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Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Museum

The Whaling Museum and Education Center in Cold Spring Harbor has announced the schedule for its Beyond the Book fall workshops which will include an Author Talk by Kerriann Flanagan Brosky, author of Haunted Long Island Mysteries.  

Beyond the Book workshops invite participants to dive into hand-selected books by museum educators who will explore stories and history related to the museum’s collections for a truly unique experience. Each session includes a close look at artifacts, many of which are not on exhibit, discussion questions that invite participants to make personal connections, and light snacks and drinks to enjoy while chatting.

The first session takes place on Tuesday, Sept. 26 at 6:30 p.m. and covers The Apparitionists: A Tale of Phantoms, Fraud, Photography, and the Man Who Captured Lincoln’s Ghost by Peter Manseau. Participants of this session will explore the intriguing history of Victorian-era spirit photography: supernatural ‘proof’ of ghosts which endured for decades and reflects the human desire to communicate beyond the physical. Historic photographs from the local Jones-Hewlett family will be on view for the group.

“Beyond the Book is one of my favorite programs. We have a regular group of dedicated readers. Discussions are interesting, engaging, and surprising! I love showing people objects from the collections to bring history into the present,” said Baylee Browning, Collections and Exhibit Associate at The Whaling Museum & Education Center who will host the September session.

The October session, held on Tuesday Oct. 17 at 6:30 p.m., is a special edition featuring award-winning author and historian, Kerriann Flanagan Brosky, above, along with medium/paranormal investigator Joe Giaquinto. Participants will be delighted with tales of their ghostly adventures which weave local history with the spiritual realm. They will discuss research and investigations behind the making of Haunted Long Island Mysteries, Brosky’s latest book. The lecture will include a PowerPoint presentation of the places they have visited and listening to EVP’s (Electronic Voice Phenomenon) along with fascinating Ghost Box recordings from their field investigations. Books will be available for purchase and signing following the presentation.

The November session will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 14 at 6:30 p.m. and covers The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder by David Grann. Participants will explore one of the most gripping true stories from the high seas where in 1742, a ramshackle vessel of patched-together wood and cloth washed up on the coast of Brazil. Inside were thirty emaciated men, barely alive, and they had an extraordinary tale to tell — later challenged by other survivors with shocking twists of disaster, mutiny, anarchy, and murder. With a story based on six years of research, armchair adventurers will enjoy shipbuilding tools from the museum’s collection on view to the group.

“It’s been so rewarding watching our community of readers grow over the months and develop genuine bonds with one another.  I can’t wait for this fall’s sessions!” said Brenna McCormick-Thompson, Curator of Education at the Whaling Museum.

Beyond the Book club sessions are free for museum members and patrons of the museum’s partner libraries, Huntington Public Library and South Huntington Public Library. All others may attend for $15 per session. Register online at www.cshwhalingmuseum.org/bookclub.

The Whaling Museum and Education Center is located at 301 Main Street in Cold Spring Harbor. For more information, call 631-367-3418.

 

Beyond the Book club members discuss 'In the Heart of the Sea' on March 23

The Whaling Museum & Education Center, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor  hosted its first session of Beyond the Book club on March 23. This month’s club read the book In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex by Nathanial Philbrick; however anyone that read this book, or anything related to the topic of the Essex including Moby Dick were invited to attend and participate.

Book club members gather around the museum’s whaleboat The Daisy

The club session hosted an audience of over a dozen people from the community including patrons of the Huntington and South Huntington Libraries who attend the club sessions for free through the book club’s partnership program. Upon registration, participants received a short video introducing the book and offering a discussion question to consider while reading.

Beyond the Book is more than a book club in that participants are invited to read the monthly text and then meet at the museum to dive deeper into the stories through connections with the museum’s collection. Book club meetings are led by museum educators to facilitate talks and share about museum artifacts that enhance discussions on the selected topic in literature and/or film. 

Brenna McCormick-Thompson, Curator of Education, The Whaling Museum & Education Center, shared feedback on the museum’s March book club session. “We used our collection to bring the past to life in a completely new and fun way. We got to gather around our historic whaleboat and imagine ourselves in the heart of the story. It was a great group discussion with everyone sharing different perspectives and highlighting parts of the book in new ways,” she said.

Members were invited to try hard tack crackers.

In addition to engaging with the museum’s artifacts, club goers were invited to taste test an authentic recipe for hard tack crackers, the whalers only food supply for months. The taste test table displayed the daily allotment of water and hard tack that the Essex crew needed to make their provisions last as long as possible.

The museum received positive comments from attendees through anonymous survey responses. One survey responder said their favorite part of the session was “… the combination of viewing of the whaleboat and other artifacts, along with the discussion of the book. The facilitator was great!” Another survey responder commented “Get the word out! You are a hidden gem!”

There are two sessions left— on April 27 and May 25—before the club breaks for the summer and then returns in the fall. Book club sessions are scheduled monthly on Thursday evenings at 6:30pm. Each meeting is approximately 1 hour long, and participants will enjoy coffee or tea and cookies while they chat about the text and make meaningful connections with the guidance of  the museum’s education staff.

On April 27 the book club will feature Under the Black Flag: The Romance and the Reality of Life Among the Pirates by David Cordingly which explores the golden age of piracy and the truth behind many pirate legends. The educator-led talk and discussion will highlight the life of Huntingtonian Enoch Conklin (1763-ca.1815) a privateer during the War of 1812 as well as a ship builder, sailor and captain. Artifacts relating to Conklin’s life will be showcased for participants to see and explore.

On May 25, the book club will feature Spying on Whales: The Past, Present, and Future of Earth’s Most Awesome Creatures by Nick Pyenson who unearths the incredible history of whales, from their small four-legged land ancestors to the ocean-dwelling giants we know today. In this session, the group will explore the biology of these creatures first-hand through the museum’s collection of bones and fossils. Discover the amazing adaptations that helps whales navigate their marine environment, while learning about modern threats to the future of these animals.

Beyond the Book club sessions are free for museum members and patrons of  the museum’s partner libraries. All others may attend for $15 per session. Registration is online at cshwhalingmuseum.org/bookclub. For more information, call 631-367-3418.

Photos courtesy of The Whaling Museum

The Whaling Museum &  Education Center will host its 2nd annual Golf Outing  fundraising event on Monday May 15 at The  Woodside Club in Syosset. New York Community Bank (NYCB) is the main event sponsor. This event is in support of the museum’s community education  programming.

“New York Community Bank, a division of Flagstar Bank, N.A., is proud to once again sponsor this year’s golf outing to raise funds for The Whaling Museum.  As a long-time member of the Board of Trustees, I feel that I am personally making a difference toward the future of the organization.  By supporting this event, you can also make a difference to ensure that The Whaling Museum can continue to serve the Long Island community and provide a critical link to its history,” said Thomas Cangemi, President, Chief Executive Officer, and a Director of New York Community Bancorp, Inc. and Flagstar Bank, N.A.

“So many Long Islanders have fond memories of visiting our museum. We want to keep our museum going strong for the current and next generation, and our Golf Outing is a crucial fundraiser toward the museum’s operations. We are deeply grateful to New York Community Bank and our many other generous supporters who show their  ongoing support of The Whaling Museum,”  said Nomi Dayan, Executive Director, The Whaling  Museum & Education Center. “This event supports the museum’s commitment to provide exhibitions inspired by Long Island’s extraordinary history and fulfill our role as a hub for community programs which foster creativity and critical  thinking.” 

The outing begins at 9 a.m. with 11 a.m. as the “Shotgun Start.” Throughout the day golfers can expect ongoing buffets, on-course contests, hole-in one prizes and gin tastings from Championz Gin. There will be a cocktail reception followed by a  dinner buffet for guests to enjoy. The museum has planned a variety of on course activities for golfers to enjoy throughout the day. 

With breakfast, golfers may partake in drinks served by Murph’s Famous Bloody Mary Bar. Prior  to hitting the course, golfers are invited to meet with Stretch Zone for professional stretching that  will get them safely ready for a round. Next, golfers can stop by the Golfer Giveaway Table for a  shopping spree where every golfer gets to choose their own giveaway. Throughout the day, the  museum will be showcasing an exclusive Raffle Table with excellent prizes donated by local  businesses and generous corporations. The purchase of raffle tickets directly supports the museum’s public programming.

Golfers of all player levels are invited to join the Museum for this exciting opportunity to support a unique cultural gem on Long Island. This event is a significant fundraiser for their  education and cultural events serving children’s programs and a variety of adult programs that explore the history of whaling and Long Island’s crucial relationship with the ocean environment. All funds raised will support community education programming for the museum.  

The cost to play as an individual golfer is $525 which includes meals throughout the day as well  as the cocktail reception and dinner. The cost for cocktail and dinner reception only is $195. There are many levels of sponsorship available as well as a “Big Whale Foursome” which includes a Tee Sign with company logo for $2,000.

Registration and sponsorships are available on the website at cshwhalingmuseum.org/golf or by  contacting Gina Van Bell, 631-367-3418 ext. 12 or at [email protected]

 

Photo from Whaling Museum of Cold Spring Harbor

The Whaling Museum & Education Center, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor has announced it will host a new book club beginning in February. Titled Beyond the Book, the book club will  dive deeper into stories through connections with the museum’s historic collections.

The Whaling Museum invites adults to read at home and then join us at the Museum for book club discussions and educator-led talks that use the museum’s collection to make meaningful connections to the texts. In addition, registrants will receive a brief video at the start of the month presenting a  discussion question and a highlight from the museum’s collection in relation to it. 

“History offers readers the opportunity to relive so many adventures, stories, and experiences. Our museum ‘s 6,000-item collection can help bring a deeper level of understanding and relatability about the past. We are excited to expand our ongoing partnerships with nearby libraries to increase adult programming for locals,” said Nomi Dayan, Executive Director of The Whaling Museum.

The debut session will take place on Thursday, Feb. 23 and features the book Whaling Captains of Color: America’s First Meritocracy by Skip Finley. In perfect timing with Black History Month and African American Read-In Month, this book provides a fascinating look into the lesser-known lives of African American whaling captains and is the perfect segue to the museum’s new special exhibit, From Sea to Shining Sea: Whalers of the African Diaspora. 

During the book club meeting a museum educator will guide the discussion and share special components of this exhibit relating to and expanding on the text from the book. 

On Thursday, March 23, Beyond the Book will feature In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick. This book details the loss of the whaleship Essex in 1820, the event which inspired the quintessential book Moby Dick. 

Readers are invited to get up close with the heart of this story by exploring the museum’s historic whaleboat — the only fully equipped whaling vessel with its original gear on display in New York — which truly brings the book’s theme to light. An educator-led talk and discussion will leave readers with a clear understanding of what it means to live on a whaleboat for weeks, even months at time.

On Thursday, April 27, the book club will feature Under the Black Flag: The Romance and the Reality of Life Among the Pirates by David Cordingly. This book explores the golden age of piracy and the truth behind many pirate legends. The educator-led talk and discussion will highlight the life of Huntingtonian Enoch Conklin (1763-ca.1815) a privateer during the War of 1812 as well as a ship builder, sailor and captain. Artifacts relating to Conklin’s life will be showcased for participants to see and explore.

Each book club meeting will start at 6:30 p.m. and is approximately 1 hour long. Coffee, tea and cookies will be served.

Beyond the Book club sessions are free for museum members and patrons of the museum’s partner libraries. All others may attend for $15 per session. Register at www.cshwhalingmuseum.org/bookclub. For more information, call 631-367-3418.

This article originally appeared in TBR News Media’s Prime Times supplement on Jan. 26.

Photo from Whaling Museum

The Whaling Museum & Education Center, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor has announced it will host new “Holiday Walking Tours” this December.

These educator-led tours through historic Cold Spring Harbor village will explore Victorian seasonal traditions in the 19th century. Participants will learn about how local homes and businesses celebrated holidays in December.

Photo from Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Museum

Hot chocolate will be served inside the museum’s workshop at the start of the tour while participants arrive. The tour starts on the pavement outside of the museum.

“The Whaling Museum’s themed walking tours have become quite a hit. Our Harbor Haunts tours, offered in October, sell out every year. With the introduction of new tours each season, we aim to engage our community and our visitors in history through fun and familiar frameworks. Our education team is excited about the new stories we get to share with this new holiday tour. We look forward to offering a space to gather and spend time outside this December,” said Nomi Dayan, Executive Director of The Whaling Museum.

Tours are approximately 45-60 minutes and end at the harbor. All ages are welcome to attend.

Spaces are limited and registration takes place online at cshwhalingmuseum.org/walking-tours. The “Holiday Walking Tours” are $15 per participant / $10 for members. Dates: Dec. 10 & 11, 17 & 18 | 3 & 5pm and Dec. 30 at 4:30 pm. For more information, call 631-367-3418 or visit www.cshwhalingmuseum.org.

The Whaling Museum and Education Center is announcing a first-time end of year fundraising event celebrating the rowdy history of Cold Spring Harbor’s Main Street through food, drink, and other activities in the lively event, Bedlam Street Bash. 

Calling back to the 1850s when Main Street (Route 25a) was nicknamed “Bedlam Street,” this event will take place on Thursday, December 1, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Museum at 301 Main Street and is for adults age 21+. Inspired by the rambunctious spirit of the village during its whaling heyday, guests will travel through the museum to enjoy delicious bites from local restaurants, rum tastings, historic then & now presentations, craft-making, and live music. 

 “A whaleship arriving home to our coastal village could generate a commotion, and was cause for a community celebration,” says Nomi Dayan, Executive Director of the museum. “The blast of a cannon would first alert locals, who would watch Main Street fill with whalers who had not been home for 2-4 years. Local merchants would prepare to serve men who dreamed of a good meal. Cold Spring Harbor was, for a time, a rowdy place! We invite locals today to fall into this story and enjoy the evening with us in support of our museum.”

The museum is collaborating with Cold Spring Harbor Village eateries to offer guests delicious tastings throughout the evening. Participating eateries include Sandbar, Harbor Mist, Sweetie Pies on Main, Cold Spring Harbor Plaza Deli and Grasso’s Restaurant. In addition, guests will enjoy live music, activities, a folk-art craft, raffles, and special “Then & Now” presentations.  

Special guest and Town Historian, Robert Hughes, will transport visitors back to the waterside village in the 1800’s with his “Then & Now” presentations of Main Street, Cold Spring Harbor. He will focus on the history of the locations for the five eateries that are offering tasting for this event; Sandbar, Harbor Mist, Sweetie Pies on Main, Cold Spring Harbor Plaza Deli and Grasso’s Restaurant.

Special guest Dr. Jennifer Anderson will present a session about the history of rum during her informational and fascinating chat, “Get Your Grog On.” Tastings of different island-style rums, the “true sailor’s drink,” will also be served courtesy of Bottles and Cases in Huntington. 

Participants can gather details about historic Main Street in a special scavenger hunt, which culminates in cracking a code to receive a prize from our treasure chest. 

Guests will get creative when trying their hands at the signature craft of whalers, scrimshaw, also known as one of America’s first folk art crafts.  Guests will sketch and carve their designs into scrimshaw-style keepsake boxes.

Throughout the night, guests will hear live sea shanties, high-spirited and bawdy work-songs of sailors performed by Scuttlebutt Stu. Guests can join in these repetitious renditions.

The Whaling Museum & Education Center is selling advance tickets to the event at cshwhalingmuseum.org/bedlamstreetbash. Advance tickets are $40 per person, $20 for museum members. A limited number of advance tickets will be offered. At the door tickets will be $50 per person, $25 for museum members. Tickets are offered first come, first served. All evening activities are included in admission.    

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About The Whaling Museum & Education Center

The Whaling Museum & Education Center is the only museum in the world open year-round which explores the whaling history of the Long Island region. The Museum engages the community in exploring the diversity of our whaling heritage and its impacts to enrich and inform our lives. The museum is located at 301 Main Street, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724. Visit cshwhalingmuseum.org and follow The Whaling Museum on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @cshwhalingmuseum

Denise “Weetahmoe” Silva-Dennis

The Whaling Museum & Education Center, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor  will host new art and culture workshops exploring native heritage with special guest, Denise Silva-Dennis “WeeTahMoe”.

Denise Silva-Dennis, artist, and member of the Shinnecock and Hassanamisco Nations, will present two workshops this November. During each workshop, Silva-Dennis will share about her background with photos and artifacts as well as showcase her beadwork.

Shell Necklace Workshop will take place on Saturday, November 12 at 1 pm and is for kids age 5+, younger with assistance. The one-hour workshop will explore the land and people of the Shinnecock Nation through the world of seashells found along the shores of Shinnecock. Participants will learn about how these shells are used by the Shinnecock people and make a beautiful shell necklace to take home. Fee is $15 a participant/$8 member participant, which includes admission to the museum for the day; Non-participating adults pay regular admission to the museum.

Dreamcatcher Workshop will take place on Thursday, November 17 at 6 pm and is for adults and teens. The one-hour workshop will explore the history behind the most enduring and widespread symbol of Native American culture, the dreamcatcher. Participants will learn about the meaning and significance behind this iconic Lakota tradition and create a traditional dreamcatcher to take home Fee is $16 per participant.

“It is a priority of our museum to give space to highlight indigenous stories, experiences, and culture told firsthand by native artists. We are delighted to spotlight Denise’s work and encourage the public to take this opportunity to explore and celebrate both historic and contemporary native art,” said Nomi Dayan, Executive Director of The Whaling Museum.

Denise “Weetahmoe” Silva-Dennis is a multi-disciplinary artist and educator based in the Shinnecock Nation. The traditional Eastern Woodland style of beadwork was handed down to her from her mother and elder women of Shinnecock and Hassanamisco-Nipmuc Nations. Her work includes mandala necklace and earring sets, beaded medicine fans, walking sticks, beaded cradleboards, beaded moccasins, and beaded crowns.

Spaces for these November workshops are limited, and registration takes place online at cshwhalingmuseum.org/events. For more information, call 631-367-3418.

This 19th century whaleboat is the star of the The Whaling Museum's permanent collection.
An insight into Long Island’s nautical past

By Tara Mae

It’s a whale of a tale! Beginning in November, The Whaling Museum and Education Center of Cold Spring Harbor will host new monthly Whale Boat Chats chronicling the history of whaling on Long Island.

Generally 20 to 30 minutes long, the interactive discussions are metaphorically and physically centered around a historic 19th century whale boat. Led by Admissions Associate Gerard Crosson, the talks are guided by question and answer segments and incorporate whaling artifacts for the public to see and touch such as a 19th century iron harpoon, scrimshaw, and blubber encased in a jar. 

“We are excited to offer this new opportunity to engage with the museum’s exhibits! Visitors will learn the significance of this whaleboat and how it is tied to our local maritime history. We invite the community to come, stand around the boat and imagine what it was like to be out at sea chasing a creature larger than the boat you’re chasing it in,” said Assistant Director of The Whaling Museum Gina Van Bell.

The program was formed around the whaleboat, the foundational item of the museum’s permanent collection. It belonged to the 19th century New Bedford whaling ship Daisy, which during its long career sailed from many ports and harbors, including that of Setauket in 1872. 

Like many whaling ships, Daisy’s use was multi-faceted: after many Yankee whaling trips and at least one international journey, it was repurposed as a cargo ship during World War I and sank circa 1914. 

American use of whaling ships during warfare dates back to at least the Revolutionary War, when they surreptitiously sailed between Patriot controlled Connecticut and British-occupied Long Island, delivering messages, etc. 

“They were used in guerrilla warfare. Fierce hand to hand combat happened in whaling ships. They were very useful, very seaworthy,” said Nomi Dayan. Executive Director of The Whaling Museum.

For decades, the Daisy whaleboat proved to be profitably versatile. During her most famous excursion, Long Island ornithologist Dr. Robert Cushman Murphy used the whaleboat on an exploratory voyage to Antarctica in 1912, commissioned by the American Museum of Natural History to study birds and bring back specimens. 

A dedicated diarist, Murphy, who was fascinated by all he witnessed on the voyage and intrigued by Yankee whaling, kept a detailed record of the journey. He later published Logbook for Grace: Whaling brig Daisy, 1912-1913 about the sojourn. Murphy’s photos from the trip are part of the Whaling Museum’s collection. 

“He was one of the best scientists to come out of Long Island…Murphy ended up documenting whales and whaling in a way that no one had before,” Dayan said. 

So enamored was he with the experience, that Murphy purchased the whaleboat for the Brooklyn Museum in the 1910s. After the museum rejected his gift, he offered it to the American Museum of Natural History, which also declined to accept it. The whaleboat then hibernated under a tarp on a friend’s front lawn until Murphy and his friends generated enough support and funds to build it a home of its own: The Whaling Museum of Cold Spring Harbor. 

“The community came together to build the museum around the whaleboat. It is a key part of maritime heritage,” Dayan added. 

Established in 1936, the museum opened its doors in 1942. The museum currently has 6000 object and archival items in its holdings including whaling tools, products, and even art. 

“We have one of the best scrimshaw collections in the northeast. People can see beautiful examples of what men carved at sea during the hours, weeks, months, years, of boredom,” Dayan said. 

As one of the three original whaling ports on Long Island, Cold Spring Harbor maintains a buoyant connection to its maritime heritage. Whaling was one of the area’s most important sources of commerce, facilitating economic and social growth while making Cold Spring Harbor somewhat of an industrial hub.

Whaling was fairly steady, if inherently risky, work. Voyages were long and frequently fraught. Whalers could lose their boats or even their lives when whales fought back. 

“It was a dangerous job,” said Van Bell. 

Yet the sea provided potential opportunities to those who might not find it on land, motley crews of experienced sailors, farm boys, and escaped enslaved men. 

“Whaling ships were like a kind of United Nations,” Dayan said. 

Rather than being paid a wage, crew members were generally paid with a cut of the profits. Whale products included everything from food to oil for lamps, and overhunting eventually led some whales to near extinction. 

Whaling as a much sought source of communal sustenance, however, predates European settlers. Indigenous groups like the Shinnecock had a strong tradition of whaling on Long Island, anchored to their connections to the sea. This heritage is explored in another exhibit at the museum, Shinnecock Artists and Long Island’s First Whalers, which debuted January 2021. 

Both exhibits are part of the museum’s ongoing efforts to expose the public, both adults and children, to the diverse background of Long Island whaling. A different feature, the hands-on exhibit If I Was a Whaler, permits kids to pretend to be whalers from the 1800s. 

“We want to get the community excited and engaged in the story of whaling, following through with our mission of sharing the diversity of our whaling heritage and how it enhances and impacts our lives,” Van Bell said. 

Whale Boat Chats will be offered on Nov. 5,  Dec. 3 and 29 and Jan. 27 with more dates to be announced in 2023. The programs will be held at noon and 1 p.m. and are free with paid admission to the museum of $6 for adults and $5 for kids and seniors. Members are free. 

Located at 301 Main Street, Cold Spring Harbor, the Whaling Museum is open to visitors from Thursday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call 631-367-3418 or visit www.cshwhalingmuseum.org. 

The Whaling Museum and Education Center of Cold Spring Harbor hosted a record-breaking attendance at the first Suffolk County Sea Glass Festival on August 7.

The day invited visitors of all ages to explore and celebrate the world of sea glass and its significance to Suffolk County’s maritime history. The festival hosted over 650 attendees throughout the day at this indoor/outdoor event. These numbers are record-setting for the museum with previous events reaching 285 at most.

“The turnout at our museum was remarkable and surprising – the event brought the highest number of visitors we’ve ever welcomed in one day in the museum’s history. We are so pleased to offer sea glass enthusiasts a place to connect with other beachcombers, explore their interests, and most of all, celebrate what happens when the ocean meets glass. Our staff are now using community feedback to shape next year’s event,” said Executive Director, Nomi Dayan.

Attendees to the event comprised of beachcombers, sea glass enthusiasts, bottle collectors, artists, and families. Some traveled from as far as Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Florida to attend this first-time event on Long Island.

The museum had approximately 300 to 400 visitors on the property at any given time and stretched event activities to all open areas of the museum and the Wright House, where the museum offices are held. Glass artists and vendors displayed their items on tables on the front lawn and patio, sea glass and antique bottle presentations were held in the museum’s gallery; families with young children did crafts on the newly painted back patio; the Shard of the Year contest was held on the porch of the Wright House; and there was a picnic area set up on the front lawn of the Wright House for attendees to rest and enjoy meals from the event’s food truck.

The Suffolk County Sea Glass Festival welcomed local community members and visitors that had never been to the museum before. Many respondents to a survey sent after the event, said that their favorite part of the Sea Glass Festival was visiting the museum’s exhibits for the first time. The museum embraces this new community and is grateful for all the feedback received before, during and after the event. The positive feedback received through surveys, interviews and on social media has made it evident that the Sea Glass Festival has a place on Long Island and Long Islanders want to continue sharing their passion for sea glass and engaging in conversations about history through the context of these beautiful gems.

This event was supported in part with funds from Suffolk County Office of Cultural Affairs.

Photo from Facebook

The Whaling Museum and Education Center is awarded $5,000 from The Museum Association of New York (MANY) in partnership with the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA).

The Museum Association of New York (MANY) in partnership with the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) awarded a total of $500,981 to 102 grantees to assist New York museums with capacity building.

“We thank NYSCA for this partnership and this opportunity to rapidly distribute much-needed funding to New York’s museums,” said Erika Sanger, Executive Director, MANY.

“The wonder of our whaling past continues to capture the public’s imagination. At the same time, many people are unaware of how our country’s maritime industries provided the greatest source of employment to African Americans in the 19th century. There are estimates that between one-quarter and one-third of all American whaling crews were people of color. To illuminate our region’s cultural heritage, we will apply our Partnership Grant Award to strengthen our museum’s commitment to grow engagement through equitable representation in our exhibitions and the stories we share. We are thankful to NYSCA and MANY for choosing to help our museum accomplish this goal for the Long Island community, ” said Nomi Dayan, Executive Director, The Whaling Museum & Education Center.

This grant partnership with NYSCA was developed in direct response to the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and Partners for Public Good (PPG) study “Market Analysis and Opportunity Assessment of Museum Capacity Building Programs” report published in March 2021.

Capacity Building grants were awarded in amounts up to and including $5,000 to help museums respond to pandemic-related challenges, build financial stability, strengthen board and community engagement, update technology, support leadership, and change systems to address diversity, equity, access, inclusion, and justice. Awards were made to museums of all budget sizes and disciplines.

The Whaling Museum & Education Center will use the grant funds in advancing the Museum’s capacity to develop, install, and evaluate the special exhibition and public programming project, Black Whalers (working title). The project explores the deep significance of whaling in African American history, a topic largely unknown to the general public. Black Whalers (working title). will benefit lifelong learners by preserving our democratic culture, renewing cultural heritage, deepening cross-cultural understanding, expanding empathy and tolerance, and contributing to strengthened cultural identity by fostering a shared vision for the Long Island community in a post-covid world.

“The arts and culture sector is facing a multi-year recovery process after two years of unimaginable challenges,” said Mara Manus, Executive Director, NYSCA. “We are grateful to MANY for their stewardship of this opportunity that will ensure New York State museums continue to grow and thrive. We send our congratulations to all grantees on their awards.”

Partnership Grants for Capacity Building are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.