New England Museums
Northeast coast, USA
The majority of the major archival records about Joshua Slocum can be found along the New England coastal communities. These sailing grounds are where Joshua Slocum spent much of his tome as a naturalized American
Key places of interest
New Bedford Whaling Museum
The New Bedford Whaling Museum in Massachusetts is one of the most important repositories of Joshua Slocum material. Its collections include historic photographs of Slocum and the Spray, portraits and artwork, a postcard written by Slocum in 1902, editions of his books, manuscripts, newspaper clippings, and other family records. The extensive Melville C. Brown Papers contain copies and transcriptions of Slocum’s correspondence from 1885 to 1906, his editorial comments for Sailing Alone Around the World, a 1905 map of South America, research about the Spray, Liberdade, Northern Light, and Benjamin Aymar, and Slocum family genealogical and Nova Scotia property records. The Museum also holds material collected by Slocum’s grandson Alfred Joyce, making it an invaluable resource for studying Slocum’s family, vessels, writings, and remarkable life at sea.
Peabody Essex Museum
Located in Salem, Massachusetts, the Peabody Essex Museum is one of the oldest continuously operating museums in the United States and is internationally recognized for its maritime art and history collections. Its Phillips Library holds the Joshua Slocum Papers, 1894–1897 and 1941–1945, an important collection of original correspondence associated with Slocum and his historic voyage. The papers include letters written to his publisher before he departed aboard the Spray, as well as letters and an annotated letter sent from the vessel during his solo circumnavigation. Additional materials include correspondence with Roberts Brothers Publishers and a historic newspaper clipping featuring a photograph believed to show the Spray’s wheel. The Museum’s maritime collection also includes a detailed model of the Spray, built in 1931 by Slocum’s son Aymar B. Slocum. Together, these archival records and maritime objects provide a valuable connection to Slocum’s preparations, writings, celebrated voyage, and enduring influence on sailing history.
The Sailing Museum and National Sailing Hall of Fame
The Sailing Museum and National Sailing Hall of Fame
Located on the waterfront in historic downtown Newport, Rhode Island, The Sailing Museum and National Sailing Hall of Fame celebrates the history, culture, innovation, and enduring influence of sailing. Housed in Newport’s restored 1894 Armory Building, the museum uses interactive and multimedia exhibits to introduce visitors to the skills of sailing and the remarkable people who have shaped the sport. Joshua Slocum was posthumously inducted into the National Sailing Hall of Fame in 2011 as a member of its inaugural class. The museum recognizes Slocum as the first person to sail alone around the world and highlights his extraordinary life as a Nova Scotia-born mariner, shipmaster, adventurer, and author. His Hall of Fame profile explores his historic voyage aboard the Spray, his earlier maritime adventures, and the books through which he shared his experiences with generations of readers.