“What’s curious about one’s journey is that we have opportunities to drink from the wellsprings of those who’ve come before us.” —Lyle Ashton
Martha’s Vineyard Museum has an exceedingly large field of deep roots to examine for inspiration. You can get lost for hours in the library researching a subject that leads to another, then another, and on and on. If you’re feeling like you are stuck in the mud, impacted by others who think they know you better than you, or just want to have some fun, there is something at the museum that can help get you unstuck, be more confident in who you are, and have fun hunting it down. I often write about how everyone has a story to tell. If you don’t see — or feel — your story at the museum, then please share it with us. There are so many stories we haven’t heard yet, and we must give them a listen.
MVM currently has an exhibition that tells a lesser-known story, called “Sailing to Freedom: Maritime Dimensions of the Underground Railroad.” The Underground Railroad was not limited to land, but included a network of maritime routes along the Atlantic seaboard. This groundbreaking exhibition sheds light on how freedom was achieved by sea, including the waters around Martha’s Vineyard. Tim Walker is the author of the book with the same title. This September he will repeat a talk that sold out in June. Stay tuned for the date and time. If you are an artist, come visit the “Eisenstaedt’s Martha’s Vineyard” exhibition. The fun he had taking photos is readily apparent. There will be a panel talk and private tour with four people who knew him well on the very last day of the exhibition, August 25, at 4 pm. Longtime Eisenstaedt collaborator, Delores Littles, who was the former director of photography for Time-Life Books (part of Time Inc.), famed Island photographers Alison Shaw, Mark Alan Lovewell, and Chris Morse, the owner of the Granary Gallery and the Field Gallery in West Tisbury, and the North Water Street Gallery in Edgartown — these folks will be your private guide. This will be a very special opportunity to hear stories you can’t hear anywhere else.
Between MVM’s exhibitions and programs this community museum has a mission to ignite, feed, and keep your fire burning with curiosity. Modern museums have been fighting an outdated, even pigeonholed, identity that no longer fits. While understandable, there is clear evidence of change. Come to MVM to see and experience this firsthand and share your stories. MVM continuously scours the Island for stories from perspectives that have yet to be represented. Yours might be a missing link in the continuity of our collective history. Keep an eye on our events page and exhibitions page for things that interest you, become a member and come in anytime you want to reflect and dream in one of our many outdoor spaces even on a rainy day.
Our first ever Global Rhythms Summer Concert Series happens, rain or shine, every Tuesday at 5:30 pm through the end of August. Famed artist and activist, Lyle Ashton Harris, will appear on Saturday, August 10, at 4 pm. He will be in conversation with Lauren Haynes, head curator at Governors Island Arts, to talk about the Queens Museum exhibition (co-curated by Haynes and accompanying the book, “Lyle Ashton Harris: Our First and Last Love”) Monday, August 12, at 4 pm, “Tales of Edgartown” continues at the former museum location at the Cooke House, located at 51 School St. in Edgartown, with respected Island historian, educator, and photographer Chris Baer. He will present the hidden histories of forgotten places and figures, from the Edgartown portion of the State Forest to old telegraph stations to the 1920s Chappy bridge. Discover the intriguing complexities of Edgartown’s history that never made it to the textbooks.
There are innumerable reasons to read, to have a conversation with our elders, and, just maybe, to visit a museum. We can learn so much and be better prepared to rise to challenges, cope with adversity, and build empathy. We need these things now as much as ever. Let’s lead with kindness, enthusiasm, and interest in finding things that connect us. Let’s build a better, more complete history that includes us all and improves our relationships.
Visit mvmuseum.org for more information about upcoming exhibitions and events. The Martha’s Vineyard Museum inspires all people to discover, explore, and strengthen their connections to this Island and its diverse heritage. The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday, and summer hours are 10 am to 5 pm. Admission is free to members; admission for nonmembers is $18 for adults, $15 for seniors, $5 for children 7 to 17, and free for children 6 and under. Islander rates are available.
