Category: Press Releases

Museum Reopens to Visitors with Free Admission for Children February 14-22

Mystic, Conn. (February 5, 2015) – Mystic Seaport celebrates its reopening on Presidents Day Weekend with Winter’s Aweigh beginning Saturday, February 14. Children ages 17 and under will be admitted for free when accompanied by a paying adult.

A special feature this year is the reproduction ship Mayflower II, which is being restored in the Museum’s Shipyard. Visitors can view the ship and go on board and imagine what it was like for the Pilgrims to cross the Atlantic in 1620.

Visitors can also explore the Museum’s 19th-century seafaring village, historic vessels, and maritime exhibits, and take in a Planetarium show.

Special children’s activities include arts and craft projects, building an igloo out of recycled milk jugs, storytelling, songs and musical activities, and outdoor games. Children are invited to build a toy boat keepsake, stop by the Children’s Museum for story time, explore a sea chest, and get a kids’-eye view of the 1841 whaleship Charles W. Morgan.

Winter working dogs will be on hand for demonstrations during the weekend. Newfoundlands will visit Saturday, February 14; St. Bernards will be on grounds Sunday, February 15; and Malamutes will visit Monday, February 16. The dogs will be on hand between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

The children’s free admission offer at Mystic Seaport continues all week and is valid February 14-22. The offer is not transferable and no other discounts apply. The Museum is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.

For more information on hours and ticketing, please visit mysticseaport.org/visit.

Image for Download: Mayflower II in the Mystic Seaport Shipyard. Credit: Andy Price/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, America’s oldest commercial ship and the last wooden whaleship in the world. Mystic Seaport is located one mile south of Exit 90 off I-95 in Mystic, CT. Admission is $25 for adults and $15 for children ages 6-17. Museum members and children 5 and younger are admitted free. For more information, please visit https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/ and follow Mystic Seaport on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Mystic, Conn. (January 15, 2015) – Mystic Seaport announces a gift of $1 million from the Thompson Family Foundation honoring the late Wade Thompson, a Museum trustee for 27 years. This gift directed to a new 14,000 square-foot exhibition building caps an earlier gift from the Thompsons, bringing their total gifts towards this building to $6.6 million. The new building will be named for the Thompson family.

“From early on in the strategic planning process Wade Thompson was the driving force behind the concept of a new exhibition space and its importance for the future of the Museum, and his generosity and leadership have made this project possible,” said Mystic Seaport President Steve White.

The gift was announced at a groundbreaking ceremony at Mystic Seaport on January 8.

The contemporary, light-filled Thompson Exhibition Building will include a state-of-the-art, 5,000 square-foot exhibit hall. This will be the largest among Mystic Seaport’s seven galleries and will provide the caliber of conditions required to curate not only exhibits from the Museum’s collection, but also permit the borrowing of outstanding art and artifacts from other museums around the world. This flexible space will feature high ceilings and demountable walls that can be reconfigured to accommodate objects of varying size and type, from watercraft to priceless works of fine art, and also support educational programming. The building will integrate cutting-edge technology, “Grade A” exhibit facilities, and the flexible space needed to showcase the Museum’s collection in exciting ways.

“This significant capital project is a milestone in the history of Mystic Seaport as we reposition ourselves for the 21st century. This endeavor will transform what we can offer to the public in the scale and quality of our exhibits and how visitors engage with our campus,” said Mystic Seaport Board Chairman Barclay Collins.

Situated at the northern-most edge of the Museum’s 19-acre campus and adjacent to Latitude 41° Restaurant & Tavern, the Thompson Exhibition Building will anchor the newly created Gallery Quadrangle, a region of Mystic Seaport that will be suitable for year-round visitation once complete. Designed by the Connecticut firm Centerbrook Architects and Planners, the Thompson Exhibition Building will evoke the “geometry of the sea,” drawing design cues from the interior of a wooden ship, the undulating sea, and a spiraling nautilus shell. Construction will be managed by A/Z Corporation of North Stonington, CT.  Other Connecticut firms involved in the project are Stadia Engineering, Kohler Ronan, and Kent + Frost Landscape Architects of Mystic.

The Gallery Quadrangle transformation is the result of a decade of strategic and master planning, and will provide:

• An iconic point of arrival at the north end of the campus
• All-weather and all-season operational capabilities
• Sweeping, unobstructed views of the Mystic River
• Outdoor celebration areas for both Museum and community use
• 21st-century upgrades and improved access to existing galleries around the quadrangle’s perimeter, including those in the Stillman and R. J. Schaefer buildings
• Environmentally responsible features that respond to the riverfront location, including a storm water treatment system and geothermal heating and cooling
• Increased wheeled accessibility for the north campus
• Galleries and venues suitable for schools’ year-round educational visits

To create this new all-season zone, Kent + Frost has developed a distinctive unifying plan to reconfigure the grounds. To establish a powerful physical presence, and emerge as a year-round cultural destination and educational resource, the distinctive Gallery Quadrangle meshes existing buildings and grounds with new architectural achievements to greatly enhance the visitor experience.

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 $25 for adults and $16 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. (December 14, 2014)—The historic ship Mayflower II arrived at Mystic Seaport today after being towed from Plymouth, Mass. The journey was made so the ship could undergo a restoration in the Museum’s Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard.

Restoration work will begin this month, honoring Mayflower II‘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 57-year-old wooden ship. Plimoth Plantation recently 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 which will follow 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 Charles W. Morgan, the USS Constitution, and the USS Constellation. Stone and iron ballast will be completely removed for the first time since the ship’s construction 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.

Throughout the restoration the public will have the opportunity to view the ship during the Museum’s operating hours, and the plan is to permit people to board the ship on land beginning February 14, 2015.

If repairs go as planned, Mayflower II is expected to return to Plymouth in May, 2015. The restoration of the 57-year-old wooden ship will be carried out over several years with the ship spending winter and spring at Mystic Seaport and returning to Plymouth each summer and fall. The project is scheduled for completion prior to 2020–the 400th anniversary of the Pilgrims’ arrival.

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. 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.

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Free Admission with Donation of a Non-Perishable Food Item

Mystic, Conn. (December 11, 2014) – The annual Community Carol Sing at Mystic Seaport will be held Sunday, December 21. The Museum will be open to visitors from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and admission is free with the donation of a non-perishable food item or cash donation. All contributions will be donated to and distributed by the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center.

The Mystic Seaport Carolers will perform a holiday concert in the Greenmanville Church at 2 p.m. The Carol Sing will commence at Anchor Circle at 3 p.m. led by choral director Jamie Spillane and backed by the Museum Carolers and a brass quartet.

The Treworgy Planetarium will present “The Star of Bethlehem” at 11 a.m., 1 and 2 p.m. The free program explores the winter skies, merging science, mythology, religious observance, winter traditions and music.

Additionally, visitors will have the opportunity to view the Mayflower II in the Museum’s shipyard, where she will be undergoing the first stages of an extensive restoration. The Plimoth Plantation ship will be at Mystic Seaport through the spring and will be open for visitors to board in the New Year.

For more information, visit mysticseaport.org/carolsing.

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/.

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.