“I could never tire of it for a hundred summers.” – Susan Branch
The summer of 2024 is upon us. What memories will we make and keep forever? All of us at Martha's Vineyard Museum hope you'll make time to visit your local museum once or even ten times. There are endless reasons why.
For example, the “Energizer Bunny” will entertain your kids on the indoor slides in the Clifford Exhibit, while “Hands on History” offers many interactive ways to learn while having fun. There are also treasure hunts outdoors. Of course, there are amazing views, exploration, discovery, and absolute fun to be had. Of course, summer on the Vineyard includes trips to the beach, ice cream shops, restaurants, retail therapy, mini golf, walking, biking, kayaking, camping, clamming, and more. A visit to the Martha's Vineyard Museum will bring all of this and more to you. Think outside of your previous experiences and notions of what a museum has to offer. MVM is a vibrant, active, and beautiful place to play, relax, dine, and stimulate your imagination and sense of place.
This week, I spoke with MVM research librarian Beau Van Riper and head curator Bonnie Stacey about how they feel about the growing energy of summer. Beau offered a historical perspective on how this “season” has evolved. From the end of the Civil War to the end of World War II, Vineyard Island’s tourist season lasted just 10 weeks (the other 42 weeks were a quiet, rural fishing and farming community). The creation of the Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby in 1946 created a fall “off-season” that lasted until mid-October. In the 1970s, the last week of June marked the start of the annual summer season, when pleasure boats were launched, sheets were stripped from summer home furniture, and swimsuits were smoothed out of wrinkles. Some of the earliest examples of swimsuits are on display in our “One Island, Many Stories” room.
Tonight at 5:30 p.m., an exhibition titled “Eisenstaedt's Martha's Vineyard” runs through August 25th. Eisenstaedt was one of the 20th century's most revered photojournalists, taking countless iconic images, from a sailor kissing a nurse in Times Square to portraits of kings, dictators, and movie stars. His long career with Life magazine took him all over the world, but for more than 50 years he returned to his beloved island every summer to soak up its beauty and capture it all on film. This exhibition tells the story of Eisenstaedt's Martha's Vineyard in Eisenstaedt's own words and (of course) with photographs and items from the museum's collection.
Another fantastic and important story told at the Grain Family Gallery is “Voyage to Freedom: The Maritime Side of the Underground Railroad,” which you can experience until September 22. Dr. Tim Walker gave a fascinating talk about the exhibition, explaining its contents in more detail, and will be giving another talk in September for those who were unable to attend.
Please join us for our upcoming programs. We will be hosting a talk series called “Stories from Edgartown” at Cook House in Edgartown every Monday at 4pm for six weeks from July 8th to August 12th. Oral History Curator Lindsay Lee will present “Stories from Voices of the Vineyard” on Monday, July 1st at 5:30pm. Highlights include Olive Tomlinson's harrowing story of the “Green Book” era, Henry Smith's story of the island's thriving eel fishery, and Lois Myrow Jones's journey as an African-American artist. From the impact of early radio to the beginnings of Camp Jabberwocky, these stories offer a glimpse into the heart and soul of our island community. On Wednesday, July 3rd at 5:30pm, we will be hosting “Small Business in a Seasonal Economy, with India Rose.” Hear about the complexities of operating a small business in a seasonal economy. She will talk about the creation of the Martha's Vineyard Black-Owned Business Directory and the important role it plays in supporting local businesses. Rose will delve into the unique challenges of seasonal operations and the important shifts necessary for sustainability. This talk is a must-attend for anyone interested in small business trends and economic diversity on the Island or within smaller seasonal communities.
Make this summer at the Vineyard an unforgettable one!
visit about this website Find out more about upcoming exhibitions and events here. The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday year-round. Summer hours: Tuesday, 10am-7pm, Wednesday-Sunday, 10am-5pm. Admission is free for members. Non-member admission is $18 for adults, $15 for seniors, $5 for children 7-17, and free for children 6 and under. Islander rates are also available.