Should the US Grand Strategy continue its commitment to European security, or should it be focused elsewhere? Foreign policy and national security experts have debated that question since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. We dive into the history of Offshore Balancing to determine whether this national security strategy is a feasible modern-day solution.

The Mariners’ Museum is home to a duo of watercolors documenting events occurring during the July 1797 attack on Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The artist, Captain William Henry Webley, participated in the action, making his paintings the only eyewitness views of the event known to exist. The attack was led by one of the most renowned naval leaders, Britain’s Vice Admiral Horatio Lord Nelson — and it was an utter failure. On the 226th anniversary of the attack, we piece together the artwork and letters from Webley and Lieutenant William Hoste to get a better idea of what happened during the catastrophic raid.

Paintings can offer a unique glimpse into history - but what happens when the artwork’s identifying elements are unclear? Solving these mysteries often takes extensive detective work, as with a painting of a 17th-century family that has confounded curators for 90 years! Has one of our curators finally cracked the case?

Learn how recent research has revealed a connection between the port of Liverpool’s Bidston Hill signal station and Norfolk, Virginia in the 18th century.