The Mariners’ Museum is home to a duo of watercolors documenting events occurring during the July 1797 attack on Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The artist, Captain William Henry Webley, participated in the action, making his paintings the only eyewitness views of the event known to exist. The attack was led by one of the most renowned naval leaders, Britain’s Vice Admiral Horatio Lord Nelson — and it was an utter failure. On the 226th anniversary of the attack, we piece together the artwork and letters from Webley and Lieutenant William Hoste to get a better idea of what happened during the catastrophic raid.

Meet Amelia Hammond, The Mariners' 2024 summer conservation intern. In this blog, she discusses the Worthington pump’s water end - a key artifact from USS Monitor - and her planned conservation work on this object. 

Paintings can offer a unique glimpse into history - but what happens when the artwork’s identifying elements are unclear? Solving these mysteries often takes extensive detective work, as with a painting of a 17th-century family that has confounded curators for 90 years! Has one of our curators finally cracked the case?

Unpack the ancient stories and rich symbolism weaved into a Chinese silk hand-embroidered tapestry. Crafted with gold-laced thread, this woven textile is a stunning display of figures, flowers, animals, and other symbols representing various Chinese symbolism and mythological themes. 

Learn how recent research has revealed a connection between the port of Liverpool’s Bidston Hill signal station and Norfolk, Virginia in the 18th century.