Museum Exhibits

Location: Between Harrington and Bresnahan Halls. 

The first museum exhibit is the outdoor Merchant Marine Memorial located between Harrington Hall and Bresnahan Hall, facing the Cape Cod Canal. This exhibit contains distinct memorials which honor Massachusetts Maritime Academy alumni and other mariners who gave their lives in service to the U.S. Merchant marine. 

The centerpiece of this exhibit is the statue of The Unknown Seaman, which is dedicated to the 6,700 merchant marines who lost their lives during World War II. Massachusetts Maritime Academy alumnus, Capt. Albert B. Wilson '59, is an honoree and was the model for this statue, which was built and dedicated in 1989. 

Other memorials at this location recognize the officers and crew members who lost their lives while serving on the SS Black Point, SS Marine Electric and the SS El Faro. The Bell Memorial is dedicated to the memory of those who were lost at sea when the SS Pan Oceanic Faith went down in the North Pacific in October 1967. 

It is with these memorials that we honor the bravery of our merchant mariners. 

Location: Along the canal, next to Flanagan Hall. 

Maritime Park’s eye catching centerpiece is a mast from the U.S.S. Constitution. An ellipse of engraved polished granite encloses the mast area and recognizes some of the Academy’s alumni.

Location: Bresnahan Hall

Rear Admiral Bresnahan, Jr. ‘59 entered the United States Navy upon graduation.  He served on five combat ships and commanded two. Admiral Bresnahan served as a Special Assistant to the Chief of Naval Operations in the Pentagon following his graduation from the Naval War College.  Upon promotion to flag rank, he was appointed Commander, Naval Surface Reserve Force followed by Commander of the Naval Surface Group Six. 

Bresnahan Hall is named after Rear Admiral Bresnahan Jr., Class of 1959, a generous supporter of the Academy and our cadets. Bresnahan Hall is home to a variety of engineering lab spaces that help to facilitate the hands-on learning that is essential to the Academy’s education. 

Whether it’s in the diesel or refrigeration labs, the electronics labs or electrical machinery labs, our working steam plant engine room or viewing the internal components of our full-scale turbines, the cadets begin learning on actual machinery used in real-life scenarios that reinforce their classroom learning right from the start of freshman year. Bresnahan also houses some of our engineering faculty offices, Public Safety Department, and administrative offices for Graduate Studies and Continuing Education. 

Location: Flanagan Hall

Located in the oldest building on campus, Flanagan Hall, the Novakov Welcome Center Exhibit is purposefully located here, to provide prospective students and their families with highlights of the Academy’s evolution over the years.

Beginning with the early years, when the Academy was called Massachusetts Nautical Training School, artifacts include some on permanent loan from the US Navy, as well as other pictures and memorabilia from that era. The exhibit moves into 1942 when the Nautical Training School moved from Boston, MA to Hyannis, MA.

After 7 years in Hyannis, MA, the recently named Massachusetts Maritime Academy, moved to its present location in Buzzards Bay, MA. It is here where the Academy began to accept women in 1977, increased the number of academic programs from two to seven programs beginning in 1989 and invested heavily in its academic buildings, dormitories and athletic facilities.

The present-day Academy is the nation’s largest regimented state maritime academy and it is recognized and respected around the world.

Location: Flanagan Hall

Dedicated to William “Bud” Flanagan, Jr. ’64, for whom Flanagan Hall is named, this exhibit features some of the admiral’s personal effects, including his naval dress uniform and saber. Admiral Flanagan accepted a full commission in the U.S. Navy in 1967. He is the only Mass Maritime graduate to have risen to the rank of four-star admiral.

At the height of his career with the Navy, Admiral Flanagan was headquartered in the Norfolk Naval Base and was responsible for 200 ships, 1,350 aircraft, 200,000 people, and an $11 billion operating budget. Admiral Flanagan retired from the Navy in 1996, and cruised into a successful business career.

Through January 2002, Admiral Flanagan was a senior managing director at Cantor Fitzgerald. On September 11, 2001, Cantor Fitzgerald lost 658 of its employees in the World Trade Center terrorist attacks. In the aftermath of 9/11, Admiral Flanagan formed Sharven Enterprises, a financial services company. In 2005, he founded and served as Chairman and CEO of Kestrel Enterprises. Both Sharven Enterprises and Kestrel Enterprises were purchased by the Boeing Company. In 2008, Flanagan established Noragh Analytics, where he continues to serve as CEO.

Location: ABS Information Commons Stairwell

Located in the main staircase of the ABS Information Commons is the text of the National Book Award-winning book, In the Heart of the Sea, the Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex written by Nathaniel Philbrick in 2000. The story details the final harrowing journey of the Whaleship Essex as it departs from Nantucket Bay. Set in the golden age of whaling, the book captures the bravery and sacrifice sailors made in search of prosperity for whale oil. Herman Melville’s Moby Dick is a work of fiction that was inspired by the real-life events of the Whaleship Essex.

The lightwell in the main staircase provided an opportunity to develop a unique feature in the newly constructed ABS Information Commons. The installation starts at the base of the staircase, where the author signed the work, and continues to the top of the building. As you climb the stairs, the text forms a map of the Antarctic through South and North America and up to the Arctic, highlighting the latitude and longitude of many important ports our cadets will visit during their careers.

Location: ABSIC First Floor

Digitized images from the Archives bring the rich history of the Academy to life and have been used to create digital exhibits on campus. The large digital display on the first floor of the ABS Information Commons currently displays images from past commencement ceremonies and from student life through the years.
The Academy began to digitize materials from the Archives in 2014. The first materials to be digitized were the Academy yearbooks. The yearbook images are available in digital format via the Internet Archive. Volumes from 1945 to 2014 are available online, at:

www.archive.org

Location: ABSIC First Floor

This ninety-six foot long exhibit depicts the first 125 years of Massachusetts Maritime Academy's history and is on display on the first floor of the ABS Information Commons. This display was created in 2016 with images from the Academy Archives. The twenty five panels of the exhibit depict the Academy from it’s early years in Boston, MA, through the move to Hyannis, MA, and finally to the campus in Buzzards Bay, MA.

As you read through the panels, you will learn about the various training ships used over the years, some of the Academy’s milestones and interesting facets of cadet life. Enjoy the journey!

Location: ABSIC First Floor

The Ernestina-Morrissey exhibit is designed to give the viewer a window into the rich history of the Official Vessel of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.  Comprised of historical photographs, 3-D artifacts, and a scale model of the Schooner Ernestina-Morrissey, this display explores the ship’s storied evolution & celebrates her meaning as a symbol of intercultural cooperation.

Originally launched in 1894 from Essex as the Effie M. Morrissey, the Ernestina operated as a fishing vessel for 20 years before exploring the Arctic under the command of Capt. Robert Bartlett in 1926.  She was used by the U.S. Government in World War II for hydrographic and resupply work and exploration, until Barlett’s death.  Falling into disrepair, she suffered a fire & sinking before Capt. Henrique Mendes found her in 1946 and began using her as a packet ship, carrying immigrants, freight, and cargo from Cape Verde to the U.S.  In 1982 she was presented to the Commonwealth as a gift from the Republic of Cape Verde & continued on her journey as an educational sail training ship.  

By 2022 the Ernestina-Morrissey was restored, and established her home ports in New Bedford and Massachusetts Maritime Academy to serve as an educational vessel.

Location: ABSIC  

The American Bureau of Shipping Showcase features artifacts and memorabilia from the American Bureau of Shipping company and a nostalgic collection of photographs that look back at our cadets’ student life throughout the years.

Celebrating the continued dedication and support to the Academy, the ABS display case on the left provides an overview of the diverse industry in which ABS is involved. It also highlights their commitment to setting the standards for safety and excellence as one of the leading ship classification organizations.

On the right, you will see images portraying Student Life experienced by cadets. These images include a full range of activities and support services that assist students in developing their full potential as they strive and prepare themselves for careers in the maritime industry and beyond.

Location: ABS Information Commons

The ABS & Student Life Showcase features artifacts and memorabilia from the American Bureau of Shipping company and a nostalgic collection of photographs that look back at our cadets’ student life throughout the years.

Celebrating the continued dedication and support to the Academy, the ABS display case on the left provides an overview of the diverse industry in which ABS is involved. It also highlights their commitment to setting the standards for safety and excellence as one of the leading ship classification organizations.

On the right, you will see images portraying Student Life experienced by cadets. These images include a full range of activities and support services that assist students in developing their full potential as they strive and prepare themselves for careers in the maritime industry and beyond.

Location: Harrington First Floor

The Admirals’ Hall exhibit is dedicated to the Massachusetts Maritime Academy graduates who have achieved flag rank as a senior-level commissioned officer in the United States Navy or the United States Coast Guard. This exhibit serves as a salute to these alumni, as well as an inspiration to future Academy graduates.
The Academy has a long history of instilling leadership in its cadets. Over the years, the Academy has developed many outstanding maritime professionals who have not only succeeded during their time at the Academy, but have served the Academy and our country with great pride and dignity. It is with respect that this exhibit is dedicated to them - let their achievements be celebrated!
 

Location: Kurz First Floor

The Bethlehem Steel Ship Model Room is the only one of its kind in the world, this exhibit features 98 ship models in a unique glass-fronted installation. All the models in this exhibit were built at the Bethlehem Steel Shipbuilding Division in Quincy, MA in the mid-1950s. The room also contains replicas of the deck and railings of the SS Independence, which is one of the ship models in the display.
The model room was originally built for the corporate offices of the Bethlehem Steel Company in Bethlehem, PA. Massachusetts Maritime Academy alumnus Lee Van Gemert ‘40, was one of the original designers of the ship models when he worked at the Quincy Shipyard. He was instrumental in relocating the Ship Model Room to its present location in the early 1980s. Being a member of the MMA Foundation, Mr. Van Gemert was able to persuade Bethlehem Steel to donate the Ship Model Room to his alma mater.
The backdrops of this exhibit are murals of the Quincy Shipyard, designed and hand painted by Sig Purwin. Mr. Purwin was a well-known Cape Cod artist who had a deep love and admiration for the Academy. These murals add another dimension to the exhibit and provide an artistic representation of the era in which these ships models were created. 

Location: Foyer of Kurz Hall

Located in the foyer of Kurz Hall, Uniforms Through the Decades is an exhibit dedicated to the important role the uniform plays at the Academy.  Although the uniform worn by cadets has physically changed over the years, the uniform continues to be an integral part of the Academy’s regimented lifestyle.

The uniform plays a role in developing leadership and professionalism in our cadets.  Wearing the “uniform of the day”, our cadets learn to conduct themselves with respect and dignity.  The uniform is a vital part of the lessons as young men and women learn how to be a part of a team, how be attentive to details and how to apply themselves to the task at hand, with integrity.

There are various uniform types at the Academy, including a recreational uniform, a working uniform and a uniform for official business.  Uniforms include collar and shoulder devices and ribbons for achievement and involvement.  To ensure compliance with the uniform standards, the Regimental Manual devotes an entire chapter to all aspects of the uniform.

Location: At the dock (when not at sea). 

The NSMV  Patriot State is designed to provide a state-of-the-art training platform that ensures the U.S. continues to set the world standard in maritime training. The ship is outfitted with numerous training spaces to include eight classrooms, a full training bridge, lab spaces and an auditorium. The NSMV  Patriot State has space to train up to 600 cadets at sea, maximizing the capability of the ship and its mission to provide our cadets with a world-class education.

Students in our license-track majors, Marine Engineering and Marine Transportation, complete four sea terms as part of their programs - 3 aboard the NSMV Patriot State and 1 on a commercial shipping trip.

In addition to being an educational platform, this vessel is a highly functional national asset. Designed to fulfill numerous roles, the NSMV  Patriot State can effectively support the federal response to national disasters such as Hurricanes Maria and Harvey. The vessel will have state-of-the-art hospital facilities, a helicopter landing pad and the ability to berth up to 1,000 people in times of humanitarian need. Alongside its humanitarian capacities, the NSMV Patriot State has a roll-on/roll-  off ramp and container storage allowing it to provide aid to damaged ports.

See the Virtual Campus Tour for videos of the NSMV Patriot State: 

Virtual Campus Tour