(bright music) - [Narrator] There's a museum in Newport with exhibits that include several chapters of Olympic history.

Discover the story behind this 16 millimeter camera and why its operator attached a small pole to the end of it.

And later, go inside the historic Masonic Lodge in Warren, Rhode Island, and examine a pitcher that once belonged to the father of our country.

This is "Treasures Inside the Museum".

(bright inspiring music) (bright inspiring music continues) (waves crashing) This building that once housed members of the press covering the prestigious America's Cup sailing races now serves as space for the Newport Sailing Museum.

(funky upbeat music) Newport has been synonymous with sailing for generations.

The local waters have hosted both casual and competitive sailors, making the city by the sea the perfect location for this museum.

- In 2019, the Sailing Museum idea started to take shape here in Newport, Rhode Island.

So we opened in May of 2022, and we have a very interactive experience here for folks of all ages, sailors and non-sailors alike.

- [Narrator] Inside, you'll find exhibits that focus on nature's elements, competitions, and people, both as team members, and as individuals.

- This was the Olympic uniform worn by Lynne Jewell Shore on the podium when she won the gold medal at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

She and her skipper, Allison Jolly, who is also a Hall of Famer, won gold that year, and it was the first time since the Olympics began in 1896 when there was a yachting category, that there was one specifically designated for women.

(funky upbeat music continues) This is the first time that they were able to compete in a class of their own, making this a really historic win, and for all of her accomplishments, Lynne Jewell Shore was awarded the Rolex Yacht's Woman of the Year Award in 1980, and then again in 1988, along with Allison Jolly, the year that they really won that groundbreaking gold medal.

Lynne Jewell Shore is a Newport native now, and after she finished competing in sailing, she ran Sail Newport, which is one of our colleagues across the Bay, and one of our partners, where folks can experience on the water sailing, and learn to sail.

So she's been very involved in the Newport community, and helping to continue to support sailing.

So the Olympic uniform here is part of a bigger exhibit, which is our Olympic sailing case.

We are in the competition area of the museum, which celebrates not only the Olympics, but also all the iconic regattas, including America's Cup.

A replica of Lynne and Allison's gold medal.

We have the gold medal from George O'Day, we have a gold medal and a bronze from Jonathan McKee, who was recently inducted into the Sailing Hall of Fame in 2022.

- [Narrator] In addition to honoring outstanding participants, the Sailing Museum also chronicles the evolution of the sport.

While here, visitors can create their own journey, participate in competition, and step back into history.

(bright exciting music) (bright exciting music continues) (bright exciting music continues) Sailing has long been a part of Newport and Narragansett Bay.

The city by the sea has often been host to the most prestigious races, including the America's Cup competition.

Many of those early races were captured on film, and the competitiveness often led to innovations in boat building for local manufacturers.

Back at the museum, another exhibit sheds light on an innovation in how races were filmed.

- In front of me, I have John Scott Biddles' 16 millimeter camera.

He used this camera to get unprecedented access aboard 12 meter yachts during America's Cup races from 1958 to 1987, which was pretty much the entire 12 meter era.

He was allowed board partly because he knew how to stay out of the way, which allowed him to get really great footage on board.

Without him filming, we would not have any onboard footage of during the America's Cup during this era, we would just simply not have it.

And then featured with this camera, we have what affectionately is called a Biddlestick, named after him.

He used this to stabilize the camera in one hand as he wrapped his arm around the mast, or something else to stabilize him as he was on board, to get great footage, but also, again, stay out of the way from the sailors.

It kinda looks like an early selfie stick in a way.

I do like to kind of start guests off by asking them what they think of it.

Now it doesn't extend, there's no telescoping aspect to it, but it does attach to the bottom of the camera so he could completely reach out arms' length to get really great shots of the boat moving on the water.

He was on board with sailors like Ted Turner, Ted Hood, Dennis Conner, and Bus Mosbacher, as well.

It's important to have this footage, because you get to see the liveliness of it.

You actually get to see these sailors in their prime with all the strength that they had moving these beautiful yachts that don't race like they used to these days.

The America's Cup boats today are very different.

So being able to have this footage is integral.

- [Narrator] Tucked away in another corner of the museum is an item that at first glance might look out of place.

It has a custom wooden box with a small key and a well worn handle.

But this didn't come from your grandparents' attic.

- One of the first objects that visitors will see at the Sailing Museum as they round the corner is the Singer sewing machine, which is potentially a very unusual thing to be confronted with when you think about sailing, but it has a very specific reason for being here.

This is the Singer sewing machine that was carried aboard the yacht Dorade during her 1931 Transatlantic race, and was done so in case there needed to be emergency sail repairs.

Of course, sails were cotton in those days, and a sewing machine was the logical thing to use when making repairs.

The machine comes with its own case, this wooden case here, with Singer across the front.

This is normally in our storage, so it's something that visitors to the museum would not see during a visit.

But we like to tell the story about Dorade.

She was a very important racing vessel.

Sparkman and Stephens design, created by Olin Stephens in 1929.

She won many Transatlantic races during the 1930s, and her current owners a few years ago endeavored to win, or race all of the same races that she undertook in the 1930s, and they bested those times.

So this is on loan from the current owners' collection, and we are delighted to have it in the museum.

(bright upbeat music) - [Narrator] The museum is made up of six different thematic areas, with a lot of them being interactive.

A journey through the exhibits is designed for all ages, both sailors and non-sailors alike.

(bright upbeat music continues) Visitors can compare different hull designs and try their hand at raising a sail.

Another exhibit teaches you how to sail into the wind.

There are a number of boats in the museum to walk around, and examples of essential gear, including what you might need if something goes terribly wrong.

- Today I have in front of me Captain Bill Pinkney's abandon ship bag, and Argos transmitting satellite.

He used both of these items on his voyage during the early 90s, '90 to '92, his solo trans navigation across the entire globe by himself.

He did this via the capes, which is a lot more difficult voyage than going through any canal.

So he had these for a specific reason.

If he ever had to abandon ship, he would've had this bag.

Inside was a water maker, flares, a transmitting handheld radio, and small amount of food and water to survive.

This satellite has a quick release on it, so he could take that off with him if he ever had to actually abandon ship.

Captain Pinkey on this voyage, he also live broadcasted himself to American schoolchildren during this time to talk about not only his voyage, but being an ambassador for the sport of sailing itself.

These items are very important because Captain Bill Pinkney was the first African-American to solo circumnavigate the globe through the capes, so these items do hold that significance.

He also, it's just such an amazing voyage.

This is a 27,000 mile voyage.

It took him 22 months, almost two years, so these items belong here because of that.

- [Narrator] The Sailing Museum officially opened its doors in May of 2022, making it one of the city's newest attractions.

This building, however, has long been a part of sailing history in Newport.

- So the armory, before it was converted to the Sailing Museum and National Sailing Hall of Fame was owned solely by the city of Newport, and was the site for the press conferences of the America's Cup.

One of those most notable press conferences took place here in 1977 when a very well-served Ted Turner attended the press conference having just won the America's Cup in a fitting and very exciting style for the Mouth of the South, as he was known at the time.

Not only a successful entrepreneur, a successful businessman, a successful sailor, but a man who was irreverent all of the time, and he carried that through to his competition here in Newport, where he beat some of the big names in sailing to go on to defend the America's Cup for the New York Yacht Club, and then go on to win the America's Cup for the New York Yacht Cup.

And among the things that we have from Ted's collection is his cover, and how cool is that, that we would go with Time on this side and Sports Illustrated on this side?

So here's this guy from the south, just starting with CNN, that people knew in sailing circles who was legendary for his sailing ability, and for his irreverent style, representing the New York Yacht Club, not known for its irreverent style, and going on to win the America's Cup, really as an amateur.

And this collection is just some of the stuff that was part of that particular challenge.

(gentle music) (gentle music continues) - We do have a Paralympic exhibit.

We have a lot of wonderful objects representing pioneers in the sport, as well as a signed banner for the Paralympic coach, Betsy Alison, herself a Hall of Famer.

So we endeavor, certainly, to represent all who have sailed and participate in the sport, and have left such a legacy.

The set of objects belonged to a Paralympic champion named Nick Scandone.

He was inducted into the Sailing Hall of Fame in 2022.

He wore this blazer when he represented the American team at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing.

He proudly carried the American flag on behalf of the team, and Nick had been a seasoned sailor, in fact, missed competing in the '92 Olympics by a small margin.

So he'd been a sailor all his life, and then was diagnosed with ALS, and his brother had said that the diagnosis was almost a blessing because it focused Nick back on sailing, so he wrote this note to himself that said, "I will win a gold medal," and that's in his own hand, which he did go on to do.

So we have here the photo of his hand holding the gold medal that he won in those games.

- [Narrator] Museums like this provide inspiration by making connection with visitors.

They enlighten our minds with interactive exhibits, and create memories that do not expire.

(bright music) (soft music) This old yellow building in the historic section of Warren has long been the home of the Masons' Washington Lodge #3.

The building dates back to the 18th century and was built partly using old timbers from British ships.

They're proud of their long history here and take pride in sharing that by regularly inviting the public inside.

- So this opens this way.

- [Narrator] There are a lot of treasures to see here, but perhaps none more meaningful than a piece that dates back to the American Revolution.

(soft music continues) (soft music continues) - Before me here is probably our lodge's most prized possession.

This is a pitcher that was used by George Washington in the Continental Army headquarters during the American Revolution.

So it is, my hand's shaking just looking at it.

It dates from 1775 and it comes to us through our first secretary of our lodge.

His name was Nathaniel Philips, and he was the quartermaster for General Washington during the revolution.

So he was in charge of basically moving all of the command staff equipment from one camp to the next.

This item was taken by him at the conclusion of the war, and it remained in his family, and it was passed down through his family to his grandson, Charles Philips, who then donated it to Washington Lodge in 1925.

So since then, it has been a highly revered and cherished artifact.

(soft music continues) (soft music continues) (soft music continues) That's pretty much a common practice for all wars and all armies across all different time periods.

You would take souvenirs from wherever you were particularly stationed, and especially at the conclusion of the war, George Washington was already a very revered mythic figure, really, so that anything that would've been used by him, it would almost be like a secular holy relic.

So any, like locks of his hair, for instance.

I believe there's one up in Boston that's in a little medallion.

So these things that are, any association with George Washington, are sacred, and especially to us as Freemasons.

Personally, George Washington is my boyhood hero, and I have to admit he's also my adulthood hero.

So to be able to see something and be this close to something that he himself used, it's really a dream come true.

This is my Disneyland, basically, (laughs) for history nerds.

It's clearly hand-blown, because there are different irregularities in the glass.

The one side here is particularly higher than this side.

There's also air bubbles in the glass itself, and there's also an imperfection of another air bubble located just here on the pitcher, but it is cut glass, so it is fancy, but not too fancy that it couldn't be in an army headquarters moving around during the revolution.

It's just a piece of glass, when you look at it.

But this very object bore witness to the founding of our country, really, the struggle for our very freedoms.

So to be able to have a tangible piece of that is really fascinating, and it's really powerful, and it's kind of moving, because there aren't really many relics that you could look at that you can see and touch that are so connected to that very crucial period in our history when we were becoming who we would become.

And it would be George Washington who spearheaded most of that, so this little, you know, unimpressive little glass pitcher saw some of the most momentous moments in American history.

(soft music continues) - [Narrator] Another collection at the lodge also dates back to the same period of American history.

Perhaps one of the most iconic pieces of clothing from the colonial area are tri-corner hats, also called tricorne hats.

The style ranged from simple to extravagant.

This set has a special connection to the lodge.

- These here are the original officers' hats from the 1790s.

They would've been worn by the top three officers in the lodge, so one would've been worn by the Worshipful Master, one would be by the Senior Warden, and one by the Junior Warden.

These here are put into a case and very, very rarely do we ever take them out and touch them with our bare hands.

They are made of beaver pelt.

These actually were made in Providence, Rhode Island.

They were, again, made in the late 1790s.

(soft inspiring music) (soft inspiring music continues) I think it's important for people to understand the history of the country, the history of the town, and all of the prominent people that have been Freemasons that are the Bakers, the Childs, and people like that, that are just part of US history, and the best way to connect with it is to be able to see things in real life.

- [Narrator] The Washington Lodge #3 traces its origin back to 1796.

They still have the original charter.

The document is more than 200 years old, and might have been lost had it not been for some clever thinking a long time ago.

- Colonel Seth Peck is probably our most famous member of Washington Lodge #3.

We have his official portrait from the time that he was Grandmaster in the 1840s.

We also have his family's Bible.

We have his sword that he carried as he served as colonel in the state militia.

We also have his gavel that he made when he served as master of this lodge in 1806.

The item that is probably most connected to Seth Peck is this particular item here.

Now this particular item, we're told, through Masonic tradition, that Seth Peck, during the Anti-Masonic period of the 1820s and 1830s, actually kept this charter sealed in a copper tube, similar to this, but it was completely watertight, and it was buried at the bottom of the Warren River at low tide, only he knew where it was, for its safekeeping during the Anti-Masonic period.

But through his actions in preserving this document to us, we have it here today.

As you can see, it is now preserved behind ultraviolet glass.

It has been cleaned, and it has been completely restored and preserved, and we're still able to read the fine text that we see here today, which grants us Washington Lodge #3, our right to meet as Freemasons in the state of Rhode Island.

This right here is a tangible, physical connection to the founding members of our lodge.

(soft music) - [Narrator] Another much larger restoration project at the lodge is ongoing.

In 1914, a German immigrant by the name of Max Mueller undertook the task of painting a 360 degree Egyptian-themed mural in the main hall.

- These murals were a big surprise when I found them.

I was invited in here.

I have worked in Egypt and in Egyptian archeological sites, and when I walked in here, I have thought my goodness, this is like going into King Tut's tomb on steroids.

It's just a fabulous surprise when you see how many of the Book of the Dead drawings are here in more than full life size, all throughout the room.

You're totally surrounded by this, so it's a fabulous unusual Rhode Island icon that is really undiscovered.

I came here because the lodge knew that their murals were flaking, and they were losing paint and decorative surfaces, and they wanted to know what to do next, what were their steps.

So I helped them develop a preservation plan to move forward.

This particular mural is the bricklayers, and you can see where it's partially cleaned, and then the part on the left is quite dark.

The darkness is because of years' worth of oil and soot that's accumulated over the surface.

So we'll start with an overview.

We document, we photograph everything so we know what we're looking at.

We look and try to assess what is the cause of all the paint flaking off, what is causing the cracks in the mural, what are the other issues that may be affecting what we call the stability of the piece itself.

We do some testing of the paints, we do some testing of the different substrate materials that we have here, and of course, how can we take all the dirt off without removing the paint?

- [Narrator] The hope is that once a single frame is restored, the community will realize the potential and come together to support a restoration of the entire room.

In the meantime, this treasure can be seen in person on any day the lodge is open to the public.

(bright music) (bright music continues) (soft electronic music) (gentle acoustic music) - [Announcer] This program and other episodes of "Treasures Inside the Museum", as well as digital extras, are now available to watch any time by visiting RhodeIslandPBS.org, or the Rhode Island PBS YouTube channel.

Take a private tour with exhibit curators, get an inside look at the conservation process, and go behind the scenes to see hidden treasures.

Whether you are interested in artifacts, paintings, photography, architecture, or history, you'll be inspired to learn more.