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CURRENT EXHIBITIONS
Saltzman Cabinet of Curiosities
Vanity: The Last Working Catboat
Built over the winter of 1928-29 by Edgartown boatbuilder Manuel Swartz Roberts for commercial fisherman Thomas Pease and his son Oscar, the catboat Vanity worked the waters of Martha’s Vineyard for over half a century. In this exhibit, explore the life of the last working catboat of Martha’s Vineyard through artifacts, photographs, archival materials, and film footage.
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Beim Gallery
Jaws at 50: An Island Story
Our 2025 exhibition Jaws at 50 was one of the Museum’s most popular shows ever, celebrating the Vineyard’s starring role in Steven Spielberg’s classic. Because of that excitement, we’re keeping the story alive with Jaws at 50: An Island Story. This smaller follow-up highlights the Islanders who built sets, piloted boats, and stepped in front of the camera, showing how their creativity and spirit helped bring Amity Island to life.
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Hollinshead, Cox, and Fleischner Galleries
Let’s Go to Circuit Avenue!
A playful, interactive exhibition for all ages, bringing Circuit Avenue to life through sensory experiences and memories of this iconic Island street.
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Waggaman Community Gallery
The Crunch
The Crunch looks back at Aquinnah's demolition derby, a brief but unforgettable Island tradition of the early 1980s. Staged each fall on a hillside field, the event turned end-of-season cars into roaring, crashing spectacles that drew large crowds with no advertising. From 1979 to 1982, Islanders prepared their vehicles by stripping out glass, relocating fuel tanks, and making quick fixes before smashing them into one another until only one was left running. The mayhem and community spirit made the Crunch a short-lived but legendary chapter in Vineyard history.
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Grain Gallery
Tom Maley: Dancing in the Field
Tom Maley lived and worked on Martha's Vineyard for most of his life. In 1971 he co-founded the Field Gallery behind his West Tisbury home with friends and fellow artists. His large white outdoor figures became some of the Island's most recognizable landmarks. Maley also painted and led life-drawing sessions that supported many local artists. This exhibition, based on a generous gift from Maley's daughter, will include sculptures, paintings, drawings, and photographs. It will show Maley's working methods, his role in creating a community gallery, and his lasting importance in the Island's artistic life.
READ MORECOLLECTION HIGHLIGHTS
Woven Bag
Contemporary Wampanoag artists and artisans help us picture the world of their ancestors, the first inhabitants of this Island, by making objects using old and new materials while drawing on old and new techniques.
Mary Norton Sampler
Mary H. Norton made this sampler in Holmes Hole (now Vineyard Haven) when she was around 12 years old.
Jagging Wheel
Though most familiar in the form of whales’ teeth carved with pictures of ships, scrimshaw was an extremely varied art.
Chappy
Mary Drake Coles learned to paint during childhood summers on Martha’s Vineyard, in her teens in Provincetown, and later at Smith College, in Paris, Majorca, Haiti, and New York.
Zeb Tilton Portrait
Benton found inspiration on Martha’s Vineyard from his first visits to the Island in the 1920s until his death in 1975.
Dancing Dolls (Brinquinho)
Mary Paiva Drouin, the daughter of a first-generation Portuguese immigrant family, recalls how her family’s cherished “dancing dolls” in traditional Portuguese dress were paraded through the streets of Oak Bluffs during the Holy Ghost Festival.
Brickman’s Shirt
One of the earliest Jewish families to settle here, the Brickmans operated a shoe business on Main Street in Vineyard Haven that became Brickman’s department store.
Dial Telephone Service Comes to Aquinnah
This photograph, staged in May 1955 to celebrate the introduction of dial telephone service in Chilmark and Gay Head, captures the tension between tradition and modernity.
Gislaine Portrait
In 2017, the Museum exhibited photographer Mila Lowe’s “Local Immigrants Project.” Lowe undertook the project to document the wide diversity of recent immigrants to the Island.
Luce Dressing Box
Captain Richard G. Luce presented this box to his daughter, Abbie Bradford Luce, upon returning from one of his many long voyages.
Life Preserver
Life preserver from the City of Columbus, which crashed on the underwater rocks of Devil’s Bridge in January 1884 when a gash was torn in the hull and seawater rushed into the steamer.
Priscilla Pearl Necklaces
Manufactured in Hyannis at the Priscilla Laboratory, these glass and herring scale “pearls” were named “Priscilla Pearls” and sold around the country through mail order and at Lina Call’s Priscilla Pearl Shop in Edgartown.
Violin
Owned by E. Gale Huntington, this violin was possibly carried around Cape Horn on a voyage by Menemsha fisherman Lyman Cottle.
Monohansett
Monohansett (1862), depicted in this painting by J. P. Winegar, was the first reliable steam ferry to serve Martha’s Vineyard.
Fall River Line Advertisement
Palatial “night boats” like Plymouth connected New York and Martha’s Vineyard.
“Enchanted Isle” Poster
This 1934 travel poster promoted the Vineyard as a playground of the rich and stylish.
Islander
Islander, which operated from 1950-2007, revolutionized ferry service to the Vineyard.
Island Queen Advertisement
Summer “excursion boats” like the Island Queen carried day tourists to Oak Bluffs.
Provincetown-Boston Airlines Timetable
Provincetown-Boston Airline was the Island’s leading air carrier for 40 years.
Islander and Island Home
Islander (1950) passes her successor Island Home (2007) in Vineyard Haven Harbor.
Satinet Sample
Hard-wearing satinet cloth: the West Tisbury woolen mill’s signature product.
Vanderhoops at Aquinnah Circle
Harrison and Selina Vanderhoop selling Wampanoag crafts at Aquinnah Circle.
King’s Paint Mill
Clay pigments from King’s Paint Mill in Chilmark tinted the houses of southern New England.
Bricks on Pier
The signature product of the Roaring Brook brickyard awaits shipment to the mainland.
Erford Burt Bass Boat
One of Erford Burt’s signature “bass boats” in the basin at Burt’s Boatyard on the Lagoon.
Model of the SS Drottingholm
Van Ryper offered its customers affordable “models of ships on which you’ve sailed.”
Dairy Cooperative Bottle
Martha’s Vineyard Cooperative Dairy helped the Island’s small farmers, but could not compete with mainland producers.
Chilmark Chocolates Sign
Chilmark Chocolates was known for its delicious product, and its community spirit.
Black Dog Catalog
The Black Dog began as a year-round restaurant, but became a lifestyle brand.
Harpoon
The ancestors of the Wampanoag people who live here now fished using harpoons such as this one, which was found along the shore in Aquinnah.
Joseph Belain Portrait
Over the course of 20 whaling voyages, Aquinnah-born Joseph Belain (1848-1926), served as harpooner, second mate, first mate, and twice as a replacement master.
Whale and Porpoise Oil Samples
Beginning in the mid-19th century and ending in the 1940s, William F. Nye Company of New Bedford refined and processed whale and porpoise oil for various purposes.
Nomansland Codfish Box
Salted and dried cod was sold to Fischer Brothers of Vineyard Haven, who packaged it in wooden boxes like this one and sold it locally as well as shipping it to New Bedford and Providence.
Eel Pot
Before the 20th century, eels were caught and eaten in great numbers by islanders, who captured them in the fall and winter using pots like this one.
Menemsha Swordfishing Fleet
Equipped by a tall mast for lookouts and a long narrow platform for the harpooner jutting out from the bow, “Sword boats” supplied a market in which swordfish was seen as a delicacy.
“Dorothy and Everett” Weathervane
Using the vessels he knew as inspiration, local fisherman Jimmy Morgan made weathervanes and sold them in his small shop in Menemsha to supplement his income.
Photograph of Fishermen
Fishermen could once make a good living selling the fish they caught in net traps along the northwest shore of the Vineyard.
Chart of Holmes Hole
This view of Holmes Hole (now Vineyard Haven) harbor in 1781 looks familiar at first glance, but a closer look reveals unfamiliar features.
The Harbor of Holmes Hole
Twelve years before this chart was drawn in 1847, the citizens of Holmes Hole blocked Bass Creek with a worn-out schooner filled with rocks, making way for Water Street and Union Wharf.
Martha’s Vineyard Railroad Train on the Beach
The Martha’s Vineyard Railroad operated from 1872 to 1896, carrying passengers from the Oak Bluffs steamer wharf to the outskirts of Edgartown, then to Katama.
1938 Beach Road Flooding
This photograph, looking down Beach Road toward Five Corners, was taken during the 1938 Hurricane.
Bathhouse Debris on Oak Bluffs Steamer Wharf
Bathhouses were a fixture of Oak Bluffs — a monument to the social customs of a bygone era — until September 1944, when the Great Atlantic Hurricane struck the Island.
Bunker on South Beach
This concrete structure, used to train World War II naval aviators, originally stood in the dunes behind the beach; by the late 1960s or early 1970s, it stood at the water’s edge.
Moving the Gay Head Light
The brick tower of the current Gay Head Light was built in 1856, and by the early twenty-first century, erosion had left it dangerously close to the edge of the cliffs.
EVENTS
The Long Fuse: The Vineyard and the Birth of the Revolution
Bow Van Riper explores how Vineyard residents contributed to the growing tensions that led to the American Revolution.
Hurricanes & Martha’s Vineyard: Past, Present, and What Comes Next
Dr. Kevin R. Loughlin explores Vineyard hurricane history, storm science, and future climate risks in this timely online lecture.
The Crunch: Demo Derby Car Building Workshop for Kids
Kids build and decorate their own demo derby “Crunch Car” in this hands-on workshop, then test it on an indoor track.
The Changing Tick Landscape
Public health biologist Patrick Roden-Reynolds shares the latest data on tick activity across the Island and practical steps for prevention.
Legacy of the Shenandoah: A Vineyard Story at Sea
A deep dive into the tall ship Shenandoah and its enduring influence on generations of Islanders.
May Day: Plant, Paint, Play Workshop
A hands-on, all-ages workshop to decorate a flower pot and plant seeds, celebrating the season through simple, creative making.
A Heroic WWII Story We Must Not Forget
A conversation with Basia Jaworska on her mother’s experience in Nazi-occupied Poland, exploring tyranny, resistance, survival, and the lasting impact of memory.
Ticked Off: Public Health’s Role in Understanding and Tracking Alpha-Gal Syndrome
Learn how Alpha-Gal Syndrome is tracked and understood in public health, and what new reporting means for the Vineyard.
Living Differently: A Conversation with Kate DeVane
Kate DeVane shares her experience founding Island Autism Group, offering an honest look at navigating autism on Martha’s Vineyard and the resources that support local families.
Inside Circuit Arts: Art, Marriage & Collaboration
A behind-the-scenes conversation with Brooke Hardman-Ditchfield and Brian Ditchfield on shaping Circuit Arts, building a creative life together, and what it takes to sustain a thriving arts community on Martha’s Vineyard.
Alpha-gal Syndrome: What You Need to Know (and How to Cook for It!)
A clinician and local chef explore Alpha-Gal Syndrome, offering medical insight and practical cooking strategies.
TICK FREE MV: What the Aerial Deer Survey Reveals About Ticks
Explore results from the Island’s aerial deer survey and what they reveal about tick populations and disease risk.
The Tick Panel: What’s New, What’s True, and How to Stay Safe
A panel of local experts shares the latest updates on ticks, prevention, and Alpha-Gal, with audience Q&A.
Inside PBS’s The American Revolution with Sarah Botstein
An inside look at PBS’s The American Revolution with producer Sarah Botstein, exploring the craft of historical storytelling.
The War for the Dawnland: Reimagining King Philip’s War
Reconsider King Philip’s War through Wampanoag perspectives, place-based history, and Indigenous knowledge.
100 Black Women Serving the Vineyard for 70 Years
Join members of The Cottagers, Inc. for a panel marking 70 years of community, culture, and service on Martha’s Vineyard. Moderated by Linda Moffat, the conversation reflects on the organization’s history, the legacy of Cottagers’ Corner, and the women who have shaped it. Reception with wine and light bites to follow.
The Vineyard Mindset: Where Heritage, Creativity, and Business Meet
A Juneteenth conversation with artist and creative director Gatsby Coram on heritage, creativity, and building legacy through art and business.
Let’s Talk JAWS Live!… LIVE! – This Time It’s REALLY Personal
A live, non-recorded episode of the Let’s Talk JAWS podcast with behind-the-scenes stories, trivia, and audience interaction.
Jeffrey Kramer: On Jaws, Life, and the Island
Jeffrey Kramer reflects on filming Jaws, his career, and his life on the Island in this candid conversation.
Robert Shaw: The Man My Family Knew
Author Christopher Shaw Meyers shares personal stories and insights into Robert Shaw’s life and work, including Jaws.
The Farmer & The Shark: Stories You’ve Never Heard
A screening of The Farmer & The Shark, followed by a Q&A exploring Craig Kingsbury’s role in shaping Jaws.
Jaws: A FINatic’s Breakdown of the Film
Join Bow Van Riper for a deep dive into Jaws, exploring its origins, structure, and lasting impact through film clips and behind-the-scenes insight—perfect for devoted fans.
Revolution in Words: A Patriot vs Loyalist Showdown
Step into June 1776 for a live debate between historians Patrick Spero and Mary Beth Norton, arguing Patriot and Loyalist perspectives. This interactive program explores the competing ideas, fears, and stakes that shaped the American Revolution.
The Lindbergh Kidnapping of 1932: The Vineyard Connection
Island resident and historian Dr. Kevin Loughlin explores Martha’s Vineyard’s unexpected connection to the 1932 Lindbergh kidnapping. Through local accounts, rumors, and historical clues, this talk traces how the “Crime of the Century” reached the Island.
Vineyard vs. Nantucket: The Biodiversity Derby
Join Matt Pelikan for a look at the Vineyard’s bioblitz and a friendly biodiversity challenge with Nantucket. Learn how these efforts document local species, inform conservation, and how you can take part—no experience required.
Nôepe: A Wôpanâak History of the Island
Island history from a Wampanoag perspective exploring Nôepe’s land and stories.
Shenandoah II: Designing the Next Generation
Naval architects Sam Howell and Thomas Degremont discuss the design of Shenandoah II, a next-generation schooner inspired by Captain Bob Douglas’ original vision. This talk explores how tradition and modern standards come together to support future educational voyages.
It Sounds So Sweet: Folk Music on Martha’s Vineyard, 1958 to 1963
A visual and musical look at Martha’s Vineyard’s folk music scene during the late 1950s and early 1960s, presented by W. Douglas Thompson.
The Game as It Was: Baseball on the Vineyard, 100 Years Ago
Explore the history of baseball at Waban Park with historian Dan Genovese, and learn how the game was played on the Vineyard over a century ago. Then see it brought to life on July 25 with a vintage base ball game played by 19th-century rules.
Ancient Blue: A Hands-On Indigo Workshop for All Ages
Join Rebecca Gilbert and Emily Auchincloss for a hands-on indigo dye workshop using both processed and fresh plant-based materials. Participants will create two hand-dyed bandanas while learning about natural dyeing, sustainable practices, and the history of indigo.
Wampanoag Sovereignty, Relationality, and Responsibility
In this online lecture, Brad Lopes (Aquinnah Wampanoag) explores Tribal sovereignty and the evolving relationship between Tribal Nations and the United States. Through key historical moments, he examines how sovereignty has been challenged, alongside the ongoing resistance and persistence of Wampanoag communities.
Wampanoag Sovereignty, Relationality, and Responsibility – Online
An online talk exploring Tribal sovereignty, the evolving relationship between Tribal Nations and the United States, and Wampanoag experiences of resistance and survivance.
VISIT OUR CAMPUS
With an exciting slate of exhibits, guest speakers, and community events, there’s always something new to discover at MVM.
OPEN 10 – 4
TUESDAY – SUNDAY
YEAR-ROUND
100,000+
ITEMS IN
OUR COLLECTION
Explore maps, manuscripts, objects, photos, oral histories, and much more.
2,500
FEET FROM THE
FERRY DOCK
Our Vineyard Haven campus is just a 10-minute walk from the Steamship Authority terminal.
100
YEARS OF SERVING THE ISLAND COMMUNITY
We are committed to collecting, preserving, and sharing all facets of the Island’s story, from the familiar to the untold.
LEARN
We provide thought-provoking and engaging learning experiences for students of all ages.
RESEARCH
We bring the Island’s history and culture to life through research and resources that encourage curiosity and compassion.
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Your support empowers us to continue inspiring, educating, and strengthening our community.
“We believe in the mission and vision of the MV Museum. We want our grandchildren to love and appreciate this Island’s history, art, and culture as much as we do, so it is very important to us that the Museum continues to grow and thrive!”
BARBARA COUCH
