If you’re one of the millions of people captivated by stories of pirates, then keep a weather eye on the horizon and drop your anchor at the Museum of Idaho’s Real Pirates exhibition, which is commandeering the museum beginning May 8.
Real Pirates, organized by National Geographic and Premier Exhibitions, Inc., tells the story of the Whydah, the first fully-authenticated pirate shipwreck ever discovered and the only one in U.S. waters. This exhibit showcases over 200 actual artifacts, which provide visitors with an unprecedented glimpse into 18th century piracy.
In addition to artifacts such as treasure chests of gold and silver, the oldest collection of Akan jewelry in the world, cannons, pistols and the ship’s massive anchor, Real Pirates personally relates to visitors by sharing compelling true stories of the diverse people whose lives converged on the Whydah before its demise. From 11-year old John King, who was the youngest-known pirate on the ship, to the ship’s captain, Sam Bellamy, who was known as the “Prince of Pirates” and commonly-referred to as Black Sam, visitors will get a rare opportunity to become part of this mysterious world. Patrons will immediately be immersed as soon as they catch sight of the 33-foot pirate ship that washed up on the Museum of Idaho’s shores just outside the building. Visitors will also get the chance to touch authentic pirate coins, hoist the Jolly Roger flag, tie pirate knots, and learn how to fire a cannon.
The Whydah was a state-of-the-art vessel, which set sail on her maiden voyage in 1716, traveling from London to Africa. It departed Africa transporting human captives to the Caribbean. In February 1717, after the slaves disembarked, the Whydah, laden with gold and silver from the sale of nearly 500 slaves, was captured off the coast of the Bahamas by Bellamy who was one of the boldest and most successful pirates of his day. Bellamy and his motley crew hoisted the Jolly Roger, and from that moment on, the slave ship was now a pirate ship. Bellamy turned out to be the richest pirate in recorded history.
However, the Whydah’s days of flying the Jolly Roger were numbered. Just 2 months later, on April 26, 1717, in one of the most violent nor’easters ever recorded, the Whydah, packed with loot from more than 50 captured ships, sank off the coast of Massachusetts, killing all but two of the 146 people on board.
In 1984, 270 years after the demise of the Whydah, underwater explorer, Barry Clifford discovered the first remains of the ship, which was submerged under 25 feet of water and buried under 30 feet of sand. In a recovery operation spanning more than two decades, Clifford and his team (which, in the early phase of exploration, included John F. Kennedy Jr.) have unearthed over 200,000 artifacts from gold and silver to everyday objects that help shed some light on this tumultuous period of history. Unfortunately, JFK Jr. passed away before the actual ship was discovered.
Real Pirates is invading the museum from May 8 to November 28. So gather up your comrades and chart your course to the Museum of Idaho for some swashbuckling fun exploring Real Pirates.