EXHIBITS
From the Land to the Shore: The Wampanoag of Mattapoisett
Permanent exhibit, opened 2025
This exhibit explores the history and culture of the Wampanoag People who have continuously inhabited this part of New England for at least 12,000 years. It follows the story of the Early Contact Period and Colonization through King Philip’s War, and its outcomes to the Wampanoag culture and community as they exist today. The exhibit weaves in local, Tri-Town-Area-related examples of broader historical narratives whenever possible.
Curated by Aquinnah Wampanoag historian Linda Coombs and Mattapoisett Museum Curator and Administrator Connor Gaudet. Coombs was the primary author of the text and writes in her own voice from her perspective - that of a Wampanoag person. Steven Peters of SmokeSygnals Indigenous Creative Productions in Mashpee, MA, designed the panels.
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Wanderer 100: The Afterlife and Legacy of Mattapoisett's Last Whaler
July 11, 2024 - September 30, 2025
Since the moment of her tragic crash in 1924, the Wanderer has been a symbol of Mattapoisett’s heyday as the shipbuilding capital of the 19th century. For a century she has been celebrated and commemorated in various ways, with postcards and model kits, in relics and artwork, even as the “masthead” and namesake of the Tri-Town’s local weekly news magazine.
Wanderer 100: The Afterlife of Mattapoisett’s Last Whaler will investigate objects, ephemera and publications to consider, “What has made this ship so celebrated and beloved?”
This exhibit has ended but we always display the beautiful scratch-made model of the Wanderer built and donated by Master Model Shipbuilder George Lowery. The model alone is worth a visit!
MATTAPOISETT: THEN & NOW
August 31, 2023 - June 1, 2024
Featuring historic photos of Mattapoisett landmarks juxtaposed with modern day images, the exhibit will offer Mattapoisett youth and newcomers the opportunity to see the landscape as it was in generations past and give self-proclaimed "townies" and "old timers" a healthy dose of the good old days!
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MATTAPOISETT'S WEIRD & WONDERFUL
July 7 - August 29, 2022
Come check out some of the weird, unusual, or just plain curious items from our collection! We’ve scoured the attic to find some interesting and entertaining things have not been featured in previous exhibits. This will be a fun one, so don’t miss it!
DIVERSITY PHOTO PROJECT
APRIL 2022
We are excited to collaborate on this project with Tri-Town Against Racism. The opening reception is scheduled for April 26, at 6:30 pm. All are welcome to attend, light refreshments will be served. The exhibit will be on display until May 31, 2022
INSPIRATION: TIME & TEXTURE
Closed May 2021
Inspiration: Time & Texture is an invitational art exhibit featuring works by local artists, inspired by the collections of the Mattapoisett Museum. Each artist is asked to draw inspiration from an object or aspect of the collection and create a site-specific installation imbued with self expression. This exhibition is an homage to Mattapoisett’s visual culture with reverence for the handmade. Artists may celebrate and/or challenge established historical narratives. The theme is intended to provide a common thread from which to view the works, not to prescribe or dictate a particular approach. Differing interpretations and perspectives are welcome, as contributors work within their own styles and mediums to express personal, powerful visions of their local connections. We encourage variety – some may take the theme literally, some may see it more like a metaphor. We invite either or both or something totally unexpected!
MATTAPOISETT MOVERS & SHAKERS
A SELECTION OF CREATIVE, INNOVATIVE, AND INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE
Closed June 2019
Mattapoisett has a long history of producing innovative people, including engineers, artists, scientists, builders, and craftspeople. Mattapoisett's Movers and Shakers illustrates the diversity of the creative ideas that have come from the town, and how our special places are connected to the world through the spread of ideas, inventions, and experiences. The exhibit highlights a selection of creative and talented people who are linked to Mattapoisett, and outlines some of their most interesting achievements.
MATTAPOISETT PLACES REMEMBERED
August 2021
Six interpretive panels are installed on the museum grounds, featuring materials from our collection including photos, paintings, and maps. These panels creatively highlight historical places and landmarks in town and direct visitors to selected locations throughout Mattapoisett Village and beyond. The exhibit encourages visitors to explore the town and think about how the past has shaped the fabric of present-day Mattapoisett. QR codes on the panels link to maps and/or instructions on our website, allowing visitors to use their mobil devices to discover the locations in person.
MAPPING MATTAPOISETT
TRACING OUR PLACE IN THE WORLD
Closed September 2018
As functional, yet decorative items, maps can serve many different purposes. They can influence the way we see the world around us by visually representing places at scales we can’t otherwise perceive. Maps can also be vital records of historic events, settlement patterns, and street layouts. They are also often works of art, created by the hands of skilled craftsmen, surveyors, and illustrators. Maps are always created within a historical and cultural context, however, and thus they also reflect the values, priorities, and authority of those who produce them. And of course they can also be used to get from point A to point B!
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Mapping Mattapoisett explores the museum’s extensive collection of maps and charts, most of which have never been displayed. The exhibit will have maps of all types on show, from Clifford Ashley’s A Chart of the Whale Coast of New England c. 1810 down to small, hand-drawn sketches of old Mattapoisett street plans and landmarks.