PRESS RELEASE:  MV Museum Receives National PRSA Award, Announces Return of Amity Homecoming Weekend

Press release: MAY 2026

MV Museum Receives National PRSA Award, Announces Return of Amity Homecoming Weekend

[VINEYARD HAVEN, MA] – MAY, 2026 – Martha’s Vineyard Museum has received a 2026 Silver Anvil Award of Excellence from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), recognizing the Museum’s public relations and marketing efforts surrounding its Jaws programming and community engagement initiatives.

Presented annually, the PRSA Anvil Awards are among the communications industry’s highest honors, recognizing outstanding strategic communications campaigns and organizational excellence. The Museum’s award recognized a collaborative effort spanning exhibitions, public programs, visitor experience, operations, retail, media outreach, and digital marketing, all centered on Martha’s Vineyard’s unique connection to Jaws.

The recognition comes as the Museum prepares to welcome visitors to the 2026 Amity Homecoming Weekend, June 20–21, a curated weekend of conversations, screenings, and special experiences exploring the enduring legacy of Jaws and the Island community that helped bring the film to life.

“Jaws is more than a movie filmed here—it’s part of Martha’s Vineyard history,” said Heather Seger, Executive Director. “This award reflects the incredible work of staff across the Museum and the enthusiasm of Islanders who continue to share their stories. Amity Homecoming Weekend is an opportunity to explore those stories in greater depth and celebrate the film’s lasting connection to this place.”

Highlights of the weekend include:

• “Let’s Talk JAWS Live!”… LIVE! – This Time It’s REALLY Personal, an exclusive non-broadcast live episode with hosts Nate Jones and Michael Smith.
• Jeffrey Kramer: On Jaws, Life, and the Island, a conversation with the actor who portrayed Deputy Hendricks, reflecting on filming Jaws on Martha’s Vineyard and the film’s lasting legacy.
• The Shark Is Still Working: A Jaws Documentary, the acclaimed documentary chronicling the making of Jaws and its evolution from a troubled production to a cinematic landmark.
• Jaws: A FINatic’s Breakdown of the Film, in which MVM Research Librarian Bow Van Riper explores the film’s origins, structure, and enduring appeal.
• Robert Shaw: The Man My Family Knew, featuring Christopher Shaw Meyers sharing personal stories about his uncle and the making of Jaws.
• Amity Aftershocks: The Enduring World of Jaws, a conversation with author Michael Smith about the film’s devoted fan community and cultural impact.

Together, these programs offer visitors a deeper look at the people, places, and stories behind one of the most influential films ever made—and the Island that continues to inspire fascination more than fifty years later.

Museum admission is sold separately from program tickets. Capacity is limited for select programs, and advance registration is strongly encouraged.

For tickets and a full schedule of events, visit: mvmuseum.org/special-events/amity-homecoming-weekend/

About Martha’s Vineyard Museum:
The Martha’s Vineyard Museum inspires all people to discover, explore, and strengthen their connections to the Island and its diverse heritage. Through exhibitions, programs, and a vast collection of artifacts, photographs, and oral histories, the Museum preserves and shares the stories of Martha’s Vineyard—past and present. Located in Vineyard Haven, the Museum offers year-round opportunities for learning and engagement for visitors of all ages. For more information, visit mvmuseum.org.

For logos and photographs to use for media, please contact our Marketing team.