Explore our Whaling History at Mystic Seaport - Mystic, Connecticut

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Living history museums are fascinating places to visit. They are large, historical sites, with many buildings, that provide a glimpse into life during a certain period of history. One of my favorites is The Mystic Seaport, in Mystic, Connecticut.

 




The town of Mystic was founded in the 1650’s, on the banks of the Mystic River, which is actually an estuary. The wide body of water provided a protected harbor and Mystic became a center of shipbuilding and whaling, a role it played into the 20th century. In 1929, Mary Stillman Harkness (1874-1950) donated land that had belonged to her grandfather to found the Marine Historical Association, which became the Mystic Seaport Museum. 

 





Mystic Seaport was one of the first living history museums in the United States, with buildings and re-enactors demonstrating how people lived and worked during the 19th century. A major headline was made in 1941, when the seaport acquired the Charles W. Morgan, the last surviving wooden whaling vessel.

 





Several of the buildings contain galleries with art exhibits, and I had two favorites. In the Thompson Exhibition Building, which also serves as the northern entrance to museum, is the show “Monstrous” (through Jan. 10, 2027). Monstrous explores the history and impact of the whaling industry. The show includes historical films and artifacts, but it is dominated by “Or, the Whale”, a 51-foot mural by Jos Sances (b. 1952). This life-sized painting of a sperm whale is filled with an illustrated history of capitalism in America.

 


Thompson Exhibition Building



Harpoons


Hooks for lifting parts of a whale onto a ship


Or, the Whale by Jos Sances.


Detail of Or, the Whale by Jos Sances


Detail of Or, the Whale by Jos Sances


Scrimshaw



The other exhibit I enjoyed was Fish and Forrest in the C. D. Mallory Gallery. This is a show of photographs taken by Corey Wheeler Forrest (b. 1977). Ms. Forrest was one of the last trap-line fisher-people in Rhode Island. Today she works on another boat, and documents her experiences on her instagram account - @fishandforrest. 

 








Mystic seaport is treasure trove of history and art. Come and explore the country’s whaling past.

 






Cooking Demonstration










Nuts and Bolts


  • Mystic Seaport located at 75 Greenmanville Ave., Mystic CT
  • It is open from 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM in the fall and winter and until 6:00PM in the spring and summer.
  • Entrance fee is $35 adults/ $33 seniors/ $25 youth   


 

Location: 75 Greenmanville Ave, Mystic, CT 06355, USA

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