlessly transition between the Christmas of today and the Christmas of the past. Entry to the village will be a dazzling lighting display, followed by live music, the horse-and-carriage rides, fire pits, a visit from St. Nicholas, and more, including holiday-themed stories, crafts, and games. Visitors can interact with the denizens of the 19th-century village as they prepare for Christmas Eve and join them in their end-of-the-year festivities.
Lantern Light Village will be held 5-9 p.m. on December 4-5, 11-12, and 18-19.
There is a special ticket for the event in lieu of general admission. Tickets are $33 for Adults (ages 13 and up) and $28 for youths (ages 4-12). Ages 1-3 are free. Museum members receive a discounted price.
Tickets may be purchased online at checkout.mysticseaport.org/all/tickets.
Visitors are required to wear masks and observe social distancing while at the Museum.
Media Contact
Dan McFadden
Director of Communications
Mystic Seaport Museum
860.572.5317
dan.mcfadden@mysticseaport.org/
About Mystic Seaport Museum
Mystic Seaport Museum, founded in 1929, is the nation’s leading maritime museum. In addition to providing a multitude of immersive experiences, the Museum also houses a collection of more than two million artifacts that include more than 500 historic vessels and one of the largest collections of maritime photography. Mystic Seaport Museum is located one mile south of Exit 90 off I-95 in Mystic, CT. For more information, please visit www.mysticseaport.org/ and follow Mystic Seaport Museum on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.
Mystic, Conn. (November 10, 2020) — Peter Armstrong is appointed the next president of Mystic Seaport Museum, the organization’s board of trustees announced today. An accomplished museum professional with more than 25 years of experience on two continents, Armstrong joins the Museum from the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, where he is Senior Director of Museum Operations and Education. The board also announced the appointment of Dr. Christina Connett Brophy as Senior Vice President of Curatorial Affairs and Senior Director of Museum Galleries.
“We are excited about the appointments of Peter and Christina as they bring well-honed, complementary talents to MSM. Peter has extensive management skills and experience as director of operations of a large and complex museum organization combined with great marketing knowhow. Christina brings outstanding maritime museum curatorial experience and demonstrated success in innovative programming and exhibitions development,” said Michael S. Hudner, Chair of the Mystic Seaport Museum Board of Trustees. “Both Peter and Christina have had exceptional achievements in broadening and diversifying more traditional audiences with new approaches to increase the appeal of well-known institutions to a changing world.”
In his position of Senior Director at the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, Armstrong oversees education, collections, exhibitions, and interpretation as well as directing two major museums and their living history sites. He led the transition from the Yorktown Victory Center—a small museum with some living history areas—to the new, $50-million, state-of-the-art American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, which opened in April 2017. Most recently in 2019, he oversaw the creation of the special exhibition TENACITY, which focused on the arrival of the first women to Jamestown, and Forgotten Soldier, which features the personal stories of enslaved and free African Americans who fought on both sides of the Revolutionary War.
Armstrong came to the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation from the United Kingdom’s National Museum of Arms and Armour, also known as the Royal Armouries. The Royal Armouries has three museums, the most famous of which is the Tower of London. During his tenure, Armstrong developed and promoted several major exhibitions, including Henry VIII: Dressed to Kill at the Tower of London.
“Mystic Seaport Museum has a worldwide reputation for excellence, quality and good old-fashioned fun. As the Museum heads towards its centenary, I am excited to be able to play a role in continuing the legacy of the retiring president, and to work with the board and the Mystic team to deliver a modern, relevant, diverse, and community-focused future,” said Armstrong.
Dr. Christina Connett Brophy is currently the Douglas and Cynthia Crocker Endowed Chair for the Chief Curator at the New Bedford Whaling Museum (NBWM), where she has been a senior executive for seven years. While there she demonstrated systemic strategic leadership, successful fundraising, increased branding and outreach, partnership development, and path-breaking initiatives that have impacted NBWM towards a unified vision, national and international media recognition, an increase in visitation, greater connectivity with a diverse community, and a stronger and more sustainable financial position. She has curated more than 30 exhibitions, notably A Spectacle in Motion: The Grand Panorama of a Whaling Voyage ‘Round the World and A Wild Note of Longing: Albert Pinkham Ryder and a Century of American Art, which will open in June 2021.
“There is a magic to Mystic Seaport Museum that is unique and rare, a tribute to its committed Board, staff and volunteers, its exquisite collections, and an historic and beautiful working waterfront. I am thrillled to be given the opportunity to streamline the Museum’s offerings towards a focused and 21st century global model, while remaining true to our nation’s rich maritime heritage,” said Connett Brophy. “There is extraordinary potential here to increase relevancy to a broader audience, particularly in addressing critical social and environmental issues facing the world today.”
Hudner expressed gratitude for retiring President and CEO Steve White, who is working to ensure a smooth transition of leadership as the Museum navigates the ongoing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over White’s 12 years at the helm, the Museum was recognized for the ambition of its initiatives, notably the restoration and 38th Voyage of the 1841 whaleship Charles W. Morgan and the fundraising and construction of the $15 million McGraw Gallery Quadrangle project anchored by the award-winning Thompson Exhibition Building.
I am very pleased to hand over the reins to two such exemplary people,” said White. “Their experience, energy, and broad perspective will serve the Museum well as the institution continues to demonstrate and explain the continuing relevance of the sea and maritime heritage to contemporary audiences.”
Peter J. Armstrong image courtesy Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation.
Media Contact
Dan McFadden
Director of Communications
Mystic Seaport Museum
860.572.5317
860.333.7155
dan.mcfadden@mysticseaport.org/
About Mystic Seaport Museum
Mystic Seaport Museum, founded in 1929, is the nation’s leading maritime museum. In addition to providing a multitude of immersive experiences, the Museum also houses a collection of more than two million artifacts that include more than 500 historic vessels and one of the largest collections of maritime photography. Mystic Seaport Museum is located one mile south of Exit 90 off I-95 in Mystic, CT. For more information, please visit www.mysticseaport.org/ and follow Mystic Seaport Museum on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.
Peter Armstrong (Image Courtesy Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation)
Peter Armstrong is appointed the next president of Mystic Seaport Museum, the organization’s board of trustees announced today. An accomplished museum professional with more than 25 years of experience on two continents, Armstrong joins the Museum from the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, where he is Senior Director of Museum Operations and Education. The board also announced the appointment of Dr. Christina Connett Brophy as Senior Vice President of Curatorial Affairs and Senior Director of Museum Galleries.
“We are excited about the appointments of Peter and Christina as they bring well-honed, complementary talents to MSM. Peter has extensive management skills and experience as director of operations of a large and complex museum organization combined with great marketing knowhow. Christina brings outstanding maritime museum curatorial experience and demonstrated success in innovative programming and exhibitions development,” said Michael S. Hudner, Chair of the Mystic Seaport Museum Board of Trustees. “Both Peter and Christina have had exceptional achievements in broadening and diversifying more traditional audiences with new approaches to increase the appeal of well-known institutions to a changing world.”
In his position of Senior Director at the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, Armstrong oversees education, collections, exhibitions, and interpretation as well as directing two major museums and their living history sites. He led the transition from the Yorktown Victory Center—a small museum with some living history areas—to the new, $50-million, state-of-the-art American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, which opened in April 2017. Most recently in 2019, he oversaw the creation of the special exhibition TENACITY, which focused on the arrival of the first women to Jamestown, and Forgotten Soldier, which features the personal stories of enslaved and free African Americans who fought on both sides of the Revolutionary War.
Armstrong came to the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation from the United Kingdom’s National Museum of Arms and Armour, also known as the Royal Armouries. The Royal Armouries has three museums, the most famous of which is the Tower of London. During his tenure, Armstrong developed and promoted several major exhibitions, including Henry VIII: Dressed to Kill at the Tower of London.
“Mystic Seaport Museum has a worldwide reputation for excellence, quality and good old-fashioned fun. As the Museum heads towards its centenary, I am excited to be able to play a role in continuing the legacy of the retiring president, and to work with the board and the Mystic team to deliver a modern, relevant, diverse, and community-focused future,” said Armstrong.
Dr. Christina Connett Brophy is currently the Douglas and Cynthia Crocker Endowed Chair for the Chief Curator at the New Bedford Whaling Museum (NBWM), where she has been a senior executive for seven years. While there she demonstrated systemic strategic leadership, successful fundraising, increased branding and outreach, partnership development, and path-breaking initiatives that have impacted NBWM towards a unified vision, national and international media recognition, an increase in visitation, greater connectivity with a diverse community, and a stronger and more sustainable financial position. She has curated more than 30 exhibitions, notably A Spectacle in Motion: The Grand Panorama of a Whaling Voyage ‘Round the World and A Wild Note of Longing: Albert Pinkham Ryder and a Century of American Art, which will open in June 2021.
“There is a magic to Mystic Seaport Museum that is unique and rare, a tribute to its committed Board, staff and volunteers, its exquisite collections, and an historic and beautiful working waterfront. I am thrillled to be given the opportunity to streamline the Museum’s offerings towards a focused and 21st century global model, while remaining true to our nation’s rich maritime heritage,” said Connett Brophy. “There is extraordinary potential here to increase relevancy to a broader audience, particularly in addressing critical social and environmental issues facing the world today.”
Hudner expressed gratitude for retiring President and CEO Steve White, who is working to ensure a smooth transition of leadership as the Museum navigates the ongoing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over White’s 12 years at the helm, the Museum was recognized for the ambition of its initiatives, notably the restoration and 38th Voyage of the 1841 whaleship Charles W. Morgan and the fundraising and construction of the $15 million McGraw Gallery Quadrangle project anchored by the award-winning Thompson Exhibition Building.
I am very pleased to hand over the reins to two such exemplary people,” said White. “Their experience, energy, and broad perspective will serve the Museum well as the institution continues to demonstrate and explain the continuing relevance of the sea and maritime heritage to contemporary audiences.”
Mystic, Conn. (November 2, 2020) — Mystic Seaport Museum announces Gowrie Group will sponsor a lecture series, Far Away Places – An Earlier Time, featuring the work of Carleton Mitchell. Mitchell, a yachtsman, author, and photographer, wrote extensively about the Caribbean and sailing and chronicled many significant events in yachting in the second half of the 20th century. Gowrie Group is Mystic Seaport’s long-time insurance partner.
“Mystic Seaport Museum is best known for our vessels, waterfront village, and exhibitions, yet the Museum also holds remarkable collections that include maritime photography, fine art, ships plans, books, and artifacts of all types. The Carleton Mitchell presentation is an example of how these collections can come together, combining Mitchell’s books and articles, photographs, recorded oral histories, and ships plans capturing his work and the man himself,” said Steve White, president of Mystic Seaport Museum.
Carter Gowrie, founder of Gowrie Group, a leading independent insurance agency with deep marine roots, shared, “Gowrie Group is proud to support the Mystic Seaport and this exciting outreach program. Using a virtual platform, the Mystic Seaport is able bring the exceptional work of Carleton Mitchell to life for members of sailing organizations across the country. This program is just one example of the terrific things we have done together with the Mystic Seaport during our long-time partnership.”
A skilled and prolific photographer, Mitchell authored seven books on sailing while also writing hundreds of articles with features in publications such as National Geographic, Yachting, and Sports Illustrated.
Mitchell’s first book, Islands to Windward, which was published shortly after World War II, increased awareness of the Caribbean and Bahamas and led countless enthusiasts to set sail for the islands. Books that followed included Passage East, Isles of the Caribees, The Winds Call, and Yachtsman’s Camera. His love for cruising in his sailboat combined with an impressive run of victories as a blue water racer, including the feat of being the only person to win the Bermuda Race three times in a row. Later, as a powerboat cruiser, Mitchell continued to realize his love of being on the water, expressing his ethos that the size or type of boat was irrelevant, joy was realized purely by the act of being on the water.
In the 1996, Carleton Mitchell donated his photos to Mystic Seaport Museum. This collection of more than 20,000 images, is supplemented by his written works and correspondence, as well as several oral histories, including one with the yachting author John Rousmaniere, who was central to the creation of the Mitchell Collection.
The presentation, Far Away Places – An Earlier Time, details Carleton Mitchell’s work in three parts: the Caribbean and Bahamas right after World War II, Mitchell’s famous sailboat Finisterre and its racing success, and the later years of powerboat cruising.
The talks will be presented at twelve different yacht clubs and other organizations from Marblehead, MA, to Key Biscayne, FL, and destinations in between, including Essex, CT, Stonington, CT, New York City, Rumson, NJ, Shelter Island, NY, Biscayne Bay, FL, and Punta Gorda, FL.
Parties interested in scheduling a presentation should contact Chris Freeman, director of Development & Legacy Giving, at chris.freeman@mysticseaport.org/.
Media Contact
Dan McFadden
Director of Communications
Mystic Seaport Museum
860.572.5317 (o)
860.333.7155 (c)
dan.mcfadden@mysticseaport.org/
About Mystic Seaport Museum
Mystic Seaport Museum, founded in 1929, is the nation’s leading maritime museum. In addition to providing a multitude of immersive experiences, the Museum also houses a collection of more than two million artifacts that include more than 500 historic vessels and one of the largest collections of maritime photography. Mystic Seaport Museum is located one mile south of Exit 90 off I-95 in Mystic, CT. For more information, please visit www.mysticseaport.org/ and follow Mystic Seaport Museum on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.
About Gowrie Group, a division of Risk Strategies.
As one of the nation’s top insurance agencies, Gowrie Group provides total risk management services to individuals and organizations with complex insurance needs. Gowrie Group offers comprehensive insurance solutions matched with trusted advice and a commitment to service excellence. Gowrie Group’s portfolio of insurance offerings include solutions for businesses, marine entities, home & auto, boats & yachts, and equine interests, as well as employee benefits solutions and safety services. Gowrie Group is a division of Risk Strategies. For more information: www.gowrie.com, info@gowrie.com, or 800.262.8911.
75 Greenmanville Ave
Mystic, CT 06355
860-572-0711
info@mysticseaport.org
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