Nearly 30 boats from CBMM’s small craft collection—many of them on display for the first time ever—are highlighted in Water Lines: Chesapeake Watercraft Traditions, a long-term exhibition that opened within the new Welcome Center in the fall of 2023. The stories of the people who sailed, raced, used, designed, and built boats are at the center of this new look at familiar watercraft. Beginning with an overview of signature Chesapeake Bay vessels in miniature in the Model Gallery and an exploration of the skipjack as an icon of the region’s maritime industry and culture, Water Lines connects the “lines” of each vessel’s design and construction to human narratives of everyday work and play.
The stories are both familiar and surprising: from one-design sailboats on which young people learned to sail and which brought generations of sailors together for regattas, to traditional craft that served watermen, waterfowlers, and families alike, to mass-produced craft that enabled more universal access to the water. Images from CBMM’s rich photographic collection, along with carefully chosen artifacts and models, give dimension to the role that utilitarian objects such as boats play in Chesapeake life.
