In Left for Dead, Eric Jay Dolin tells the true story of a wild and fateful encounter between an American sealing vessel, a shipwrecked British brig, and a British warship in the Falkland archipelago during the War of 1812.

The Mariners’ Heritage Collection of 35,000 objects is one of the most regarded in the United States, and worldwide. Forbes will give guests an in-depth view of the Museum’s Collection from his recent appearance at the International Congress of Maritime Museums in the Netherlands. This international look, combined with a personal perspective from his 24 years of work with the Collection, sets the stage for an exploration of what the future holds for access to the Collection. Gallery interpretation by the Mariners’ Curatorial Team will accompany this lecture.

The Ship that Held Up Wall Street tells the whole story of the discovery, excavation, and study of what came to be called the “Ronson ship site,” named for the site’s developer, Howard Ronson. Entombed for more than two hundred years, Princess Carolina proved to be the first major discovery of a colonial merchant ship.

Historian Jonathan W. White tells the riveting story of Appleton Oaksmith, a swashbuckling sea captain whose life intersected with crucial moments of the mid-19th century, most importantly the extraordinary lengths the Lincoln Administration went to destroy the illegal trans-Atlantic slave trade.

Ferreiro shares stories of how the Liberty Ship and the Landing Ship Tank brought vital arms, supplies, and troops to the front lines across the globe, culminating in Allied victories.

Science journalist M. R. O’Connor traveled to the Arctic, Australia, and the South Pacific to talk to master navigators who find their way using environmental cues and to learn how they are trying to preserve these unique practices in the age of GPS. Along the way, she explores fascinating aspects of our species’ navigation faculties and how they are connected to our profound capacities for exploration, memory, and storytelling.

In the late 1990s, Patrick O’Brian’s bestselling historical novel series was destined for film with Master & Commander: The Far Side of the World. All Hands on Deck is Sofrin’s account of this voyage – a story of reinvention, hard work on the high seas, love, and of survival.