Category: Press Releases

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.

Historic Ship to Open to the Public at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy July 26-27

Mystic, Conn. (July 21, 2014) — The Charles W. Morgan will travel from Boston to the Massachusetts Maritime Academy on Wednesday, July 23 to take part in the centennial celebration of the opening of the Cape Cod Canal. The ship will dock at the academy and be open for public boarding on Saturday and Sunday, July 26-27.

The Morgan will be towed through the canal at approximately 6 p.m. on July 23. Any delay due to weather will be posted on the Mystic Seaport website.

This is the last major stop on the Morgan’s 38^th Voyage. 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 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, and Boston, where she tied up next to the USS Constitution.

The Morgan will be accompanied by a dockside exhibition at the academy, where visitors can learn about the Morgan, whales and whaling, and their importance to America. A video presentation and display panels explain the history and significance of the 173-year-old vessel, the important role the whaling industry played in America’s economic history, how the Morgan and whaleships were an early connector of different cultures, and how America’s perception of the natural world has changed over time. Hands-on activities include knot-tying, handling samples of wood used in the restoration, and searching the Morgan’s crew lists for familiar names or hometown connections.

A focal point is Spouter, a 46-foot-long, life-sized, inflatable model of a sperm whale. Visitors can participate in a “What Bubbles Up?” activity by writing down their whale-related memory, question, or sketch and attaching it to a humpback whale sculpture.

Mystic Seaport interpreters will demonstrate the 19th-century maritime skills of a cooper, shipsmith, ropemaker, and whaleboat rower. There will also be live performances including sea chanteys, the interactive “Tale of a Whaler,” and a condensed rendition of the novel “Moby-Dick,” titled “Moby-Dick in Minutes.” Visitors will even have the opportunity to try their hand at rowing a whaleboat during select times.

NOAA’s Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary will have an exhibit booth to explain how the sanctuary interprets America’s maritime past, promotes ocean conservation, and engages in cutting-edge research. They will show how whales feed and what they feed on, and present videos that feature information on the National Marine Sanctuary System, whales, whale research, and whaling heritage. Kids can even create their own whale hat.

The ship and dockside exhibition will be open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. each day, with the last boarding of the ship to take place at 4 p.m. There is a suggested admission of $5 for those ages 6 and older. Mystic Seaport members and children ages 5 and younger are admitted free.

The Mystic Seaport dockside exhibition is funded in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).

Downloadable Media:

High resolution photos and broadcast-quality HD video of the ship’s activities on the 38th Voyage are available for download and use by news media. Downloads can be accessed on the Mystic Seaport press page

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 the NEH
National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the human endeavor. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities. www.neh.gov

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/.

America’s Two Oldest Ships Together for First Time

Boston (July 15, 2014) — The Charles W. Morgan, a National Historic Landmark and America’s oldest commercial vessel still afloat, sailed into Boston today to tie up next to the USS Constitution at the Boston National Historical Park at the Charlestown Navy Yard. The Constitution, built in 1797, is America’s oldest ship, and this is the first time the two vessels have ever been in the same port.

The Morgan, built in 1841, is the last of an American whaling fleet that numbered more than 2,700 vessels and is the flagship of the watercraft collection at Mystic Seaport, the nation’s leading maritime museum located in Mystic, Conn.

The Morgan is on its first sailing voyage since 1921. Over an 80-year whaling career, the Morgan sailed on 37 voyages to remote corners of the globe. This historic 38th Voyage is taking the ship to ports across southern New England to celebrate and call attention to the importance of the role of America’s maritime heritage in the nation’s history.

The Morgan sailed to Boston from Provincetown, Mass., after three days of sailing on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, one of the world’s premier whale watching sites. The ship was in the sanctuary as part of a joint collaboration with NOAA to conduct outreach activities highlighting the sanctuary’s role in marine mammal conservation and maritime heritage preservation.

A Dockside Exhibition 

The Morgan will be open to the public in Boston from July 18-22. In addition to touring the ship, visitors can learn about the Morgan, whales and whaling, and their importance to American history in a 22,000 square-foot dockside exhibition. There is a video presentation and display panels that explain the history and significance of the 173-year-old vessel, the important role the whaling industry played in America’s economic history, how the Morgan and whaleships were an early connector of different cultures, and how America’s perception of the natural world has changed over time. Hands-on activities include knot-tying, handling samples of wood used in the restoration, and searching the Morgan’s crew lists for familiar names or hometown connections.

A focal point is Spouter, a 46-foot-long, life-sized, inflatable model of a sperm whale. Visitors can participate in a “What Bubbles Up?” activity by writing down their whale-related memory, question, or sketch and attaching it to a humpback whale sculpture.

Mystic Seaport interpreters will demonstrate the 19th-century maritime skills of a cooper, shipsmith, ropemaker, and whaleboat rower. There will also be live performances including sea chanteys, the interactive “Tale of a Whaler,” and a condensed rendition of the novel “Moby-Dick,” titled “Moby-Dick in Minutes.” Visitors will even have the opportunity to try their hand at rowing a whaleboat during select times.

NOAA’s Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary will have an exhibit booth to explain how the sanctuary interprets America’s maritime past, promotes ocean conservation, and engages in cutting-edge research. They will show how whales feed and what they feed on, and present videos that feature information on the National Marine Sanctuary System, whales, whale research, and whaling heritage. Kids can even create their own whale hat.

The ship and dockside exhibition will be open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. each day, with the last boarding of the ship to take place at 4 p.m. Admission is free.

Additionally, organizations along Boston’s waterfront, including the USS Constitution Museum and the Boston National Historic Park, will be hosting a festival of events to celebrate the Morgan’s stay. Port sponsors for the Morgan’s visit to Boston are Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and Walsh Brothers Construction, which uncovered oak timbers buried in the Charlestown Navy Yard and subsequently used in the Morgan’s restoration.

For details on public activities during the Morgan’s visit to Boston, please visit the National Park Service website.

The Morgan is scheduled to continue her 38th Voyage on July 23. The ship will make its way south through the Cape Cod Canal to tie up at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. It will be open to the public from July 26-27 as part of the centennial celebration of the opening of the canal in 1914.

The Mystic Seaport dockside exhibition is funded in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).

Downloadable Media:

High resolution photos and broadcast-quality HD video of the ship’s activities on the 38th Voyage are available for download and use by news media. Downloads can be accessed on the Mystic Seaport press page

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 the NEH
National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the human endeavor. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities. www.neh.gov

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/.

Ship Carries Message of Conservation and Education to Historic Whaling Grounds

Provincetown, Mass. (July 11, 2014) — Nearly 100 years after its last voyage, the whaleship Charles W. Morgan returned to sail among whales during a visit to the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, one of the world’s premier whale watching sites. On a day sail out of Provincetown, Mass. on Friday, July 11, the ship encountered humpback whales on the sanctuary.

In company with the sanctuary’s research vessel Auk, the Morgan lowered a whaleboat to pursue whales in a gesture to symbolize the change in humankind’s relationship with the oceans and marine mammals.

The Morgan, a National Historic Landmark built in 1841, is the last of an American whaling fleet that numbered more than 2,700 vessels and is the flagship of the watercraft collection at Mystic Seaport, the nation’s leading maritime museum located in Mystic, Connecticut.

The Morgan is on its first sailing voyage since 1921. Over an 80-year whaling career, the Morgan sailed on 37 voyages to the remote corners of the globe. During this historic 38th voyage to ports across southern New England, the ship is spending several days from July 11-13 visiting the sanctuary. While there, the Morgan crew is teaming with the National Marine Sanctuaries staff to conduct outreach activities highlighting the sanctuary’s role in whale conservation and ocean research.

The public is able to follow the Morgan’s visit to the sanctuary on OceansLIVE (http://www.OceansLIVE.org), which broadcast from the vessel and other locations, offering interviews and commentary with historians, scientists, authors and artists discussing the shift from whaling to watching in New England.

Stretching between Cape Ann and Cape Cod, offshore of Massachusetts, Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary is a critical feeding and nursery ground for several whale and dolphin species, including the endangered humpback, North Atlantic right, sei and fin whales.

The sanctuary is a center for whale watching in New England. Ongoing research at the sanctuary is focused on better understanding whale behavior so as to reduce whale mortality caused by entanglement in commercial fishing gear and ship strikes. Human-induced sources of underwater noise and their potential impacts on marine animals are also topics of substantial concern among scientists.

The Morgan will continue to sail in the sanctuary on Saturday and Sunday, July 12-13.

Downloadable Media

High-definition video and still images are available for download on the Mystic Seaport press page.

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, 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, Conn. Admission is $24 for adults and $15 for children ages 6-17. Museum members and children five-years-old and under are admitted free. For more information, please visit https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/.

About Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary
Designated in 1992, Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, encompasses 842 square miles of ocean, stretching between Cape Ann and Cape Cod offshore of Massachusetts. Renowned for its remarkable productivity, the sanctuary also is a top destination for whale watching.