Martina Caruso, Director of Collections and Exhibitions at the South Street Seaport Museum, will provide an engaging multimedia presentation giving a brief history of the impressive 22-foot-long builder model of RMS Queen Mary, as well as the sumptuousness that came to light during its restoration process—from the shine of its propellers, to the detail of its mother of pearl windows and the fittings of the upper decks.

Through never-before-shared videos and a captivating mix of historical, archival, and modern photographs, attendees will discover the differences and importance of builder models, and how this 1935 invaluable artifact was packed and transported from a temporary loan on board the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California, to its new specially designed display case within the Museum’s newly renovated A.A. Thomson & Co. warehouse galleries.

Martina Caruso is responsible for stewardship and accessibility of the Museum’s collections and archives with particular attention to the long-term management of annual and multi-year work plans, policies and procedures. She also coordinates the development, design, production, installation and maintenance of multidisciplinary exhibitions in the Museum’s historic buildings, ships and public spaces, as well as online initiatives that engage visitors of all ages.

Prior to the South Street Seaport Museum, she worked for New York City and Massachusetts-based art institution museums including the International Center of Photography (ICP), the Drawing Center, and MASS MoCA. She is a board member of the Museums Council of New York City (MCNYC), and an active mentor for emerging professionals that are members of the Association of Registrars and Collections Specialists (ARCS). (Photos: Martina Caruso and South Street Seaport Museum)

Over a hundred years ago, the Hudson River waterfront was the place where New York City cemented its status as one of the world’s greatest cities. Cargo, commuters, and international passengers jostled with dock workers, freighters, ferries, railroads, and giant ocean liners. Join us for a walking tour to explore how this dynamic waterfront worked in the age of TITANIC, LUSITANIA, and other floating palaces that once docked there.

This approximately 90-minute walking tour will be led by William Roka, a WSS – PONY Branch Board Member and the Director of Programs at Village Preservation. He is also an independent historian and writer. His research, presented at conferences in the United Kingdom, Argentina, Australia, and across the United States, has focused on the history of travel and ocean liners in the early 20th century.

An email with instructions on how to register for this limited-capacity event will be sent to all PONY Branch members. Be sure to register early to avoid missing out on this unique members-only experience!

There was a time when the Detroit Waterfront was home to the fleets of several maritime transportation companies, like the Detroit & Cleveland Navigation Company, the Cleveland and Buffalo Transit Company, the Georgian Bay Lines and the Canada Steamship Lines. The ships of these organizations were large, comfortable, and efficiently carried passengers all over the Great Lakes. In addition, they operated cruises that allowed inhabitants of the states around the Great Lakes an opportunity to experience their region from a new, watery perspective. Explore the fascinating world of steamship travel on the Great Lakes with author and architect Bruce Allen Kopytek – who will tell the story of the companies, their crews, their passengers, and their ships, all of them marvels of the Marine Architect’s art.

Hamtramck, Michigan born Bruce Allen Kopytek nurtured a love of history while achieving two degrees in Architecture from the University of Detroit. He built a career that lasted forty-five years and designed a number of significant buildings spread throughout the world. In retirement, Bruce launched Editions BK, LLC to publish books on topics that have fascinated him throughout his life, remembering the values bestowed upon him by his parents, who taught faith, education, accomplishment, and culture above most everything else. After writing several books for a publisher, this book, his second self-published work, comes after the wild success of his Hudson’s: Detroit’s World Famous Department Store, now in its third printing. His wife Carole has been his partner in all these endeavors and so much more to boot!

(Image: Bruce Kopytek)