Nantucket Lightship Basket Museum to Open with New Exhibit

NANTUCKET – The Nantucket Lightship Basket Museum will open for its 19^th year of exhibiting antique and contemporary baskets later this month.

The museum’s 2019 exhibit opens May 17 and follows the change of the Nantucket lightship basket from a utilitarian object to a fashion icon and beyond.

The exhibit explores how Jose Reyes’ invention of the “Friendship Purse” opened the door for the countless innovations that define lightship basket making today.

The display also features examples of lightship baskets that have pushed the boundaries of traditional forms, usage, and materials, but still retain the basic elements of the craft.

There are about 100 baskets on display, representing past and contemporary Nantucket basket makers, each providing a unique interpretation of what a lightship basket can be.

Museum Executive Director Andrea Wulffleff says innovation is what keeps the craft alive and vibrant on Nantucket and that the exhibit is designed to showcase new ideas and serve as an inspiration for the generation of innovators.

The museum also features Thursday morning lectures, a year-round weaving program for kids and new adult classes on Monday afternoons.