Great Escape: Bowers Museum

Each week, we’ll tell you about one great idea to give you a much deserved break or make your life a little easier—maybe a whole lot easier.

When school’s out and the house is filled with the raucous shouts of children, I dream of escaping someplace calm, cool and cerebral. Don’t get me wrong, I love the kids and all, and I want them to have fun in summer, but we all need a break sometimes, right?

On Friday, July 24 at 1 p.m., the Bowers Museum is offering a gallery talk and docent-led tour of their exhibit Scrimshaw: The Art and Craft of the American Whaler. I am fascinated by scrimshaw, which is the detailed carving on whale teeth and bone done by whalers to keep busy on long voyages at sea. Some of the work done by these rough sailors is so intricate and exceedingly lovely that it is hard to believe they were not celebrated artists.

The exhibit includes nearly 100 objects of various types, including cribbage boards and dice for gaming, household articles and toys made for loved ones, and a variety of personal items including tools for shaving, smoking, writing and other daily activities. Whole whale teeth are carved with images of beautiful ladies in fashionable clothing, notorious female pirates, sailing ships of the period and animated scenes of whalers at work.

The gallery talk is presented by the Bowers Docent Guild and is a great opportunity to expand your knowledge, learn the history of scrimshaw and escape into the world of the American whaler.