The Legacy of the Family-Owned Fishing Vessel: A Special Exhibition at the Cape Ann Museum

In recognition of the 400th anniversary of the first English settlement in Gloucester, an event that will be marked in 2023, the Cape Ann Museum has organized a special exhibition exploring the important legacy of the family-owned commercial fishing vessel. The exhibition, which will include fine art, models, and archival materials, will be on display at the Museum’s downtown campus at 27 Pleasant Street from June 25 through September 18, 2022.

The thought-provoking installation was created with materials related to family-owned fishing vessels that were provided to the Museum by the community.

Throughout history, the people of Cape Ann have been linked to the sea and to fishing. The industry has provided jobs for waves of immigrants and given rise to inventions and innovations associated with the harvesting, processing, and the distribution of fish. Fishing has also influenced the collective identity of the region. From art and literature, to music, architecture, religious and secular traditions, the fishing industry has had profound and enduring effects on the character of Cape Ann and its people.

At the core of the local commercial fishing industry is the family-owned boat. Large and small, eastern rig and western rig, steel-hulled and wooden-hulled, the varieties are endless. Tying the lot of them together is the profound sense of pride individuals and families feel in their fishing vessels. Through good times and bad, the boats are always there. Often named for family members, they represent opportunity, independence, and success.

Visitors will be invited to share their thoughts and remembrances of family-owned fishing boats through a story-collecting kiosk set up in the gallery. Stories collected will be preserved in the Museum’s archives for future generations.

Free Family Activities inspired by the Family Fishing vessels exhibition will be set up in the galleries on June 28 – 30. The public can also sign up for parallel programming at Maritime Gloucester from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm on Tuesday, June 28 and Thursday, June 30. During these three days families with children will be admitted free to the Museum.

On Saturday, July 9 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., visitors will be able to make their own fish prints in the CAM Studio, and on Sunday, July 10 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. they can join artist Patricia Scialo to learn how to use Cyanotype Sun Mural to make their own art using fishing objects as inspiration.

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