It has not been exhibited in its entirety in more than fifty years. The museum has carefully restored the painting, and not one, but two, exhibitions are recreating the grand spectacle that entertained our forebears. In the exhibition A Spectacle in Motion: The Original, the painting will be displayed in its entirety—scrolling it would damage the restoration—at the historic Kilburn Mill in New Bedford. This exhibition, running through 8 October, is free and open to the public. The second exhibition, The Experience, will run through 2021 at the Whaling Museum. It will feature a digital reproduction of the artwork as a theatrical moving picture show, similar to what audiences would have experienced in the 1850s. “Seeing the Panorama in its entirety as a work of art, as well as experiencing it in motion, will be one of the most singular and spectacular American folk art milestones of this era,” said the museum’s chief curator Dr. Christina Connett. “It is an artwork of national historical importance and a keystone that defines our region’s role in maritime heritage.” A twovolume book highlighting the painting, its history, and interpretation is available at the museum, the mill, and online. (NBWM, 18 Johnny Cake Hill, New Bedford, MA; (www.whalingmuseum.org) …
As of press time, the 1878 iron square rigger Falls of Clyde was fighting for another reprieve. The vessel, the only surviving sail-driven oil tanker, is currently berthed in Honolulu Harbor. Faced with the threat of scuttling by the Hawaiian Department of Transportation–Harbors Division in mid-2015, the Friends of the Falls of Clyde pursued several options, including the possibility of a local relocation and restoration. The group ultimately agreed to work with a Scottish contingent to move the historic ship to Scotland, where
she would be restored and sail as an attraction based on the River Clyde, where she was first built in 1878 by Russell and Co. The Scottish supporters formed Save Falls of Clyde–International, led by David O’Neill, who has been in communication with harbor authorities and the governor’s office to secure the time needed to fundraise for the move. However, the transport company that had been in negotiations to carry the Falls across the Atlantic ended up accepting another offer, and the group is faced with a looming deadline—the
MAINE MARITIME MUSEUM This is Maine. The rest is history.
new bedford whaling museum
Lighthouse cruises. Trolley tours. Historic shipyard.
Don’t miss – Into the Lantern: A Lighthouse Experience www.MaineMaritimeMuseum.org
The Grand Panorama on the scroll during restoration. The painting is longer than the Empire State Building is high.
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