The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum has been awarded funding for its reimagined Oystering on the Chesapeake exhibition from the International Congress of Maritime Museums through its Global Maritime Histories Project.
Among six institutions recognized globally, CBMM will receive £30,000 (roughly $40,000) for the forthcoming enhancement of the long-term exhibition through new storytelling and interactive experiences with an emphasis on connecting the Bay’s historic oystering industry with today’s efforts in aquaculture, habitat restoration, and environmental stewardship.
Through this redevelopment to make Oystering on the Chesapeake more engaging, impactful, and relevant, CBMM aims to provide a global model for how museums can drive real-world environmental action through exhibitions and education.
“We are tremendously grateful for ICMM’s support on this important project,” said Kristen Greenaway, CBMM’s Ellen & Richard Bodorff President & CEO who also serves as ICMM President. “Oysters are a keystone species of the Bay, and that story—of ecology, heritage, and community—is still being written. Through our enhanced Oystering exhibition, we want our guests to gain a deeper understanding of the Bay’s history and a greater sense of their own role in its future.”
Opened in 2002, Oystering on the Chesapeake explores how the Bay’s oyster fishery has shaped the region’s history, culture, and landscape.
The display’s centerpiece is the skipjack E.C. Collier, which worked local waters harvesting oysters until the 1980s before it was donated to CBMM. Guests are introduced to the historic vessel’s real crew members before stepping aboard to experience what it’s like to dredge the Bay.
The exhibition also shares the oyster’s journey from the Bay to table through artifacts and historic photographs, including CBMM’s world-class oyster tin collection.
The revamped Oystering will bring the story into the present, exploring the industry’s evolution, the rise of aquaculture, and how oysters remain central to ongoing restoration efforts with help from watermen, oyster farmers, scientists, and restoration leaders. This includes a partnership with Ferry Cove Shellfish Hatchery in nearby Sherwood, Md.
CBMM’s Vice President of Learning & Innovation Jill Ferris and Director of Curatorial Affairs & Exhibitions Jen Dolde will lead the research and development process, aiming to create an exhibition that empowers guests of all ages to become thoughtful stewards of the Bay.
“We’re looking at how we can best tell the evolving story of oysters in the Chesapeake,” Ferris said. “That means honoring the history and traditions of oystering while also helping guests understand what’s happening on the Bay today, why oysters matter, and what they can do to help.”
This fresh approach to the oystering story is aligned with new eco-tourism cruises planned next year with the upcoming relaunch of the 1920 Chesapeake Bay buyboat Winnie Estelle after an extensive refit in CBMM’s working Shipyard. There are plans to highlight aquaculture in action with partners along the Miles River and beyond with school groups and public offerings.
Oystering on the Chesapeake’s enhancement reflects CBMM’s commitment to sharing new stories and immersive experiences across campus through new and refreshed exhibitions.
Stories from the Shoreline, a long-term exhibition highlighting diverse perspectives on Bay life from the water’s edge, opened earlier this summer, and planning for a reimagining of the storytelling in the 1879 Hooper Strait Lighthouse is also underway. And there’s more to come, with exciting plans for refreshed long-term displays and special exhibitions in the years ahead.
CBMM was joined in receiving Global Maritime Histories Project support from ICMM by cultural institutions in Brazil, Finland, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Uganda.
Launched in 2023, the Global Maritime Histories Project has become one of ICMM’s flagship international programs, helping to build new partnerships, encourage collaboration across the maritime museum sector, and demonstrate how maritime heritage can contribute to addressing contemporary social, cultural, and environmental challenges. The six-year international initiative is made possible through a £1 million grant from Lloyd’s Register Foundation.
The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum is a non-profit educational organization that preserves and explores the history, environment, and culture of the entire Chesapeake Bay region, and makes this resource accessible to all.
Every aspect of fulfilling this mission is driven by CBMM’s values of relevance, authenticity, and stewardship, along with a commitment to providing engaging guest experiences and transformative educational programming, all while serving as a vital community partner. Learn more at cbmm.org.
