Have you ever heard the phrase, “This is the real McCoy?” Did you know that this saying has historical significance?

Set your eyes on action images that transformed early 20th century photography.

What a lovely photograph of Lake Lucerne, Switzerland. In the background, at the water’s edge, is Pension Worley; Mount Pilatus is far away.

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.

WAVES fulfilled various positions and worked at Naval bases across the US, ranging from yeoman to chauffeur, baker to pharmacist, and artist to aircraft mechanic. Most WAVES worked in naval aviation units–maintaining aircraft, testing parachutes, and working as domestic air traffic controllers or weather specialists.

Cyanotypes can evoke a timeless quality, particularly when the subject matter is similarly aligned. This delicate image is all the more beautiful because of this process.

Even though I work in a maritime museum, my art training still brings a sense of wonder to certain images. I know that this photograph is documenting a step in a process, but this was not my initial response to this image.

Upon first glance, this vessel appears to be just another steamboat. But tinclad vessels? Sounds a bit wimpy to me. It turns out that Cricket has a great history, albeit not significant, in the American Civil War.

Imagine my surprise when I found out that this contraption is a Speaking Tube–I had cataloged it as a gas mask. The photograph is World War I vintage (that’s my excuse!).

Nothing says winter visually like a blanketed sky and soft lighting. The scene is captured in muted colors except for a child in a bright blue jacket.