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OceanX Signs MOU with Mystic Seaport Museum

Global ocean exploration nonprofit OceanX and Mystic Seaport Museum have announced a memorandum of understanding with one another that will open discussions about collaboration on programming, educational opportunities, exhibitions, and more.

Mystic Seaport Museum is working to develop opportunities to convene decision makers for discussions and develop programming that underscores the importance of the blue economy and blue technology to the economies of Connecticut, the region, and the world. OceanX, with its advanced research capabilities and immersive educational experiences, is well-positioned to work with Mystic Seaport Museum to develop and participate in programming that reinforces the importance of ocean research, technology, and education.

“The opportunities for collaboration between OceanX and Mystic Seaport Museum are immense. With our shared focus on opportunities around the blue economy and blue technology, we have the potential to convene important discussions and excite the region about the potential of these fields, ” said Vincent Pieribone, Co-CEO of OceanX. “We hope that this collaboration can create solutions, excitement, and deeper understanding of the value of ocean research in Connecticut and beyond.”

“As Mystic Seaport Museum looks toward what the future of “maritime” engagement looks like in the 21st century, we recognize the importance for the institution to incorporate blue economy and blue technology advances into our narrative, education, collections, and programs. We believe it is the responsibility of Mystic Seaport Museum to keep the local and broader communities informed and interested in new solutions and opportunities around ocean management from a maritime perspective.” stated Christina Connett Brophy, Senior Vice President of Mystic Seaport Museum. “This collaboration will help us articulate actions to achieve our common goals and cultivate meaningful solutions that both leverage and preserve ocean resources.”

The collaboration between OceanX and Mystic Seaport Museum underscores both parties’ commitment to driving positive change and innovation in ocean science, storytelling, and a sustainable blue economy. Through their collaboration, both parties aim to make a meaningful impact on the environment and society as a whole.

About Mystic Seaport Museum
Mystic Seaport Museum is the nation’s leading maritime Museum. Founded in 1929 to gather and preserve the rapidly disappearing artifacts of America’s seafaring past, the Museum has grown to become a national center for research and education with the mission to “inspire an enduring connection to the American maritime experience.” The Museum’s grounds cover 19 acres on the Mystic River in Mystic, Connecticut, and include a recreated New England coastal village, a working shipyard, formal exhibit halls, and state-of-the-art artifact storage facilities. The Museum is home to more than 500 historic watercraft, including four National Historic Landmark vessels, most notably the 1841 whaleship Charles W. Morgan. For more information, please visit mysticseaport.org and follow the Museum on Facebook, X, YouTube, and Instagram.

About OceanX
OceanX is a mission to support scientists to explore the ocean and to bring it back to the world through captivating media. Uniting leading media, science, and philanthropy partners, OceanX utilizes next-gen technology, fearless science, compelling storytelling, and immersive experiences to educate, inspire, and connect the world with the ocean and build a global community deeply engaged with understanding, enjoying, and protecting our oceans. OceanX is an operating program of Dalio Philanthropies, which furthers the diverse philanthropic interests of Dalio family members. For more information, visit www.oceanx.org and follow OceanX on Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok and LinkedIn.

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A new major exhibition at Mystic Seaport Museum, “Entwined: Freedom, Sovereignty, and the Sea”

First Edition Eliot Bible, New and Old Testament, 1663. Published by Samuel Green, Cambridge, MA. A rare copy of the 1663 bible. Courtesy of the Collection of Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center. Photo courtesy of Mystic Seaport Museum, Joe Michael.

Mystic Seaport Museum is pleased to present Entwined: Freedom, Sovereignty, and the Sea, an exhibition that surveys the interplay of maritime histories through Indigenous, African, and African-descended worldviews. Opening on April 20, 2024 and on view until Spring 2026, the exhibition will examine the twelve millennia of Black and Indigenous history through objects and loaned belongings from Indigenous and African communities dating back 2,500 years, including a selection of 22 contemporary artworks. Entwined will be the first exhibition by Akeia de Barros Gomes, Senior Curator of Maritime Social Histories at the Museum, and is the culmination of a three-year initiative supported by the Mellon Foundation to re-examine regional museum collections through a contemporary lens. Entwined will be accessible to Black and Indigenous community contributors to the exhibition for a month prior to the official opening. 

Entwined celebrates the survival of the indigenous cultures on two continents over thousands of years and a shared connection of Indigenous Africans and Indigenous Americans to the Atlantic” shared de Barros Gomes. “This exhibition explores stories under a contemporary cultural umbrella from creation through periods of interruption and trauma to the modern traditional expressions of how we continue to thrive.” 

The earliest belonging (object) on view in Entwined dates to over 2,500 years ago, a time when both sub-Saharan Africa and the Dawnland—the name for New England among Indigenous nations in the Northeast—were centers of flourishing civilizations and cultural diversity. During this era, African societies were marked by advanced trade networks and the development of sophisticated art and craftsmanship. Meanwhile, Indigenous communities in the Dawnland maintained extensive trade networks and a deep connection with their environment, producing sophisticated artwork, spiritual belongings, and tools that reflected their ties to nature. Overseas migration—both forced, and increasingly during the era of whaling, free—brought people from the coast of Africa into contact with Indigenous communities in New England. These encounters initiated a complex intersection of social identity and shared struggle related to colonial displacement, but also a recognition of common expertise in navigating and utilizing the resources of the ocean.  

At Mystic Seaport Museum, Entwined expands upon this history to highlight the various oceanic spiritual, social, and technological threads that exist between Black and Indigenous communities on both sides of the Atlantic that continue to resonate and confront us today. Central to the exhibition is a canoe commissioned by Mystic Seaport Museum and built collaboratively by four contemporary artists: two of African descent, Sika Foyer (Togo) and Alvin Ashiatey (Ghana); and two of Native American descent, Hartman Deetz (Mashpee Wampanoag) and Gary Carter Jr. (Mashantucket Pequot). The canoe, which is both a traditional and contemporary piece of art was created in a “dugout” tradition, a process by which the wood is hollowed out by burning and then polished, which has been the way of fashioning canoes for various African and Indigenous communities for thousands of years. This shared method of craftsmanship highlights an incredible commonality between African and Indigenous peoples’ relationship to the sea that long predates European contact.  

Entwined will reveal the foundation of Black and Indigenous maritime cultures through historical artwork and belongings that outline the respective histories and traditions associated with African and Indigenous cultures’ relationship to the ocean. The Indigenous belongings include artworks on loan from Indigenous nations and individuals such as fishing decoys, beads, and a water drum. A second thematic guiding force of the exhibition, and the oldest belonging on view, is an Aboriginal Cooking Pot ca. 500 BCE. underscoring a method of shell tempering that is common to both the Dawnland and African continent. Another object loaned to the Museum by the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center is a first edition Eliot Bible, translated and printed by a Nipmuc man named Wowaus (later known as James Printer). Raised as a Christian, he was introduced to the missionary John Eliot and became one of several Indigenous men who contributed to the translation of the Eliot Bible. While initially translated into the Algonquian dialect-N as a tool for Europeans to Christianize Native Americans, the Eliot Bible was used 350 years later by Northeast Indigenous communities as reference materials to relearn and reclaim endangered Algonquian languages.   

The exhibition also features a replication of a colonial attic typical of where Indigenous indentured servants and enslaved Africans were forced to live. A highlight among the belongings in this space is an 18th-century nkisi bundle originally discovered underneath a floorboard in the attic of the Wanton Lyman Hazard House, the oldest standing colonial house in Newport, Rhode Island. Minkisi (plural) are a collection of various objects such as shells, beads, and glass that were created to bridge the gap between the physical world and ancestors, maintain a connection to Africa, and provide protection and healing. The bundle is the only example surviving in New England. 

Continuing into the present day, Entwined will feature works that highlight contemporary Black and Indigenous reclaiming of freedom, sovereignty, and the sea. Painting and sculpture will be presented by Black and Indigenous artists based in the northeast United States, including Christian Gonçalves, Sherenté Mishitashin Harris, Sierra Henries, Elizabeth James Perry, Gail “White Hair Smiling” Rokotuibau, Robin Spears, Felandes Thames, Alison Wells, and Nafis White.  

The autonomy given through the whaling industry is explored in both Courtney M. Leonard’s BREACH: Logbook 15 / SCRIMSHAW STUDY #2 (2015) and Felandus Thames’s Wail on Whalers, a portrait of Amos Haskin (2024). Leonard referenced the history of Indigenous whaling pre-colonization with a ceramic sculpture of a whale tooth painted with red clay, while Thames presents a portrait homage to Amos Haskins, an Aquinnah Wampanoag master mariner. The Other Side of the Harbor (2013) by Alison Wells collages news clippings and references to the Underground Railroad in the free state whaling city of New Bedford. Applications of maritime culture on indigenous art are highlighted in Sierra Autumn Henries’s She Sings the Old Songs (2024), birch bark carving and wampum work paying tribute to generations of whalesong. Further works of water drums, traditional dance regalia, hair work, and jewelry were recently made to serve as a connection for future descendants to embrace and appreciate their historical narratives. These intertwined threads of history coalesce in the collaborative canoe to create a tapestry of shared experiences. 

Acknowledgments 

Entwined: Freedom, Sovereignty, and the Sea is generously funded by the Just Futures Initiative of the Mellon Foundation as part of the Reimagining New England Histories project. 

Mystic Seaport Museum also gratefully acknowledges our project partners, Brown University and Williams College, and our community advisors whose collective voices, knowledge, creativity, and wisdom are foregrounded in this exhibition. 

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Mystic Seaport Museum Pirate Days returns April 9–10

Mystic Seaport Museum is pleased to announce the return of Pirate Days, taking place on April 9–10. This exciting two-day event guarantees outdoor fun for the whole family, with a wide range of activities and entertainment.

Attendees will have the opportunity to embark on a treasure hunt adventure throughout the Seaport Village. Equipped with a treasure hunting kit, participants will follow clues on the pirate map to discover hidden loot, along the way meeting friendly pirates and enjoy captivating performances. Pirate-themed games, crafts, and activities will also be available. Visitors are encouraged to dress the part and join in the pirate parade on the Village Green.

Admission to Pirate Days is included with General Admission for non-members, while Members enjoy free entry. A pirate kit is available for an additional $8 per participant (free for Members). The kit includes a treasure hunt, pirate accessories, and access to the final prize.

Additional activities include:

  • Games on the McGraw Gallery Quad 
  • Theatrical performances on the Performance Stage
  • Pirate crafts in the Toy Boat Workshop 
  • A cannon firing drill at Middle Wharf 
  • Pirate story time in the Funk Children’s Museum
  • Pirate musical performance on the Performance Stage
  • “High Seas” planetarium shows at Treworgy Planetarium (Admission $8, Members $5, children 5 and younger are free)

To learn more and see a full list of activities and times visit www.mysticseaport.org.

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Mystic Seaport Museum Named “Business of the Year” by Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut

Mystic Seaport Museum proudly announces its recognition as Business of the Year in the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut’s Annual ECTy Awards. The ECTy Awards honor excellence in community engagement, innovation, customer service, and business best practices. Through the nomination process, the Museum demonstrated its commitment to community involvement, support, and collaboration; the preservation of skills in Connecticut; and innovative, green and otherwise progressive business practices delivered through world class exhibitions, educational programming, and global partnerships. 

Mystic Seaport Museum will be honored at the Chamber’s Annual Meeting and Awards Celebration, on Wednesday, March 27, at the Mystic Marriott Hotel & Spa. This is the Chamber’s premier membership gathering and will be an evening of celebration and recognition. 

“We are grateful to the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut for this honor in being named Business of the Year in the esteemed ECTy Awards. Congratulations to all the winners, who through our collective work are supporting the growth and development of our region and Connecticut as a whole,” expressed Sophia Matsas, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at the Museum. 

To learn more about the event and purchase tickets to support the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut, visit here.

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Museum Announces Osman Can Yerebakan as Inaugural “Find your Sea Story” Writer In Residence

Mystic Seaport Museum is pleased to announce the launch of its Writer-in-Residence program. The annual, invitational residency correlates with the Museum’s “Find Your Sea Story” campaign, developed to encourage its audiences to reflect upon their own heritage and histories in connection to the ocean and its culture. Osman Can Yerebakan (who has been published in The New York Times, BOMB Magazine, The Financial Times, The Art Newspaper, among other cultural outlets) will be the inaugural writer in residence. During the week-long residency in April 2024, in addition to connecting with the Museum staff and communities they serve, Yerebakan will have the opportunity to explore the Museum’s permanent installations, including the working shipyard, historic village, floating vessel exhibits, and the indoor rotating exhibition galleries.

“Our mission is to inspire an enduring connection to the American maritime experience. Through this residency, we hope that Osman and future writers in residence will discover their sea story by connecting more deeply with the Museum. We believe that this path of self-discovery will help to unveil a greater purpose and reveal that the sea connects us all,” says Sophia Matsas, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at the Museum.

The Writer-in-Residence program includes domestic transport, accommodation, and a food stipend. Yerebakan will receive access to the Museum’s impressive collection of over 500 historic vessels in the Henry B. du Pont Preservation Shipyard and Wells Boat Hall, the Museum’s Collections Research Center (CRC), the G. W. Blunt White Library, and the recreated seaport village. He will also have access to the exhibitions on view: Alexis Rockman: Oceanus, an exhibition of newly-commissioned paintings addressing climate change and extinction; Spineless: A Glass Menagerie of Blaschka Marine Invertebrates, a collection of glass models, specimens, and archival materials following the intriguing story of father and son glassmakers Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka; and Entwined: Freedom, Sovereignty, and the Sea, a forthcoming major Spring exhibition centering maritime histories in Indigenous, African, and African American worldviews and experiences. While in Mystic, Yerebakan will write a feature article drawn from his experiences to be published in the Museum’s Spring 2024 magazine and will also be at liberty to publish work in other media outlets.

“As a Mediterranean living in New York, I am thrilled for the opportunity to imagine my own route over thousands of aquatic miles, through the power of words,” shared Yerebakan. “The collection of Mystic Seaport Museum which is one of its kind in the US promises unparalleled connections to outline between human perseverance and curiosity. I am excited to explore many narratives innate to drift which has been a major force for civilizations for transformative or dismal reasons. Seeing the Museum’s archives and exhibitions through my own journey will be an experience to always remember.”

Yerebakan is a New York-based art writer and curator. His writing has appeared in Financial Times, GQ, Artforum, The New York Times: T: The New York Times Style Magazine, New York magazine, The Guardian, BOMB, The Art Newspaper, Artsy, Artnet, ARTnews, Airmail, and Architectural Digest. He has written for several artist catalogs and is on the curatorial committee for the upcoming edition of Future Fair. He co-edited the Art & Style list of Forbes 30 Under 30, 2024. He will organize a group exhibition on masculinity for MoCA Westport in Connecticut later this year.

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Mystic Seaport Museum named #2 Best Open Air Museum by USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Award!

Mystic, Conn. (February 26, 2024) – Mystic Seaport Museum proudly announces its second place position in the Best Open Air Museum category of the 2024 USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice awards out of twenty exceptional open air museums featured in the competition. The top ten winners were officially announced on Friday, February 23.

“This acknowledgment of Mystic Seaport Museum by an expert panel and the public, underscores the institution’s unwavering commitment to preserving maritime heritage and captivating audiences with immersive experiences,” says Museum President and CEO, Peter Armstrong.

Nominees were selected by an expert panel comprised of editors from USA TODAY and 10Best.com, as well as contributors and sources from Gannett brands. Votes were cast in each category over a four-week period starting in January on the 10Best.com website. A sincere thank you to USA TODAY, 10Best, and all the contributors for including the Museum in this year’s nomination.

Mystic Seaport Museum extends our heartfelt gratitude to the dedicated supporters and voters who contributed to this achievement, reinforcing our position as a destination for cultural enrichment and maritime exploration. Congratulations to all the open air museums: 1st place winner Plimoth Patuxet Museums, Oconaluftee Indian Village, National Museum of Transportation, Jamestown Settlement, Strawbery Banke Museum, Colonial Williamsburg, Conner Prairie, Hagley Museum and Library, and Fort Monroe.

Visit here to see the complete list of winners and their ranking.

Learn more about USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards here.

About Mystic Seaport Museum

Mystic Seaport Museum is the nation’s leading maritime Museum. Founded in 1929 to gather and preserve the rapidly disappearing artifacts of America’s seafaring past, the Museum has grown to become a national center for research and education with the mission to “inspire an enduring connection to the American maritime experience.” The Museum’s grounds cover 19 acres on the Mystic River in Mystic, Connecticut, and include a recreated New England coastal village, a working shipyard, formal exhibit halls, and state-of-the-art artifact storage facilities. The Museum is home to more than 500 historic watercraft, including four National Historic Landmark vessels, most notably the 1841 whaleship Charles W. Morgan. For more information, please visit mysticseaport.org and follow the Museum on FacebookXYouTube, and Instagram.

About USA Today

USA TODAY is a multi-platform news and information media company. Founded in 1982, USA TODAY’s mission is to serve as a forum for better understanding and unity to help make the USA truly one nation. Through its unique visual storytelling, USA TODAY delivers high-quality and engaging content across print, digital, social and video platforms. An innovator of news and information, USA TODAY reflects the pulse of the nation and serves as the host of the American conversation — today, tomorrow and for decades to follow. USA TODAY, the nation’s number one newspaper in print circulation with an average of more than 1.6 million daily, and USATODAY.com, an award-winning newspaper website launched in 1995, reach a combined 6.6 million readers daily. USA TODAY is a leader in mobile applications with more than 16 million downloads on mobile devices. USA TODAY is owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI).

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Sailors Ditty Box Returned to Antarctica for Historic Anniversary

Suzana Machado D’Oliveira, Expedition Director, Abercrombie & Kent and Alexander Bulazel, Trustee, Mystic Seaport Museum, Mystic, Connecticut  (Photo credit: Christopher Ian McGregor)

Two hundred and three years ago Captain Nathaniel B. Palmer, American seal hunter, explorer, sailing captain, and ship designer sailed down to Marguerite Bay below the Antarctic Circle to discover what became known as Stonington Island, named after Palmer’s hometown of Stonington, Connecticut. The Island would eventually accommodate US and British Antarctic bases. This voyage was Palmer’s farthest point south during his historic explorations of the continent from 1819 to 1831. In 1820 Palmer was credited with the sighting of the Antarctic mainland peninsula from a hilltop on Deception Island while anchored in Whalers Bay. A portion of the peninsula now bears the name Palmer Land. 

Sailors ditty box from Palmer’s 1820 voyage.

A ditty box from the Mystic-built sloop Hero, sailed by Palmer to Deception Island, is part of the Mystic Seaport Museum collections and is the oldest known artifact to exist from the Antarctic age of discovery, along with Palmer’s logbook housed in the Library of Congress. This 7″ x 3″ wooden ditty box from Hero was donated to the Museum in 1950. It is ornately carved and has the inscription, “L.B. Stonington Slp. Hero.” It is believed that the L. B. likely stands for Stanton L. Burdick a 17-year-old crew member who sailed with Palmer in the 1819-20 season to Deception Island and again in 1821.

Mystic Seaport Museum celebrated the bicentennial anniversary of Palmer’s sighting of the Antarctic mainland with the return of the ditty box to Deception Island’s Whalers Bay in January 2020, months ahead of the 200th anniversary. In 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic prevented the second historic bicentennial celebration of Captain Palmer’s farthest drive south to Stonington Island, Antarctica, for Mystic Seaport Museum and the community of Stonington, Connecticut; however, on January 25 of this year Alexander Bulazel, Trustee and Chair of the Exhibitions Committee for Mystic Seaport Museum, in association with luxury travel company Abercrombie & Kent, once again returned the ditty box to Stonington Island, Antarctica, for the historic anniversary celebration of Palmer’s exploratory voyage over two hundred and three years ago. 

News about the 2020 return of the ditty box to Deception Island can be read at https://mysticseaport.org/news/sailors-ditty-box-returns-to-antarctica-200-years-later/. 

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Wintertide Returns to Mystic Seaport Museum Presidents’ Day Weekend, February 17-19

A Three-Day Celebration of Winter Magic, Reindeer Encounters, Ice Sculptures, and Family Fun

Mystic, Conn. (January 22, 2024) – Immerse yourself in the frosty festivities of Wintertide at Mystic Seaport Museum, a three-day celebration of the great outdoors in picturesque New England.

From February 17 through February 19, visitors of all ages are invited to revel in an enchanting journey featuring many activities stationed throughout the Museum.

Meet real-life reindeer and winter working dogs, marvel at the skill of an ice sculptor as he transforms blocks of ice into playable games, indulge in hot cocoa and s’mores from Schaefer’s Spouter Tavern, and immerse yourself in striking exhibitions such as “Alexis Rockman: Oceanus” and “Spineless: A Glass Menagerie of Blaschka Marine Invertebrates,” showcasing the beauty and diversity of our oceans as well as the critical global issues that face them.

This event is perfect for the entire family, with fun activities including games, crafts, a bounce house, and kid-friendly live music, ensuring a joyful experience for every family member. The Treworgy Planetarium will be open, providing visitors with the opportunity to warm up and be captivated by awe-inspiring shows that transport them to the wonders of the universe.

Whether chilling on the waterfront or warming up next to a crackling fire, Wintertide at Mystic Seaport Museum promises to create cherished memories that will last a lifetime. So, come and shake off that cabin fever and embrace the frosty fun.

Event Details

Dates: President’s Day Weekend, February 17–19

Time: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Ticket Prices:

$23 Adult

$18 Youth

Tickets are good for all 3 days of the event and available here.

Members: Free (membership details available here)

About Mystic Seaport Museum

Mystic Seaport Museum is the nation’s leading maritime Museum. Founded in 1929 to gather and preserve the rapidly disappearing artifacts of America’s seafaring past, the Museum has grown to become a national center for research and education with the mission to “inspire an enduring connection to the American maritime experience.” The Museum’s grounds cover 19 acres on the Mystic River in Mystic, Connecticut, and include a recreated New England coastal village, a working shipyard, formal exhibit halls, and state-of-the-art artifact storage facilities. The Museum is home to more than 500 historic watercraft, including four National Historic Landmark vessels, most notably the 1841 whaleship CHARLES W. MORGAN. For more information, please visit mysticseaport.org and follow the Museum on FacebookXYouTube, and Instagram.

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Mystic Seaport Museum Receives $296,300 Grant from the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation to Propel Long Island Collections Cataloging and Digitization Project

Mystic, Conn. (January 4, 2023) – Mystic Seaport Museum has been awarded a $296,300 grant from the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation to support a comprehensive cataloging and digitization project for its Long Island Collections. This initiative will facilitate hiring two full-time, temporary positions: a Project Curator and a Project Cataloger for Long Island Collections. Additionally, the funding will enable collaboration with an external web developer.

“The Museum is honored to receive this very generous grant award from the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation,” said Peter Armstrong, President of Mystic Seaport Museum. “We are excited to begin mining our collections for hidden content associated with the history of Long Island for the benefit of researchers and others interested in this heritage.”

The Museum’s proximity to Long Island and its dedication to collection preservation positions it as an excellent partner in promoting Suffolk County’s heritage. The project’s priorities include surveying existing holdings, identifying relevant materials, and digitizing selected objects, images, and archival material across all collections. It also involves improving catalog records, enhancing searchability through metadata tags for Long Island towns, and creating a dedicated website as a centralized resource for exploring Long Island’s history.

A crucial part of the project is building relationships with external organizations with Long Island holdings. The long-term vision is to develop the Long Island Collections website into an aggregator of images and information from various historical institutions.

The project will be based in the Museum’s 40,000 sq. ft. Collections Research Center (CRC), which has cataloging, digitization, and preservation facilities. Established in 2000 and expanded in 2006, the CRC consolidates collections and administrative functions under one roof, ensuring secure and environmentally sound storage.

“Mystic Seaport Museum’s vast collection of art, artifacts, and archives is a treasure trove for Long Island historic research. It is the vision of the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation to make collections relevant to our regional history accessible to all,” said Kathryn Curran, Executive Director of the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation.

About The Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation

The Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation, established in 1987, primarily supports the study of Long Island history and its role in the American experience. The Foundation’s philanthropy is inspired by Robert David Lion Gardiner’s personal passion for New York history. For more information, please visit www.rdlgfoundation.org.

About Mystic Seaport Museum

Mystic Seaport Museum is the nation’s leading maritime Museum. Founded in 1929 to gather and preserve the rapidly disappearing artifacts of America’s seafaring past, the Museum has grown to become a national center for research and education with the mission to “inspire an enduring connection to the American maritime experience.” The Museum’s grounds cover 19 acres on the Mystic River in Mystic, Connecticut, and include a recreated New England coastal village, a working shipyard, formal exhibit halls, and state-of-the-art artifact storage facilities. The Museum is home to more than 500 historic watercraft, including four National Historic Landmark vessels, most notably the 1841 whaleship CHARLES W. MORGAN. For more information, please visit mysticseaport.org and follow the Museum on FacebookXYouTube, and Instagram.

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Journey through time celebrating holiday traditions of past and present during Lantern Light Village at Mystic Seaport Museum

Mystic, Conn. (November 15, 2023) – Mystic Seaport Museum is excited to bring back Lantern Light Village this December. This is an outdoor, self-guided experience allowing visitors to travel between modern day and 19th-century holiday seasons. Lantern Light Village promises to be a memorable outing featuring lighting displays, live music, horse and carriage rides, fireside gatherings, a visit from St. Nicholas, and a variety of holiday-themed activities including stories, crafts, and games.

A new theatrical event, “Holiday Heirlooms,” will tell the story of the Noyes family and explore how their Christmas traditions changed over several decades between 1851 and 1893. Various locations across our 19th-century seaport village will serve as the backdrop for the theatrical performances, further allowing our visitors to become part of the story by partaking in a 19th-century dance, hearing songs of Christmases past, and sharing in the family’s Christmas holiday.

Each evening will feature live chantey music in the village along with music by local choirs, including: 

  • Stonington High School Chamber Choir – December 8, 9, & 23 
  • Stonington Madrigal Singers – December 15 & 16 
  • CT Yuletide Carolers – December 21 & 22 

This experience takes place predominantly outdoors, regardless of weather conditions. Therefore, it is advised to dress in attire that will keep you warm and dry to fully enjoy the experience.  

Some areas of the campus are illuminated solely by the soft glow of kerosene lanterns, which enhances the 19th-century ambiance. Visitors can bring a personal light source, such as a flashlight or headlamp, for added convenience. Please be aware that pets, except for service animals, are not permitted on the grounds during this event due to the presence of horses.  

Lantern Light Village will be held on Dec. 8, 9, 15, 16, 21, 22 and 23 from 5 – 8 p.m. each evening. 

Admission prices for this event are as follows:

Adult (Ages 13 and up) $29, Members $24

Youth (Ages 4-12) $24, Members $19

Ages up to 3 are free

To learn more and purchase tickets, visit here. 

About Mystic Seaport Museum

Mystic Seaport Museum is the nation’s leading maritime Museum. Founded in 1929 to gather and preserve the rapidly disappearing artifacts of America’s seafaring past, the Museum has grown to become a national center for research and education with the mission to “inspire an enduring connection to the American maritime experience.” The Museum’s grounds cover 19 acres on the Mystic River in Mystic, CT, and include a recreated New England coastal village, a working shipyard, formal exhibit halls, and state-of-the-art artifact storage facilities. The Museum is home to more than 500 historic watercraft, including four National Historic Landmark vessels, most notably the 1841 whaleship Charles W. Morgan. For more information, please visit mysticseaport.org and follow the Museum on FacebookTwitterYouTube, and Instagram.

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