“The thing is, we longtimers occasionally feel stranded on the Island, and we ask ourselves if it’s absolutely necessary to stay.” —Holly Nadler
Well, is it? Many of us actually do escape during the darkening days of Island life — heading for ski slopes, or more tropical environs. Many of us use these days to rest, recoup, and research ways of improving the next high season. M.V. Museum (your museum) has wondrous things planned to keep us connected to one another, excited about life, and filled up with new information that you can only get at our community museum. It’s true that the cosmic shifts that happen this time of year have an effect on our mental health. Some of us ascend, others descend. It’s important for us to look out for each other, and look for ways to stay engaged. Being with or around people, though we may feel like sinking down and out of sight, is precisely what we need.
There is a magical exhibition going on right now called “The Secret Life of Seaweed” in the Grain Family Gallery that spills out into other nooks and crannies of the museum that you might not have ever experienced before. It feels like being beneath the surface of the ocean, with sights, sounds, and smells that teach us about the many reasons we should care about seaweed. Experience the touch tank, where you can feel the different textures and see the different colors of seaweed, of which there are three: red, green and brown. Create an art piece with seaweed, or just sit in a cozy chair and read about seaweed; you can even visit the Museum Shop to purchase some seaweed-related items. It’s an experience you will not soon forget.
We have a program coming up on Oct. 17 at 5 pm with MVM Research Librarian Bow Van Riper called “Seaweed and Summer People: The History of a Victorian Pastime,” which should amaze you. Martha’s Vineyard was quite the seaweed haven.
Other ways the museum will be diverting attention this October are through three fantastic Island historians with singular personalities and approaches to our spooky Island past. Retired cemetery commissioner Liz Villard, owner and founder of Vineyard History Tours, will take guests to some of her favorite cemeteries on Tuesday, Oct. 22, at 3 pm. Villard will also guide us through Old Village Cemetery on Franklin Street in Vineyard Haven. On Tuesday, Oct. 29, at 3 pm, she’ll take you to “Dead Man’s Corner” in West Tisbury.
The old burying grounds of Martha’s Vineyard are full of beautiful and unique gravestones commemorating Islanders of the past. Want to find out the significance of the urn? Or the rising sun? Why are some stones legible, and others not? And what about those strange poems? On Thursday, Oct. 24, at 5 pm, it’s “Murder, Mayhem, and Madness with Chris Baer.” Baer has created a unique storytelling event that brings to life the most perplexing and dark tales, featuring chilling narratives about unsolved crimes and mysterious occurrences in the Island’s history. From an unidentified man in a straw hat buried alive on South Beach to the murder of socialite Knight Owen in Vineyard Haven — hidden stories that have puzzled historians and locals alike.
Finally, on Monday, Oct. 28, at 5:30 pm, Holly Nadler, the Island’s Ghost Lady, will tell tales that include one from right inside the museum’s walls. You may very well have read it in the opening chapter of the 20th anniversary edition of “Haunted Island”: “Journey’s End at the Old Marine Hospital.” Three days away from Halloween 2024, come hang inside haunted walls and corridors and ask the Ghost Lady about any of the spooks here, there, and everywhere on this endearingly (and enduringly) scary Island. Holly Nadler will read and sign books, including her new memoir, “The Hobo Diaries: Down and Out on Martha’s Vineyard.”
Come to a Tavern Night at the Cooke House in Edgartown to step back in time with old sea shanties with Molly and Mark, traditional tavern games, beverages, and a raffle for some pretty darned exciting prizes. They will happen on Saturday, Oct. 26, and Saturday, Nov. 2, from 5 to 7 pm. Fill your days and evenings with museum stuff. It’s cozy and fun for all ages. It’ll be sure to make you want to stick around this fall and winter.
Visit mvmuseum.org for more information about upcoming exhibitions and events. The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday year-round. Hours are 10–4 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.
