Real Pirates: The Untold Story of the Whydah from Slave Ship to Pirate Ship To Open at Nauticus
The classical age of piracy comes to life in Norfolk when Nauticus welcomes Real Pirates: The Untold Story of the Whydah from Slave Ship to Pirate Ship on Saturday, November 21, 2009. The 16,000-square-foot interactive exhibition showcases more than 200 artifacts, including everyday objects, personal items, and treasures from the first fully authenticated pirate ship to be discovered in U.S. waters. Sponsors of Real Pirates include: The Port of Virginia, AT&T Government Solutions, Bruce & Lilly Bradley, Colonna's Shipyard, Hampton Roads Transit, Long John Silvers, Maersk Line, Ltd., Navy League of Hampton Roads, the City of Norfolk, Peter & Bess Decker, Progressive Graphics, T. Parker Host, Inc., The Taylor Foundation, Teledyne Benthos, Top Guard Security, TowneBank, Virginia Maritime Association, Virginia Ship Repair Association, WR Systems, and WVEC-13 News.
Real Pirates, a touring exhibition, is organized by National Geographic and Arts and Exhibitions International (AEI) LLC and tells the true story of the Whydah — a pirate ship that sank off the coast of Cape Cod nearly 300 years ago. The exhibition features treasure chests of gold coins and jewelry, as well as technically advanced weaponry of the time — 18th century cannon, pistols and swords. These artifacts were painstakingly recovered from the ocean floor over the last 25 years and form the core of this exhibition.
"We are very excited to be bringing an exhibit of this caliber to Norfolk," said Hank Lynch, Nauticus Executive Director. "Real Pirates tells a serious story that reveals piracy as it actually was, not just how it's usually represented in popular culture."
Visitors are provided with an unprecedented glimpse into the unique economic, political and social circumstances of life in the early 18th century. Highlighted throughout the exhibition are compelling true stories of the diverse people whose lives converged on the Whydah before its demise. Multimedia galleries showcase this period of history, including the slave trade based in West Africa and the economic prosperity in the Caribbean. Visitors can get a sense of everyday life aboard the Whydah pirate ship, and meet Captain Sam Bellamy, one of the boldest and most successful pirates of his day. Continue on the journey with Bellamy as he sails, looting dozens of ships before a violent storm sank the vessel off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, April 26, 1717.
"This unique and extraordinary exhibit defines the best of exploration," said Terry Garcia, National Geographic's executive vice president, Mission Programs. "From an archaeological perspective, we have the discovery of the shipwreck, its excavation and the process by which it was authenticated. From a cultural perspective, we explore the rich history of the Caribbean trade routes during the 18th century and the inextricable link between the slave trade and piracy. This is the first time that this amazing story, with all of its interconnected layers and characters, will be presented in such an engaging format."
In this exhibition, visitors can hoist a pirate flag, tie pirate knots, and enter the ship as the pirates did, by ducking through a large wooden door and going "below deck" of the Whydah in a life-size replica of the ship's stern.
Real Pirates personally relates to visitors by sharing the stories of four members of the Whydah crew - people who ended up on the same pirate ship for very different reasons - such as John King, the youngest-known pirate on board the Whydah, who was believed to be younger than 11 years old at the time of the shipwreck. King's piracy began when the ship he was traveling on with his mother was captured by Captain Bellamy and he joined the pirate crew despite his mother's objections.
Whydah History
The three-masted, 300-ton Whydah was built as a slave ship in London in 1715 and embodied the most advanced ocean-going technology of her day. She was easy to maneuver, unusually fast and, to protect her cargo, heavily armed and ready for battle. She was built to transport human captives from the West Coast of Africa to the Caribbean — but only made one such voyage before being captured by pirates in February, 1717. Soon after the ship's slaves were sold in the Caribbean, the Whydah was captured near the Bahamas by Bellamy. His crew quickly hoisted the Jolly Roger, signaling to others that the slave ship was now a pirate ship.
April 26, 1717, the Whydah, heavy with loot from more than 50 captured ships, sank during a powerful nor'easter storm off the Massachusetts coast. All but two of the 146 people on board died.
"This was a unique period in our history," said Jeffrey Bolster, professor of early American and Caribbean history at the University of New Hampshire and member of an advisory panel composed of academic and other scholarly experts that assisted exhibition organizers. Bolster added, "Through the cache of artifacts [from the ship] we see a world generally undisclosed, one in which the Caribbean was the economic center and values were very different, an era before civil rights, before individual liberties, and before democracy was institutionalized. Without the slave trade and the wealth of the region, piracy would not have existed."
In 1984 (267 years after the Whydah sank), the ship was discovered by underwater explorer Barry Clifford, who had been searching for the ship for more than two decades. "Discovering the Whydah was the most exciting moment in my career," said Clifford. "The sheer volume of artifacts, from more than 50 other ships, provides a rare window into the otherwise mysterious world of 18th century pirates. I see this exhibition as the culmination of my many years of work. Most importantly, it is a chance to bring the real story of pirates to the public as it's never been told before — through real objects last touched by real pirates."
Clifford is still actively excavating the wreck site and continues to bring gold and silver to the surface as well as everyday items that shed light on this tumultuous period of American and world history. At the end of the exhibition, visitors see first-hand how Clifford discovered the ship and can delve deeper into the extensive recovery and conservation process.
Admission
Timed tickets to Real Pirates: The Untold Story of the Whydah from Slave Ship to Pirate Ship include admission to both Real Pirates in the Half Moone Cruise & Celebration Center and general admission to Nauticus. $18.95 for adults, $14.95 for children aged 4-12 and $12.95 for Nauticus members. Children under 3 are free. Special rates are available for tour operators and groups of 15 or more. Tickets can be purchased via Ticketmaster or by calling 1-866-448-7849. To book a group, call (757) 664-1021.
Travel Information
Nauticus is a maritime science museum located on the downtown Norfolk waterfront that features hands-on exhibits, interactive theaters and exciting, educational films as well as Navy exhibits and The Hampton Roads Naval Museum; the awe-inspiring Battleship Wisconsin; a NOAA environmental resource center; The Half Moone Cruise and Celebration Center, and the Victory Rover, which offers cruises of the seaport.
Hours: Memorial Day through Labor Day from 10 a.m.- 5 p.m., daily; Rest of year, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday; Noon-5 p.m., Sunday. Nauticus is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. Call for other holiday hours.
Directions: Nauticus is located in Norfolk, Virginia. Follow I-64 to 264W. Take the Waterside Drive exit. Nauticus is 20 minutes west of the Virginia Beach Oceanfront, via 264W, and 40 minutes east of Colonial Williamsburg via I-64 to 264W.
About National Geographic
The National Geographic Society is one of the world's largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Founded in 1888 to "increase and diffuse geographic knowledge," the Society works to inspire people to care about the planet. It reaches more than 370 million people worldwide each month through its official journal, National Geographic, and other magazines; National Geographic Channel; television documentaries; music; radio; films; books; DVDs; maps; exhibitions; live events; school publishing programs; interactive media; and merchandise. National Geographic has funded more than 9,000 scientific research, conservation and exploration projects and supports an education program promoting geographic literacy. For more information, visit nationalgeographic.com.
About Arts and Exhibitions International (AEI): a division of AEG LIVE
AEG LIVE is the live-entertainment division of Los Angeles-based AEG, one of the leading sports and entertainment presenters in the world. AEI was founded in 2003 by president John Norman and international vice president Andres Numhauser. AEI currently produces the award-winning exhibition Diana: A Celebration in association with the Althorp Estate in the United Kingdom as well as the traveling blockbuster exhibitions Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs and Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharoahs. Norman and Numhauser have nearly 40 years' combined experience in the entertainment and exhibition business, working over the years on such projects as Titanic: The Artifact Exhibit and Saint Peter and the Vatican: The Legacy of the Popes. For more information, log onto www.artsandexhibitions.com.
Posted on 11 Dec 2009
