PBS Series Features Martha’s Vineyard Museum

The Martha's Vineyard Museum was featured in an Emmy-nominated PBS series called “Treasures Inside the Museum.”

The episode, which featured the museum, is part of the series' seventh season, which was filmed there in Vineyard Haven. It is now available to stream online. 

“We are honored to be included in a series that highlights the vital role regional museums play in preserving and sharing local history,” said Heather Seger, executive director of the Martha's Vineyard Museum, in a press release shared with The Martha's Vineyard Times. “This episode offers viewers a deeper understanding of the objects, research, and people who help keep these stories alive.”

The episode featuring the Martha's Vineyard Museum is part of a broader series examining how historical objects and narratives shape present-day understanding. The season premiere aired on March 15 and was produced by Ocean State Video and Weathervane Communications.

The Martha's Vineyard Museum episode focused on the significance of maritime heritage in Island life, featuring interviews with local experts.

A first-order Fresnel lens from the Gay Head Lighthouse, kept at the museum, was presented as a rare 19th-century engineering artifact and explained by Chief Curator Bonnie Stacy.

Museum research librarian Bow Van Riper discussed a mutiny on the whaling ship Globe, underscoring the Island's rich maritime history.

Nat Benjamin, founder of Gannon & Benjamin, discussed a donated catboat named Vanity, with captain Chris Murphy appearing in the episode. A PBS narrator called the catboat, which was built in 1929, “a living history” of the ocean-oriented lifestyle on Martha's Vineyard and the sailors and boat-builders who have established a legacy here. 

Finally, Anna Barber, the curator of exhibitions, examined 19th-century whaling logbooks and paintings, including right-whale imagery, to reflect on ethical questions surrounding whaling.