Join us to preview the Museum’s latest historical acquisition.
Join us for a special evening celebrating the Museum’s newest acquisition: a remarkable collection of 34 sketches by Lieutenant John Blake Dale, an officer and artist aboard USS Constitution during the ship’s 1844–1846 voyage around the world.
Created during the Asia leg of the journey, Dale’s artwork offers an extraordinary window into the world USS Constitution encountered and deepens the Museum’s ability to share the ship’s global story.
Through a special collaboration with American Ancestors®, guests will also have the rare opportunity to view Lieutenant Dale’s journal from their collection, pairing his written observations with his sketches to reveal an even richer story of the voyage.
Enjoy light hors d’oeuvres and drinks while being among the first to view these historic works on display in the Theater.
The evening will include remarks by historian Robert Allison, PhD, Professor of History, Language & Global Culture at Suffolk University and Chair of Revolution250.
DATE
Thursday, May 7, 2026
TIME
6:00 – 8:00 PM
LOCATION
USS Constitution Museum
TICKETS
$40.00 inclusive of light hors d’oeuvres and drinks, available through the order form below.
About the Dale Collection
The USS Constitution Museum is proud to present a newly acquired collection of 34 sketches by Lieutenant John Blake Dale, an officer and artist aboard USS Constitution during the ship’s 1844–1846 voyage around the world. Created during the Asia leg of the journey, Dale’s artwork captures ports, people, landscapes, and moments of diplomacy across places including Vietnam, Macao, Canton, and the South China Sea. Together, they offer a rare, firsthand visual record of Constitution’s global story at a pivotal moment in the 19th century. More than beautiful works of art, these sketches bring the world the ship encountered vividly to life and deepen the Museum’s ability to share USS Constitution not only as an American icon, but as a vessel that engaged with a wider world.
