Category: Press Releases

Restoration of Iconic Ship Essential for Historic 2020 Commemoration

Plymouth, MA (December 4, 2014)—Plimoth Plantation and Mystic Seaport, both acclaimed New England history museums, are pleased to announce a collaborative project to restore and repair Mayflower II, a full-scale reproduction ship owned by Plimoth Plantation. Work on the historic ship will take place at the Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard at Mystic Seaport, adhering to The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Vessel Preservation Projects. A cohesive restoration plan will be established in conjunction with Plimoth Plantation’s Maritime Artisans Program, led by the museum’s newly-hired Associate Director for Maritime Preservation and Operations, Whit Perry. Mayflower II is scheduled to depart the Plymouth waterfront for Mystic Seaport sometime over the next several days depending on weather conditions.

Work will begin in December on a multi-year phased restoration plan, honoring the ship’s original construction and using traditional methods with the goal of restoring the ship to her original state when she first arrived to Plymouth in 1957. Inspections in 2013 revealed that Mayflower II is in need of a major refit, which is normal for a nearly 60-year-old wooden ship. Recently, Plimoth Plantation completed some major repairs to secure a safe condition for the ship to continue operations on the Plymouth waterfront. These efforts were the initial steps toward addressing the long-term restoration plan.

Upon the ship’s arrival at Mystic Seaport, the restoration plan will begin following three phases: survey, document, and restore. A comprehensive marine survey will be completed by Paul Haley of Capt. G.W. Full & Associates, the same firm that surveyed several vintage vessels including the Mystic Seaport flagship Charles W. Morgan, the USS Constitution, the USS Constellation, and many additional projects within the tall ship community. Stone and iron ballast will be completely removed for the first time since the ship’s construction nearly 60 years ago, to allow proper inspection of the bilge area. The scope and plan for this winter’s restoration work will largely be determined by the needs identified once the ship is out of the water and the ballast is removed.

Mystic Seaport is the nation’s leading maritime museum with vast restoration experience and knowledge of historic wooden vessels. The Museum recently completed the restoration of its 1841 whaleship Charles W. Morgan, a National Historic Landmark vessel and America’s oldest commercial ship still afloat. The Morgan sailed on her historic 38th Voyage this past summer.

“Part of our mission at Mystic Seaport is to pass on the skills and techniques of traditional shipbuilding and historic preservation to the next generation, and projects such as this enable us to fulfill that goal while at the same time supporting an important member of the history museum community,” said Steve White, president of Mystic Seaport. “We are very excited to have the opportunity to help restore Mayflower II, so she can continue to tell the story of the Pilgrims and their brave journey to America.”

Mayflower II’s future vitality depends on continual preservation. The significant restoration of the 57-year-old wooden ship is scheduled for completion prior to 2020–the 400th anniversary of the Pilgrims’ arrival. The celebrated ship is a major exhibit of Plimoth Plantation and a leading tourism attraction in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, drawing millions of people from around the world to Plymouth’s historic waterfront to learn about the United States’ early Colonial history.

“Mystic Seaport is the clear choice for restoring Mayflower II. She will be in good hands with the Museum’s skilled craftspeople and shipwrights. The staff and boards of both museums share pride in this collaboration and profound respect for this treasured ship,” said Ellie Donovan, Plimoth Plantation’s executive director. “We greatly appreciate the enormous support for Mayflower II, especially from the Massachusetts State leadership for ensuring a major part of the funding for her restoration.”

Mayflower II will be available for visitors to view in the shipyard at Mystic Seaport, allowing Mayflower II to continue to educate and inspire the public throughout the restoration process. The shipyard is open to visitors during the Museum’s operating hours. If repairs go as planned, Mayflower II is expected to return to Plymouth in late May, 2015. Sourcing rare, large-dimensioned white oak, which is needed in wooden-ship construction, is not expected to be an issue during this round of repairs. Plimoth Plantation acquired approximately 2,500 board feet from Berea College in Kentucky, and an additional 2,500 board feet from another restoration project in Rhode Island.

Note to editors: photos of Mayflower II are available to download here: https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0BzXYg_DzI6-xb0o2T2JhQXF0WXM&usp=sharing. Photo credit: Plimoth Plantation

About Plimoth Plantation
Plimoth Plantation is a 501(c)3 charitable organization and a living museum dedicated to telling the history of Plymouth Colony from the perspective of both the Pilgrims and the Native Wampanoag people. Located less than an hour’s drive south of Boston in Plymouth, Massachusetts, (Exit 4, Route 3 south) and 15 minutes north of Cape Cod, the Museum is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm, 7 days a week, from the third Saturday in March through the end of November 2014. Plimoth Plantation is a private, not-for-profit educational institution supported by admission fees, contributions, memberships, function sales and revenue from a variety of dining programs/services/special events and Museum Shops. Plimoth Plantation is a Smithsonian Institution Affiliate and receives support from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, private foundations, corporations, and local businesses. For more information, visit www.plimoth.org.

About Mystic Seaport
Mystic Seaport is the nation’s leading maritime museum. Founded in 1929, the Museum is home to four National Historic Landmark vessels, including the Charles W. Morgan, America’s oldest commercial ship and the last wooden whaleship in the world. The Museum’s collection of more than two million artifacts includes more than 500 historic vessels and one of the largest collections of maritime photography in the country. The state-of-the-art Collections Research Center at Mystic Seaport provides scholars and researchers from around the world with access to the Museum’s renowned archives. Mystic Seaport is located one mile south of Exit 90 off I-95 in Mystic, CT. Admission is $24 for adults and $15 for children ages 6-17. Museum members and children 5 and under are admitted free. For more information, please visit https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/  and follow Mystic Seaport on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Marine Artists in Winter Features Small Paintings by Top Maritime Artists

Mystic, Conn. (November 21, 2014)—The Maritime Gallery at Mystic Seaport presents its annual winter exhibition Marine Artists in Winter, November 23, 2014 through April 19, 2015.

The invitational exhibition features 125 small paintings displayed and available for purchase – each no larger than 12 inches in height or width (excluding frame). The exhibition includes works with a maritime winter theme among others by 51 top Maritime Gallery artists, and features scenes of majestic ships, yachting and working boats, coastal landscapes, marshes, and marine wildlife.

Participating artists include David Bareford, Cindy Baron, William Hanson, Neal Hughes, Victor Mays, and Cean Youngs.
One of the most popular shows on the gallery’s annual schedule, the exhibition provides an opportunity for collectors to own original work by their favorite artists at affordable prices.

“Each painting is truly a small masterpiece created by some of the most respected maritime artists working today,” said Jeanne Potter, director of the Maritime Gallery.  “Reasonably priced and beautifully framed, these paintings are perfect for holiday gift giving.”

The Gallery will host a public opening with an “Artist’s Walk” on Sunday, November 23 at 1:30 p.m. where some of the participating artists will be on hand to discuss their works in the show. Admission to the Artist’s Walk and the Gallery is free.

A special discount of five percent off the sale of all original art in the Maritime Gallery will be available for Mystic Seaport members (Gallery Patrons receive a 10 percent discount) through December 31.

For more information, visit mysticseaport.org/gallery or call 860.572.5388.

About the Maritime Gallery
The Maritime Gallery at Mystic Seaport is the nation’s foremost gallery specializing in contemporary marine art and ship models. Through its parent organization, Mystic Seaport, the Gallery is proud to offer access to the world’s leading experts in the marine field, and the highest standards of scholarship, integrity and connoisseurship that the nation’s finest maritime museum represents. The Gallery is free to the public. Please visit mysticseaport.org/gallery for current hours.

Mystic, Conn. (November 19, 2014) — Mystic Seaport has honored Charles A. Robertson with the 2014 America and the Sea Award. Presented annually by the Museum, the prestigious award recognizes an individual or organization whose contribution to the history, arts, business, or sciences of the sea best exemplify the American character.

Robertson received the award at a gala held in his honor in New York City November 5.

Engaged in the maritime industry since 1973, Robertson pioneered the small ship cruise industry in the United States with his founding of American Cruise Lines, now the largest cruise company in the country. He is a recognized expert on cruise ship regulations in the United States. Robertson holds a USCG Master’s License and First Class Pilot’s License for unlimited tonnage and has been an expert witness for the United States Coast Guard before the NTSB and Congressional Committees. His firms have designed and built 12 small cruise ships and approximately 70 other commercial vessels, up to 320 feet.

An avid sailor, he has won national and international events, including the 1988 Newport to Bermuda Race, the Queen’s Cup, and the U.S. National Championship in the Atlantic Class. Robertson is also an active commercial pilot and regularly flies modified ex-military aircraft, participating in shows and demonstrations around the country.

“As the Chairman and CEO of American Cruise Lines, Pearl Sea Cruises, and Chesapeake Shipbuilding, it has been Charlie Robertson’s mission to get people out on the water, a mission he has accomplished.  His personal life is one filled with amazing achievements: a champion sailor, a key supporter of America’s Cup campaigns, a leader for Operation Sail, and much, much more. There is so much to celebrate in Charlie’s remarkable career,” said J. Barclay Collins, the chairman of the Museum’s board of trustees.

In addition to receiving the America and the Sea Award, Robertson is celebrating 25 years of service as a trustee of Mystic Seaport. An important advisor and resource to the shipyard staff, he serves as chair of the watercraft committee.

The event, which netted just over $400,000 to support the maritime education and preservation work of Mystic Seaport, was sponsored by Alban CAT, Bank of America-US Trust, Rolex, Stephens Inc., and American Cruise Lines. Gala co-chairs were J. Barclay Collins, Cayre and Alexis Michas, and
Mr. and Mrs. Richard R. Vietor. The auctioneer for the evening was Geraldine Nager Griffin, Senior Vice President at Sotheby’s. A longtime friend of Mystic Seaport, Nager has contributed her expertise and enthusiasm to numerous live auctions for the Museum.

Robertson joins a group of distinguished past America and the Sea Award recipients, who include: world-class sailor and author Gary Jobson (2013), founder of WoodenBoat publications Jon Wilson (2012), former Secretary of the Navy John Lehman (2011), oceanographer and deep sea explorer Sylvia Earle (2010), maritime collector and yachtsman William I. Koch (2009), President and CEO of Crowley Maritime Corporation Thomas B. Crowley Jr. (2008), Pulitzer Prize-winning author and historian David McCullough (2007), and famed yacht designer Olin Stephens (2006).

About Mystic Seaport

Mystic Seaport is the nation’s leading maritime museum. Founded in 1929, the Museum is home to four National Historic Landmark vessels, including the Charles W. Morgan, America’s oldest commercial ship and the last wooden whaleship in the world. The Museum’s collection of more than two million artifacts includes more than 500 historic vessels and one of the largest collections of maritime photography in the country. The state-of-the-art Collections Research Center at Mystic Seaport provides scholars and researchers from around the world with access to the Museum’s renowned archives. Mystic Seaport is located one mile south of Exit 90 off I-95 in Mystic, CT. Admission is $24 for adults and $15 for children ages 6-17. Museum members and children 5 and under are admitted free. For more information, please visit https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/  and follow Mystic Seaport on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Mystic, Conn. (September 29, 2014)—Mystic Seaport today announced Macy Kleinfelder is the 2014 recipient of the Orion Award for Excellence in Experiential Education.

The Orion Award is bestowed by the Museum on stellar teachers who create meaningful and innovative learning experiences for their students by utilizing the collections, programs, and learning resources of Mystic Seaport. The Award recognizes teachers who infuse history, math, science, and literature with a maritime focus and are an inspiration to their students and their colleagues.

Kleinfelder is the Dean of Student Affairs and a history teacher at The Williams School in New London.

In the summer of 2012, Kleinfelder was selected as one of a group of teachers to help Mystic Seaport create an online learning community for educators.  This has since developed into Mystic Seaport for Educators, an innovative website for teachers that facilitates access to the Museum’s collections for the purpose of creating learning tools to bring America’s maritime heritage into the classroom.

Kleinfelder also brought her students to the Museum to analyze the Charles W. Morgan as an artifact, and completed a “Curators’ Challenge” with her students and Museum staff, where they had to create an exhibit based on artifact analysis.  She used this trip to prepare her students for an inquiry-based midterm project back in the classroom. She also worked with Mystic Seaport staff to create an online map of the 27th voyage of the Charles W. Morgan using its logbook.  Kleinfelder additionally taught a professional development workshop for museum educators at Mystic Seaport about working with middle- and high-school students.

“We chose to honor Macy Kleinfelder with this award because she is a treasure trove of new ideas, and she is willing to take risks in the classroom, try new approaches, and constantly pursue innovation and improvement,” said Sarah Cahill, director of education at Mystic Seaport.

The Orion Award for Excellence in Experiential Education was introduced in 2005 in honor of the Museum’s 75th Anniversary. Named for one of the most familiar constellations –the Hunter Orion, son of the sea god Poseidon–Orion has often marked the course for many seagoing vessels. Through the Orion Award, Mystic Seaport acknowledges the unique skills and abilities of teachers to link disciplines and communicate ideas with their students, helping their students navigate the course of life.

Downloadable image: Macy Kleinfelder receives the Orion Award at the annual Members Meeting at Mystic Seaport on Saturday, September 27. Pictured (left to right) Macy Kleinfelder, Sarah Cahill, director of education. Photo credit: Mystic Seaport/Dennis Murphy.

About Mystic Seaport

Mystic Seaport is the nation’s leading maritime museum. Founded in 1929, the Museum is home to four National Historic Landmark vessels, including the Charles W. Morgan, the last wooden whaleship in the world. The Museum is located one mile south of exit 90 off I-95 in Mystic, CT. Admission is $24 for adults and $15 for children 6-17. Museum members and children under 5 are admitted for free. For more information, please visit https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/, and follow Mystic Seaport on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Public Can Meet the Artists from 10:30 a.m. to Noon

Mystic, Conn. (September 22, 2014) — The Maritime Gallery at Mystic Seaport opens the 35th Annual International Marine Art Exhibition and Sale Sunday, September 28.

The International is the most comprehensive collection of contemporary marine art in the United States. Award-winning artists from around the world will present more than 95 examples of their most recent work. Represented in this show are exceptional paintings, sculpture, scrimshaw, and ship models. The show is a commemoration of America’s maritime heritage with both intricately researched historical scenes and contemporary images that document the relationship of man to the sea.

“We are honored to present the International Marine Art Exhibition at the Maritime Gallery for the 35th year,” said Jeanne Potter, director of the Gallery.  “This exhibition and sale continues to delight art lovers and visitors year after year, showcasing the finest art by today’s leading marine artists.  From racing yachts to working boats, every aspect of maritime life is celebrated in this exhibition and is displayed in the most ideal setting–overlooking the historic Mystic River at the nation’s leading maritime museum.”

Participating artists include David Bareford, Harley Bartlett, Laura Cooper, Yoko Gaydos, Ian Hansen, Neal Hughes, Richard Loud, Victor Mays and Jeff Weaver.

The exhibition will honor participating artists with five awards of excellence and nine named awards–including the Rudolph J. Schaefer Maritime Heritage Award, which recognizes the work that best documents our maritime heritage for future generations.

The exhibition will open to the public at 10:00 a.m. Sunday, September 28, with an artists’ walk from 10:30 a.m. to 12 noon at the Gallery. The walk is an opportunity for the public to meet some of the participating artists and listen as they share how they created their works in the International and what inspires them to produce their art.

All works in the exhibition are available to view and purchase daily between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. The show can also be viewed on the Gallery website.

The exhibition runs through December 31, 2014.

Downloadable image:  John Tayson, “Steamer Dock, 1920s” Oil 18” x 24” Photo credit:  Dennis Murphy

About the Maritime Gallery

The Maritime Gallery at Mystic Seaport is the nation’s foremost gallery specializing in contemporary marine art.  For over 30 years, the Maritime Gallery has been privileged to exhibit the works of leading maritime artists from across the globe and to support the scholarship, curation, and exhibition work of its parent organization, Mystic Seaport. For more information, please visit mysticseaport.org/gallery.

Funds Will Support State-of-the-Art Components of New Exhibit on American Whaling

Mystic, Conn. (September 18, 2014) — Mystic Seaport announced today it is the recipient of a $150,000 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services to support  components of the Museum’s new exhibit Voyaging in the Wake of the Whalers. The award is part of the Institute’s Museums for America Learning Experiences program.

The new 4,000-square foot exhibit will be an interdisciplinary exploration of America’s historic and contemporary relationship with whales and whaling. Using artifacts and artwork, along with compelling audio-visual elements and immersive displays, the experience will provide insight into commercial whaling’s complex and deep impact on the nation’s economy, culture, and global position. It will also explore whaling’s historic and environmental legacy.

Voyaging in the Wake of the Whalers follows the historic 38th Voyage of the 1841 whaleship Charles W. Morgan this past summer. The Morgan, a National Historic Landmark vessel, sailed from Mystic, Conn. to ports across Southern New England and into the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. This was the ship’s first voyage since 1921.

“This exhibit will be the final chapter in the 38^th Voyage of the Charles W. Morgan,” said Mystic Seaport president Steve White. “Through our continuing series of onboard, onsite, and online public programs, we continue to reinterpret the ship for a 21st-century audience in ways that surprise and intrigue the visitor.”

This grant will fund an introductory video and a large 3D projection globe that will weave together global stories of whales, whaling, and whale research in an inspiring multimedia presentation. The globe will be a striking, luminous orb at the center of the exhibit that will draw visitors into a unique experience.

“These state-of-the-art components will enable us to present the themes of the exhibit in exciting, powerful ways,” said Susan Funk, executive vice president of Mystic Seaport. “They will play a vital role in our mission to encourage the visitor to explore how American perceptions of whales and whaling took dramatic turns over time, and how America’s whaling heritage continues to shape communities and culture today.”

Voyaging in the Wake of the Whalers is scheduled to open in the Museum’s Stillman Building in summer 2015.

About the Institute of Museum and Library Services

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 35,000 museums. Our mission is to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement. Our grant making, policy development, and research help libraries and museums deliver valuable services that make it possible for communities and individuals to thrive. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow IMLS on Facebook and Twitter.

About Mystic Seaport

Mystic Seaport is the nation’s leading maritime museum. Founded in 1929, the Museum is home to four National Historic Landmark vessels, including the Charles W. Morgan, the last wooden whaleship in the world. The Museum is located one mile south of exit 90 off I-95 in Mystic, CT. Admission is $24 for adults and $15 for children 6-17. Museum members and children under 5 are admitted for free. For more information, please visit https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/, and follow Mystic Seaport on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

19^th-Century Whaling Ship and National Historic Landmark Reopens to the Public August 9

Mystic, Conn. (Aug. 6, 2014) — The Charles W. Morgan was welcomed home to Mystic Seaport Wednesday, August 6 following the completion of her historic 38th Voyage. The ship was towed from New London to the Museum, where she is now tied up at her traditional berth at Chubb’s Wharf. The 19^th-century whaling ship and National Historic Landmark will reopen to the public Saturday, August 9.

The Morgan was built in New Bedford, Mass. in 1841 and sailed 37 voyages around the globe during an 80-year whaling career. This past May, following a five-year, multi-million dollar restoration, the ship set out on her last voyage— perhaps her most important— to raise awareness of America’s maritime heritage and to call attention to issues of ocean sustainability and conservation. It was the first time the Morgan had left Mystic Seaport since her arrival on November 8, 1941.

With Capt. Richard “Kip” Files at the helm, the ship departed Mystic Seaport May 17 and visited New London, Conn., Newport, R.I., Vineyard Haven, Mass., New Bedford, Mass., the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, Boston, and the Massachusetts Maritime Academy as part of the centennial celebration of the opening of the Cape Cod Canal.

“The nearly three-month journey was a commemoration of the role of the sea in the history of America and an appreciation of our changing relationship with the natural world,” said Steve White, president of Mystic Seaport. “Taking this American icon, the oldest surviving commercial ship in the country, out on her 38th Voyage was a landmark achievement for Mystic Seaport. We truly accomplished our mission to celebrate our nation’s shared maritime heritage.”

More than 64,000 visitors climbed aboard the Charles W. Morgan and visited dockside exhibitions during the 38^th Voyage. Highlights of the journey included the Morgan’s homecoming to New Bedford, docking next to the USS Constitution in Boston, and teaming up with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) at Stellwagen Bank to observe whales in their natural environment.

“For Mystic Seaport the 38th Voyage represents a dynamic new model for engaging with the public. We have added to the whaleship’s historical record and now have a powerful body of knowledge, sensory experiences, images, sounds, and visceral and artistic human responses that all contribute to our understanding of 19^th-century whaling and the human-whale dynamic,” said Susan Funk, executive vice president of Mystic Seaport. “The voyage has reinforced our vision of the role of museums in the 21st century, and how museums like Mystic Seaport can play a vital, continued role in education— how the objects we preserve, like the Charles W. Morgan, are no longer simply static exhibits but rather dynamic, ever changing platforms for public engagement.”

Throughout the voyage, some 80 individuals from a wide range of disciplines and backgrounds sailed aboard the ship and participated in an unprecedented public-history project as 38th Voyagers. This group, which included artists, historians, scientists, journalists, teachers, musicians, scholars and whaling descendants, documented and filtered their experience aboard the Morgan and will produce a creative product for Mystic Seaport to share with the public.

“The Charles W. Morgan is an exceptional and truly unique artifact of our shared maritime heritage,” said White. “While the ship is an American icon and a living portal into an important chapter of American history, she now embarks on a new journey with transformed purpose. She’s no longer an instrument of commerce but a source of education, knowledge, and understanding. The 38th Voyage was truly seeing history come alive.”

The Morgan now resumes her role as an exhibit vessel at Mystic Seaport.

 About Mystic Seaport

Mystic Seaport is the nation’s leading maritime museum. Founded in 1929, the Museum is home to four National Historic Landmark vessels, including the Charles W. Morgan, the last wooden whaleship in the world. The Museum is located one mile south of exit 90 off I-95 in Mystic, CT. Admission is $24 for adults and $15 for children 6-17. Museum members and children under 5 are admitted for free.

National Historic Landmark Ship to Conclude 38^th Voyage

Mystic, Conn. (August 4, 2014) — The Charles W. Morgan will return to Mystic Seaport on Wednesday, August 6. The ship will be towed from New London to the Museum, where it will tie up at its traditional berth at Chubb’s Wharf. This will be the conclusion of the vessel’s historic 38th Voyage.

The ship is scheduled to depart City Pier in New London at 2 p.m. and is estimated to arrive at Mystic Seaport at 5:30 p.m. Current plans have the ship entering the mouth of the Mystic River around 3:45 p.m., although weather and sea conditions could affect the arrival time and people interested in viewing the journey should factor in the possibility that the vessel could be ahead of schedule.

Updates on the ship’s progress will be posted on the Mystic Seaport website.

A homecoming ceremony will be held immediately upon the ship’s arrival. The public is invited to gather at Chubb’s Wharf to welcome the ship back to the Museum. Elements and activities from the dockside exhibit that accompanied the ship will be set up on the wharf, including Spouter, a life-size, inflatable sperm whale model. Schaefer’s Spouter Tavern will remain open for food and beverage service, although Museum exhibits will be closed after 5 p.m.

There will be a reduced admission of $5 beginning at 5 p.m. Children 5 and younger and Mystic Seaport members will be admitted free.

Should weather prevent the ship from arriving on Wednesday, it will transit from New London on Thursday, August 7, or Friday, August 8. Specific timing is to be determined.

The Morgan will reopen to visitors on Saturday, August 9.

A National Historic Landmark, the Morgan was built in 1841 and sailed on 37 voyages around the globe during an 80-year whaling career. This latest voyage, the ship’s 38th, was undertaken to raise awareness of America’s maritime heritage and to call attention to issues of ocean sustainability and conservation. The ship departed Mystic Seaport on May 17 and visited New London, Conn., Newport, R.I., Vineyard Haven, Mass., New Bedford, Mass., the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, Boston, and the Massachusetts Maritime Academy as part of the centennial celebration of the opening of the Cape Cod Canal.

Links:

mysticseaport.org/38thvoyage
https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/connect/press/
https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/stowaway
https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/stories

Social Media:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/mysticseaport
Twitter: @mysticseaport, #charleswmorgan, #38thvoyage

About Mystic Seaport
Mystic Seaport is the nation’s leading maritime museum. Founded in 1929, the Museum is home to four National Historic Landmark vessels, including the Charles W. Morgan, the last wooden whaleship in the world. The Museum is located one mile south of exit 90 off I-95 in Mystic, CT. Admission is $24 for adults and $15 for children 6-17. Museum members and children under 5 are admitted for free. For more information, please visit https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/

Historic Ship to Return to Connecticut Waters on July 30

Mystic, Conn. (July 29, 2014) — The Charles W. Morgan will depart from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy at Buzzards Bay, Mass. today to travel to New London, Conn. as the ship continues its 38th Voyage.

Due to the length of the journey, the ship will be towed and not sailed on this leg of the voyage. The ship is scheduled to depart the academy at 11 a.m. and is estimated to arrive at City Pier in New London at 10 a.m. on July 30, although weather and sea conditions could affect the arrival time.

Updates on the ship’s progress will be posted on the Mystic Seaport website.

This is the last stop on the Morgan’s voyage before the ship returns to Mystic Seaport on Wednesday, August 6. While in New London, the vessel will head out onto Long Island Sound for three final day sails on July 31 and August 1-2. The ship will not be open to the public during this time.

A homecoming celebration at Mystic Seaport is planned to begin at 5 p.m. on August 6. The public is invited to join local dignitaries and Mystic Seaport staff to welcome the ship back to the Museum. The estimated arrival time for the Morgan is 6:15 p.m., although the ship could arrive later. There will be a reduced admission of $5 for those ages 6 and older. Children 5 and younger and Mystic Seaport members will be admitted free. Reduced admission begins at 5 p.m.

A National Historic Landmark, the Morgan was built in 1841 and sailed on 37 voyages around the globe during an 80-year whaling career. This latest voyage, the ship’s 38th, was undertaken to raise awareness of America’s maritime heritage and to call attention to issues of ocean sustainability and conservation. The ship departed Mystic Seaport on May 17 and visited New London, Conn., Newport, R.I., Vineyard Haven, Mass., New Bedford, Mass., the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, Boston, and the Massachusetts Maritime Academy as part of the centennial celebration of the opening of the Cape Cod Canal.

Links:

mysticseaport.org/38thvoyage
https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/connect/press/
https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/stowaway
https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/stories

Social Media:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/mysticseaport
Twitter: @mysticseaport, #charleswmorgan, #38thvoyage

About Mystic Seaport
Mystic Seaport is the nation’s leading maritime museum. Founded in 1929, the Museum is home to four National Historic Landmark vessels, including the Charles W. Morgan, the last wooden whaleship in the world. The Museum is located one mile south of exit 90 off I-95 in Mystic, CT. Admission is $24 for adults and $15 for children 6-17. Museum members and children under 5 are admitted for free. For more information, please visit https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/.

Mystic, Conn. (July 25, 2014) – Mystic Seaport and the Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center received a grant of $30,095 from Connecticut Humanities (CTH) to support a project, Connecticut Indian Whalers: Work, Community, and Life at Sea. The grant was given through the Connecticut at Work initiative, a program that supports a wide range of community-oriented programs that examine the past, present, and future of work in the lives of Connecticut residents, including The Smithsonian Institutions’ The Way We Worked exhibition as well as dozens of small exhibitions, internet-based applications, lectures, panel discussions, author talks, book and film discussions, and similar programming.

The project, spearheaded by Jason Mancini, Ph.D., senior researcher at the Pequot Museum, features a suite of digital, exhibit, and program offerings designed to raise school and public awareness about the men of color from Connecticut who labored on 19th-century whaling ships, in particular Native American men whose work experience was strongly intertwined with their social and kinship networks.

The project deliverables include online maps, lesson plans, an audio lecture and interview that will be featured on the Mystic Seaport for Educators website. The maps will also be featured in a digital exhibit panel at the Pequot Museum, along with updated museum panels based on Mancini’s research. The maps follow the lives of three Connecticut Indians: Peter George (Mashantucket Pequot), Amos W. George (Mashantucket Pequot; nephew to Peter), and Edward Uncas (Mohegan). Collectively these men sailed on 26 known whaling voyages from 1827 to 1867.

“We are grateful that this Connecticut Humanities grant will allow us to expand on one of the themes of the Charles W. Morgan’s 38th Voyage, how the American whale fishery was an early contributor to cultural globalization,” said Steve White, president of Mystic Seaport. “Native Americans from Connecticut left the reservations and traveled around the globe on whaleships similar to the Morgan. This project will highlight their journeys, interactions with various cultures and legacy. More importantly, the collaboration between Mystic Seaport and the Mashantucket Pequot Museum will make this new content accessible to the public and in particular, educators and students.”

In August, Mancini is presenting his research on Indian whalers to local educators as part of the monthly Mystic Seaport Teacher Professional Development Series. The audio from the lecture along with other digital products mentioned above will be available during the fall of 2014 on the Mystic Seaport for Educators website and on the digital exhibit panel at the Pequot Museum.

“I am honored that Connecticut Humanities is supporting the Connecticut Indian Whalers Project and the collaboration between the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Mystic Seaport. Our organizations are forging a new kind of partnership that brings indigenous maritime histories to light through new discoveries and technologies,” said Mancini. “We hope this becomes a model for program development and an invitation to the public to learn more about this region’s Native American peoples and about hidden maritime history.”

About Mystic Seaport

Mystic Seaport is the nation’s leading maritime museum. Founded in 1929, the Museum is home to four National Historic Landmark vessels, including the Charles W. Morgan, America’s oldest commercial ship and the last wooden whaleship in the world. The Museum is located one mile south of Exit 90 off I-95 in Mystic, CT. Admission is $24 for adults and $15 for children ages 6-17. Museum members and children 5 and under are admitted free. For more information, please visit https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/.

About The Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center

The Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center (MPMRC), part of the government of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, is a non-profit educational institution that seeks to further knowledge and understanding of the richness and diversity of the indigenous cultures and societies of the United States and Canada. The MPMRC provides exhibits, programs, and research opportunities to encourage interaction with and among indigenous peoples, the general public, and the scholarly community. For more information, please visit: www.pequotmuseum.org

About Connecticut Humanities

Founded in 1975, Connecticut Humanities is a nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.  Each year CTH brings hundreds of cultural programs to Connecticut where people of all ages and backgrounds are encouraged to express, share, and explore ideas in thoughtful and productive ways. From local discussion groups to major exhibitions on historic events, CTH programs engage, enlighten and educate. Learn more at www.cthumanities.org.