In looking at this work, the concept of connection comes to mind over and over. I thought about what connection means to me and my mind immediately went to technology – WiFi, cell service, texts, and email.

This is where our colossal eagle figurehead was sitting in 1933 when buyers for the Museum found it. Wouldn’t it be fun to walk through this store? Think of all the treasures you might find.

In 1850, in an effort to demonstrate American advances in shipbuilding to the world, a group of New York yachtsmen formed a plan to send a yacht to England to race against British boats. The task of designing the boat was given to George Steers, one of New York’s leading naval architects and the designer of the port’s fastest pilot boats.

Amphorae are terracotta containers used for trade as their unique shape allowed them to fit snugly together in a ship’s hull. Since the Neolithic period, this shape has been in use and migrated to Europe during the first millennium BCE.

The title of this work, “Marine Totem with Osprey Nest”, carries a reverence. The idea of a totem invokes a spirituality, rooted in the indigenous belief of humankind’s kinship with nature. More secularly, this concept describes something that acts as a respected symbol.

The Museum holds a vast collection of images, paintings, textiles, boats, and other artifacts that represent various cultures from around the world. I decided to take a deep dive into our Collection to highlight a few artifacts that represent Asian and Pacific Islanders’ history and culture.