CSH Whaling Museum

The Whaling Museum’s Presents

Opens September 2003

The Whaling Museum in Cold Spring Harbor will open its new special exhibition, “Robert Cushman Murphy: Ambassador to the Penguins,” on September 30, 2003.

This exhibition coincides with the publication of a new book by the same title which recounts the story of Murphy’s 1912 voyage to the Antarctic island of South Georgia on one of the last of America’s sailing whale ships.

Murphy, a young Long Island naturalist employed by the American Museum of Natural History, made the 11-month voyage to research and document the little-known and unique flora and fauna of the Southern Ocean.

In the tradition of famous pioneers like Darwin and Banks (who sailed with Capt. Cook), Murphy observed and recorded – with samples, journals, sketches and photographs – everything he encountered. This exhibition brings together many facets of his experience and legacy: original notes for his book Logbook for Grace, documentary photographs of whaling and wildlife, biological specimens, and tools of his trade. Centerpiece of the exhibition is a reconstruction of Murphy’s tent laboratory, where he carried out his work on South Georgia.

Says exhibit curator Jill Wright: “Murphy was an extraordinary man: curious, articulate, sensitive and adventurous. His observations and insights made a huge contribution to our knowledge not only of natural history, but also of an industry he found personally distasteful – the harvesting of whales and seals. Our goal is to inspire our visitors by introducing them to an exceptional man and the unique world he observed.”

The exhibit will be open through August of 2004. The Whaling Museum, located on route 25A in Cold Spring Harbor, is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

For further information: tel: 631-367-3418; www.cshwhalingmuseum.org

Additional photos:

Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Museum
Main Street, PO Box 25
Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724
631.367.3418 631.692.7037 fax

Please direct web site comments to
staff@islandguide.com