Comic art brings maritime history to life
Museums often rely on artifacts, paintings and exhibits to tell history’s stories. A new exhibition at Savannah’s Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum is taking a different approach — comic books.
“Drawn to the Sea: Maritime Stories From Savannah,” which opened May 1 and runs through Jan. 31, 2027, uses sequential art to explore four vessels that played significant roles in Savannah’s maritime history. The exhibition features original work by four contemporary artists who reinterpret historic voyages and events through comic-style storytelling.
The exhibit reflects a growing trend among museums seeking new ways to engage audiences, particularly younger visitors, by combining historical education with visual storytelling.
According to the museum, the exhibition focuses on four ships with deep ties to Savannah: the Anne, which brought James Edward Oglethorpe and Georgia’s first English colonists to the region in 1733; the S.S. Savannah, recognized as the first steamship to cross the Atlantic Ocean; the Pulaski, a luxury steamship destroyed by a boiler explosion in 1838; and the Wanderer, one of the last vessels known to have illegally transported enslaved Africans to the United States.
Each story is told through the artistic lens of a different creator.
Adventure cartoonist Lucy Bellwood explores the voyage of the Anne, while SCAD graduate and comic editor Avery Hick focuses on the pioneering S.S. Savannah. Author and illustrator Rich King chronicles the tragic fate of the Pulaski, and Savannah-based artist Sharon Norwood examines the history of the Wanderer and its role in the illegal trans-Atlantic slave trade.
The exhibition is accompanied by a limited-edition comic book that allows visitors to take the stories home. Museum officials say the publication was developed as an extension of the exhibit and features original artwork from all four artists.
The comic-focused exhibit arrives as Savannah’s comic and sequential art community continues to grow. The museum also hosted Comic Currents, a free family-oriented convention that brought together comic creators and fans from across the Southeast.
While the exhibition may appeal to comic book enthusiasts, museum leaders say its broader goal is to make maritime history more accessible.
The exhibition is housed within the Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum, located in the historic William Scarbrough House. The museum is known for its collection of ship models, maritime artifacts and paintings documenting the Atlantic trade era, as well as the largest private gardens in Savannah’s historic district.
For families looking for summer activities beyond beaches and theme parks, “Drawn to the Sea” offers a blend of history, art and storytelling under one roof. The exhibition is included with regular museum admission, which is $17.50 for adults, $14.50 for students, seniors, active-duty military members and veterans, and free for children 5 and younger. Discounted family and group tickets are also available.
The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 41 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Savannah. www.shipsofthesea.org
